The Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y–BOCS) is a standardized rating scale with both clinician-administered and self-report versions available that measures obsessions and compulsions, and is considered the “gold standard” in the measurement of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom severity and treatment response.[1]Measurement of risk-taking in obsessive-compulsive disorder (Steketee & Frost, 1994) [2] Dimensional structure of the Yale–Brown…
…and the feelings that come up, and to show self-compassion in general, so you may learn and grow, rather than putting yourself down based on perceived deficits. To read more about mindfulness and self-compassion, have a look at the following post: Self-compassion & self-criticism [+] References 1↑ The fear of being laughed at: Individual and…
…Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist Intensive Training (ASDCS) Professional Education Seminars Incorporated (PESI), Evergreen Certifications Completed: 2021 Pharmacological applications in medical practice University of Toronto Completed: 2015 Masters in Science – Applied psychology with Distinction University of Liverpool Dissertation: Resourcefulness, Personal Responsibility and Agency in Healing from PTSD and/or C-PTSD Graduated: 2014 Naturopathic Doctor…
…make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level. Do you have intellectual impairments that could better account for your traits than autism? ❯ For more comprehensive information on what the DSM-5 requirements for autism are, read the article below. Decoding autism in…
…not just focusing on either of the three components of self-compassion, but to properly combine all three. Benefits of self-compassion People who are self-compassionate do not berate themselves when they fail, which promotes a nurturing internal environment in which you are more able to:[21]The Role of Self-Compassion in Development: A Healthier Way to Relate to…
…are required to do Emotionally Exhausted – A complete depletion of emotional energy to the point of not receiving joy from anything For example: Everything may feel like an obligation, tasks may require a heightened effort than previously, and there may be no desire to complete essential tasks. A loss of passion characterizes emotional exhaustion…
…strategies make decisions, quickly form judgments, and determine solutions to complicated problems. Test scores are also significantly related to subjects’ time and risk preferences.[4]Cognitive abilities and behavioral biases (Oechssler, Roider & Schmitz, 2009) Versions & translations The CRT has been translated into different languages. Taking the test The original CRT consists of just 3 questions,…
…to the neurotypical norm? Aligned with the double empathy problem and theory of mind, these communication struggles go both ways. Autistics struggle to communicate with neurotypicals, and neurotypicals struggle to communicate with autistics. The meaning behind nonverbal communication In neurotypical social interactions, nonverbal communication is highly valued. It is considered an important source of information…
…The table below shows some of the features of the clinical and non-clinical versions. Clinical versionNon-clinical version Language Clinical Accessible Content For clinical use For personal use Descriptions Descriptive, but aiming for brevity Comprehensive explanations Papers referenced APA-style citations Footnotes Personal examples ✗ ✓ Links to articles ✗ ✓ Note that it could be helpful…
The Systemizing Quotient–Revised (SQ–R) is a self-report questionnaire comprising 75 items, which is used to assess systemizing cognitive styles. Systemizing is the drive to analyze or construct systems. Look at the What it tests section for a more comprehensive explanation of systemizing. Basic information Statements: 75 Duration: 10–15 minutes Type: screening tool Authors: Sally Wheelwright…
…(age 16+) with IQ in the normal range (IQ >=80). Test versions & translations The most up-to-date version of the Aspie Quiz is version 5. The Aspie Quiz is available in various languages, however, this is version dependent: Version 4: Swedish, German, Russian, Polish, Italian, Slovak, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Hungarian Version 3: Turkish Version 2:…
…find an image to prove to the system that you are not a robot. We upgraded to v3 because it is an automatic system, so now the user no longer has to spend any time proving that they are indeed human, but instead their behavior on the website is tracked and assessed for humanity. That…
…narrate the photo-realistic pictures that pop up in my imagination. When I design equipment for the cattle industry, I can test-run it in my imagination, similar to a virtual reality computer program. All my thinking is associative and not linear. To form concepts, I sort pictures into categories similar to computer files. To form the…
…most commonly thought of as auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices. Delusions: These refer to beliefs that an individual is unwilling to change in the face of contradictory evidence and that are considered incorrect/false by an outsider. One common example is the belief that someone is out to harm you. Disorganized speech: This is characterized…
Considering trauma and maltreatment are common among autistic people,[1]Trauma and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Review, Proposed Treatment Adaptations and Future Directions (Peterson, 2019) [2]Prevalence of co-occurring mental health diagnoses in the autism population: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Lai et al., 2019) and often occurs in our developmental years,[3]Traumatic Childhood Events and Autism Spectrum Disorder (Kerns,…
…comment. Let me know what other excuses you have to not comment, by leaving a comment in the upgraded comments section below. For reference, below is a screenshot of the old blog post layout—the sections below the main blog post. The old blog post layout, the way it looked until May 2021. In the screenshot…
