Autistic symptoms and the ageing process
As I approach my mid 50’s, It appears that some of my autistic symptoms are taking a greater hold of my life. I find that I have to work much harder to be aware of my surroundings, and being organised takes a lot more effort. Everyday tasks such as remembering my keys or paying bills on time now requires more concentration than it used to. Staying connected to my surroundings is also much harder. It feels Read More
Autism: Feeling sympathy for inanimate objects
Autism: Feeling sympathy for inanimate objects Article by Steve Slavin Inanimate Object Definition: A thing that is not alive. For example: a cardboard box, a pair of scissors, a car tyre. I have felt sympathy for objects since I was a young child. This has caused me a huge amount of sadness and anxiety over the years. I feel sad for the photograph that gets pushed to the back of Read More
Autism Street
I would like to walk down Autism Street, where everyone moves in the same direction as me. People would move on tracks along predetermined routes. No-one would be permitted to stop in front of me, or change their direction of travel. Police sirens would be silent, and their flashing lights would be banned. Rules of behaviour would be clearly sign posted, and strictly adhered to. With it’s safety and predictability, I would like to Read More
THE MYSTERY OF SOCIAL INTERACTION
THE MYSTERY OF SOCIAL INTERACTION Sometime ago I wrote a post called ‘the big secret’. The secret of how life works, the secret shared by people that do not have Autism. Having had a week of being completely at odds with the world and all the people in it, I feel that my social skills have slipped back all the way down the slippery slope to stage one! Having completely misread some situations Read More
Anxiety and Autism
Anxiety and Autism It occurred to me the other day, that for me the worst thing about being on the autistic spectrum, is the anxiety. We worry about almost everything, and trap ourselves in a never ending downward spiral of negativity and self doubt. It’s little wonder we are so prone to depression and low self esteem. Lately, I’ve been able to notice when I’ve been worrying about something and Read More
My new podcast page
New! Podcast series: “Views from the inside” Welcome to my new podcast page. In this series of podcasts, I will be interviewing people that are either on the autistic spectrum, or have a lot of experience of working with, or caring for people on the spectrum. The autistic adults I will be interviewing, talk about their everyday experiences of having autism. Their stories go way beyond the headline definitions of autism Read More
Autism and uncontrolable emotions
Are your emotions out of control? Emotions are difficult things for those of us on the autistic spectrum. Without wishing to sound too down about things, emotions for me, are usually negative and fill me with sadness and anxiety. What is it about autism that makes us so sensitive to what’s going on around us? Why do we over react so extremely, to our thoughts, things that people say and Read More
Autism, communication and the police
I am currently helping the Police learn effective communication skills… …for when they are dealing with autistic adults. All to often autistic adults come into conflict with the police through lack of understanding on both sides. I personally know of a few cases where autistic adults that able to travel by themselves have got into serious trouble with the police, arrested and even threatened with prison before being sectioned in Read More
Autism and my need to be perfect
“Everything I say and do, has to be perfect.” Are you on the autistic spectrum and does this sound familiar to you? There’s something about having autism that makes me need everything I say, every social interaction, every job I do at work, every bit of diy I undertake to be perfect. There is no inbetween, no middle ground. It’s either perfect or completely useless, and underlines my horribly low Read More
My under-developed autistic emotions
“I feel as though I never really grew up” Many of us autistic adults, seem to have an almost child-like character. I hope that readers will not find this observation insulting or demeaning in any way. I feel its important to be honest, and I am not necessarily saying it’s a bad thing. I have always felt as though my emotions and personality never really developed passed childhood. Around other Read More