…himself even when elicited by examination. By ignoring these data failure is courted, of which scores of examples could be adduced. The reason of this derision of the subjective is largely a confusion on the part of the examiner between the actual subjective feelings of the patient and a very different phenomenon, viz., the interpretation…
…some big differences between how autistics and NTs engage in social creativity and imagination. Having an imaginary friend in childhood is a common example of IP. Past research has suggested imaginary friends were not common among autistic children.[11]Imaginary companions in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Davis et al., 2018) However, a recent study has seen…
…people died, compared to 0.91% (24,358) in the general population. Of those premature deaths:[17]Premature mortality in autism spectrum disorder (Hirvikoski et al., 2016) 0.32% (27) of autistic women died by suicide, compared to 0.03% (213) of non-autistic women. 0.30% (56) of autistic men died by suicide, compared to 0.05% (881) of non-autistic men. So autistic…
…symptoms of PTSD. In fact, many BPD traits mirror the symptoms of PTSD, especially those related to complex PTSD (cPTSD). For example, both the diagnostic criteria for BPD and cPTSD include dissociation, emotional dysregulation, and high levels of anger[39]Complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder (Ford & Courtois, 2021) Since clinicians can overlook our autistic traits…
…and get in touch with autistic freelancers. If you regularly hire freelancers, go ahead and give Spectroomz a try by hiring a great freelancer there. If you are an autistic or aspie freelancer, please join us! If you don’t need freelancers now (great timing COVID! 😷), please Bookmark/Pocket Spectroomz. I’m here for any questions, feedback,…
…While dyslexia is characterized by processing issues that affect reading and writing, when it comes to interpreting letters and symbols, they are also highly creative, intuitive, and excel at three-dimensional problem solving and hands-on learning. So the specialized minds of dyslexic people can be utilized in various ways. For example, given their spatial abilities, some…
…companies about ideas and scripts for TV, film and theatre to help them promote accurate images of autistic people. The production company behind this play contacted us and we arranged for autistic and non-autistic people to give feedback. We are pleased the production company made two changes in response—one for accuracy and another around representation….
…Two other components relate to our common empathetic responses and altruism. In her book Pathological Altruism (2011), Barbara Oakley PhD defines the following key concepts:[9]Book: Pathological Altruism (Oakley, 2011) Codependency is an inability to tolerate a perceived negative affect in others that leads to a dysfunctional empathetic response Codependency likely shares roots with pathological altruism…
…social interaction and social rejection. Similar to people with ESW, we feel free from social limitations within our online communications.[29]Autism, Problematic Internet Use and Gaming Disorder: A Systematic Review (Murray et al., 2021) For example, playing video games can be a way for autistic youth to release stress. Autistic youth are likely to participate more…
…the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adults: An international validation study (Ritvo et al., 2011) Here is how the RAADS–R measures up: RAADS-R validity ❮ MeasureResultMeaning Sensitivity 97% Test’s ability to identify positive results Specificity 100% Test’s ability to identify negative results Concurrent validity 96% Test’s validity compared with ADOS Module 4, SRS Test–retest…
…have led researchers to describe autism as a disorder of high intelligence. [10]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927579/ [+] References 1↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679259/ 2↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329534344_The_transformation_of_social_life_and_the_transformation_of_autism_in_the_1960s 3↑ https://embrace-autism.com/local-and-global-processing-in-autism/ 4↑ Here’s Waldo: Computing the optimal search strategy for finding Waldo (Olson, 2015) | Randal Olson 5↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976471/ 6↑ Local & global processing in autism 7↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627305008846 8↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9690940/ 9↑ http://jtoomim.org/brain-training/oddman%20out%20and%20intelligence.pdf 10↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927579/…
…made for incredible competition right in Zimmerman’s backyard. And, as expected for someone without prior tournament experience, he didn’t fare well against the competition. And further complicating things was his autism, which made socializing with other players difficult. People, really, I think, dismissed him if not outright disliked him because he didn’t really know how…
…advocate for systemic change. In addition, they acknowledge that the fields of psychiatry, psychology, counselling, and social work all have ableist roots. By working within the system, they recognize that they are part of the system and have the capacity to cause further harm. 3. They promote autonomy, not conformity Therapists who are autism-affirming support…
…if you are cheating. But, when you are writing your exam through the official accessibility services at your university, this is a very common accommodation. Use scrap paper during exams: Ask your professor if it’s okay to have some scrap/blank paper with you during exams. This can be helpful when we have trouble processing exam…
…al., 1989) Additionally, eye contact is effortless for allistics in most situations and doesn’t cause distress. Reciprocal eye contact seems to be a natural form of non-verbal communication. It is also important to consider that these views are predominant in Western neurotypical culture, but they are not universal. For example, East Asian cultures do not…
…interactions. yes 2 Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication. yes 3 Deficits in developing, maintaining, and…
…three subcategories: Compensation — Strategies used to actively compensate for difficulties in social situations. Examples: copying body language and facial expressions, learning social cues from movies and books (see Autism & movie talk). Masking — Strategies used to hide autistic characteristics or portray a non-autistic persona. Examples: adjusting face and body to appear confident and/or…
…in children referred to gender clinics, compared to non-referred and clinic-referred children (clinic-referred means children referred based on the Teacher’s Report Form, which assesses problem behavior). A significant increase in compulsion was also reported in gender-referred children compared to non-referred children.[53]Do Children With Gender Dysphoria Have Intense/Obsessional Interests? (VanderLaan et al., 2014) [54]Intense/obsessional interests in…
…Less driven by success More likely to engage in antisocial behaviour Extraversion High Extraversion Social Outgoing Enjoy engaging with the external world Experience a lot of positive feelings Low Extraversion Prefer solitude Less outgoing More comfortable working by themselves Do not need as much social stimulation Agreeableness High Agreeableness Warm Friendly Tactful Get along well…
…of empirical evidence for the effectiveness of these diets[22]Gluten-free and casein-free diets in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review —as did a systematic review from 2014,[23]Evidence of the Gluten-Free and Casein-Free Diet in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review as well as one from 2017.[24]Gluten- and casein-free diet and autism spectrum disorders…
…him! Such a kissable little face! Although of course it takes some effort and responsibility to take care of an animal, they can offer companionship and substitute people as a compensatory mechanism for social contact.[2]‘They ask no questions and pass no criticism’: A mixed-methods study exploring pet ownership in autism (Atherton et al., 2022) Also,…
…Communicational accommodations For autistic people, some communication-based accommodations could be helpful, including: Avoiding subtext and figurative speech; say exactly what you mean Offer exact and comprehensive explanations, so the task is clear and nothing is left open to interpretation Use written communication, either instead of or in addition to verbal communication of tasks and responsibilities…
…until they all meld to form into one person: her. The result of her mental ensemble is a new composition. Zola then passed on this composition to her bandmates and led them in performing it. One such composition was her rendition of A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles, a crowd favorite.[19]The musicality of stimming:…
…actively compensate for difficulties in social situations. Examples: copying body language and facial expressions, learning social cues from movies and books (see Autism & movie talk). Masking — Strategies used to hide autistic characteristics or portray a non-autistic persona. Examples: adjusting face and body to appear confident and/or relaxed, forcing eye contact. Assimilation — Strategies…
…and communicate that in a way that might appeal to… well, some autistic people at least. And of course, good/nourishing information could use a zany image to capture people’s attention, and some images that complement the text. That’s why we take pride in presenting our content as nicely and comprehensively as possible. Business Beyond that,…
…what’s not. Organization: Creating and maintaining systems to track information or materials. Time management: The capacity to estimate time, allocate time and stay within its limits—also involved in the sense of time’s importance. Goal-directed persistence: How you develop goals, follow them through to completion, avoid the distraction of competing interests, and revise plans due to…
Common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, are challenging for all people regardless of neurocognitive ability. They can cause distressing and debilitating effects on a person’s daily functioning. However, these effects are extremely distressing for autistics and AuDHDers compared to neurotypicals. Studies show that autistics more frequently report experiencing anxiety and depression compared…
…compensation se comporte de 9 éléments, alors que les deux autres catégories en comportent 8. Cela n’a-t-il pas pour conséquence de fausser les sous-échelles ? Quoi qu’il en soit, mes scores semblent intuitivement refléter mon comportement social et, après avoir fait le test deux fois, mes résultats sont assez cohérents. Total = 121; Compensation =…
…slightly higher social psychological skills (based on ∼6,500 participants in 104 countries). Autism traits were found to correlate with social cognitive skills. Heightened systemizing is what leads to this greater social psychological skill (based on 400 participants). What heightened systemizing (also called hyper-systemizing) refers to is that autistic people are great at analyzing systems and…
…wrote a post on Quora about colors that don’t have the letter “e” in it, where I talked a bit about primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Image source: Wikipedia – Tertiary color Just like colors, you can combine emotions to get different blends, which are both aspects of various feelings. For example, anxiety emerges from…
…embracing autism is certainly commendable. However, this is just one example of a growing trend. Across the Atlantic Ocean, in the hometown of SPAM (the famous meat product) of all places, exists yet another autism-friendly community. A theatre and other small businesses in Austin (Image source: Livability) Austin, Minnesota is also embracing its autistic community….
…Neural Retraining System (DNRS) works really well for autistics because we have alterations in our limbic system that affect the same areas of the brain like anxiety, depression, and PTSD;[10]McMaster University Observational Study shows Significant Changes in Health Outcomes with Dynamic Neural Retraining System™️(DNRS) | The Dynamic Neural Retraining System namely the cingulate cortex (a…
…both communities. To illustrate this, I will examine a recently published research study comparing the camouflaging experiences of ADHD-ers and autistics. A Dutch research study from 2023 explored how frequently ADHD-ers reported camouflaging compared to autistics and people without either diagnosis.[7]Is camouflaging unique for autism? A comparison of camouflaging between adults with autism and ADHD…
A common topic of discussion in autistic and ADHD communities is executive (dys)function (better described as executive challenges), and how it impacts our daily lives. Executive functions are cognitive processes that facilitate the achievement of our goals. For example, they help us solve problems, guide our decision-making, and control our actions. Executive functions are primarily…
…compared to autistic traits![23]Individual differences, ADHD, adult pathological demand avoidance, and delinquency (Egan et al., 2020) Here are some notable examples of the overlaps in characteristics: Task initiation/completion and attention ADHDers often struggle to initiate and complete tasks. On the outside, this executive functioning challenge can look very similar to how PDAers avoid tasks. One…
…10, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 ❯ Versions & translations The English version of TAS-20 has been translated into 30+ different languages,[2]Twenty-five years with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (Bagby, Parker, & Taylor, 2020) and there are many papers on the validity of translated versions of the test.[3]Psychometric Properties of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale…
…as to require a special day to prove it to them. I wouldn’t need it to show someone just how much I care about them all year long. It places an obligation on a relationship and sets unrealistic expectations between partners. How loving is it to subject yourself to a repetitive ritual that becomes routine,…
…one of the things that can cause us PTSD? Research from 2017 by N Haruvi-Lamdan, Danny Horesh, and Ofer Golan indicates the following: Abuse, sexual assault, violence, natural disasters and wartime combat are all common causes of PTSD in the general population. Among autistic people, though, less extreme experiences—fire alarms, paperwork, the loss of a…
…from The Rolling Twenties. We hate spam with a passion so would never clog your inbox with it! Any other questions, or anything you want to say? Let us know in the comments or on social media; we love communicating with our readers! Disclaimer We in no way recommend restraint unless trained and given express…
…mind her own business and not get involved with anyone in the neighborhood, and now I come along and we are part of a community. And don’t get me wrong—I’m all for the community spirit (it’s not for nothing that we came to call our Facebook group the Embrace Autism Community). But the horrible side-effect…
…An Update, and Eight Principles of Autistic Perception, Laurent Mottron et al., 2006 . Neurodivergents needed As the neurodiversity movement gained traction and awareness of various conditions increased, companies started to hire neurodivergent individuals for their specialized talents. 2013 – The international information and communication technology consulting firm Auticon launched. They exclusively employ autistic people…
…So this might set autism up for mockery. Some people from the LGBTQ+ community are displeased with the appropriation of the term “coming out”. I suspect the definition and use of the word are going to broaden regardless of the community’s displeasure, and arguably the term is already non-specific to the LGBTQ+ community, but it’s…
Systemizing is a term that is part of the empathizing–systemizing theory by Simon Baron-Cohen. Systemizing Systemizing is the drive to analyze or construct systems.[1]The systemizing quotient: an investigation of adults with Asperger syndrome or high–functioning autism, and normal sex differences According to Baron-Cohen’s research, the systemizing mechanism is set too high in autistic people. As…
…commonality within the asexual community (Carrigan, 2011) [12]New Orientations: Asexuality and Its Implications for Theory and Practice (Cerankownski & Milks, 2010) [13]Coming to an Asexual Identity: Negotiating Identity, Negotiating Desire (Scherrer, 2008) While others define it as a sexual orientation[14]Toward a Conceptual Understanding of Asexuality (Bogaert, 2006) [15]Asexuality: What It Is and Why It Matters…
…can only give a very rough indication of autism Empathy Quotient EQ Empathy capacity/proclivity It seems to measure social intelligence more so than empathy, and doesn’t properly distinguish between different types of empathy (unlike the TEQ). Perhaps specifically, your understanding of neurotypical social behavior, rather than emotional intelligence in general Systemizing Quotient–Revised SQ–R Systemizing proclivity/capacity…
…reason that I wasn’t diagnosed with autism is that I am obsolete at 58-years-old. My history includes the fact that I am physically disabled collecting monthly SSDI payments (U.S. Social Security Disability Insurance via the U.S. Social Security Administration) that place me living under the 100% poverty level for 2020. I will never return to…
…youth with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Rodrigues et al., 2020) 29↑ Pharmacotherapy of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the literature (Joshi et al., 2020) 30↑, 31↑ The effect of stimulants on irritability in autism comorbid with ADHD: a systematic review (Ghanizadeh et al., 2019)…
…brain. Image source: Wikipedia – Tullamarine Freeway Autistics, on the other hand, have a 3-lane freeway during the height of rush hour. This makes us less likely to process information, which is in part what causes PTSD. Image attribution: AFP The guard Information coming into the brain goes to the guard of the brain first….
…to incorporate into our logo and brand. In the PDF below, you can see some of our research, how it informed our design decisions, and part of the logo design process. If the plugin above does not load, you can download the PDF document by right-click on the link below and Save Link As… Autism…
…of existing research and my own perspectives about AuDHD and relationships. We are always sourcing more community perspectives so if you have thoughts, please let us know in the comments! Combining ADHD and autistic traits In a previous article, we talked about how typical autistic and typical ADHD traits get combined together in AuDHD. When…
…easy debating a whole family on your own, but I definitely could have done better. An important rule I learned is that: Having passion is great, but arguing with passion can potentially undermine your ability to persuade. And here I think a lot of autistics might have something to learn. We can be very invested…
…generations. This does not align with what the autistic community as a whole advocates for. Even though many members of the autistic community continue to express that this research is not a priority for us, this trend persists. Despite the numerous calls from the autistic community to shift the focus of research away from pathologizing…
…maybe sending a message, how could they do so? Natalie: [00:12:30] Probably the best thing would be through my website, which is Natalie-Engelbrecht.com. Interviewer: [00:12:40] Alright, excellent. So that would be a www.natalie-nd—as in ‘naturopathic doctor’—.com. Natalie: Perfect. Interviewer: [00:12:55] Excellent. And we’re going to take a break at this point. You’re listening to MindBodyRadio…
…month, would you choose to be with this person? And perhaps more importantly, what has your partner’s pattern of behavior shown? Autistic people tend to be good at systemizing (the drive to analyze or construct systems)[7]The hyper-systemizing, assortative mating theory of autism [8]Talent in autism: hyper-systemizing, hyper-attention to detail and sensory hypersensitivity and pattern recognition;[9]Enhanced…
…good starting point when forming a relationship to look at whether your new friend/partner shares your autistic traits. Natalie’s experience with relationship compatibility It is definitely easier for me to relate, understand, and get along with another autistic person compared to another non-autistic person. For example, it is easier for me to help an autistic…
…appreciate some of my strengths, such as my meticulous attention to detail and ability to systemize. In many ways, my diagnosis has also given me the confidence I needed to express who I am more freely. Like many others, I experienced autistic imposter syndrome. Despite knowing that I had many autistic traits, I didn’t feel…
…autistic brains compared to neurotypical brains, and allistics are better at understanding other allistic brains compared to autistic brains. Crompton et al. give the example that it “might be difficult for non-autistic parents to understand what their autistic child is feeling” or that it might be difficult for autistic people to describe their sensory sensitivities…
…autism 6↑ Beyond Depression: Ketamine and Glutamatergic Agents for PTSD, OCD, and Other Potential Applications 7↑ Augmentation strategies in obsessive–compulsive disorder 8↑ Effects of ketamine in treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder 9↑ Psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders: prevalence, comorbidity, and associated factors in a population-derived sample 10↑ Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders in Children with Autism:…
…that others feel too afraid to cross you, or do what you want. Manipulation based on fear usually comes in the form of threats. Fear can also form the basis for many other emotions to take place. For example, one of my ex-partners would sometimes during conflict threaten to call my dad to complain about…
…the formal diagnostic criteria of autism compared to ADHD—as well as offer some insight into how these diagnoses may be experienced in combination. Comparing DSM-5-TR criteria Research shows that upwards of 50% of autistic people also have ADHD.[1]The comorbidity of ADHD in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (Stevens, Peng, & Barnard-Brak, 2016) [2]Identifying comorbid…
…all of ongoing experience, findings subjects and topics fascinating, exploring and discovering VIA 03 Judgement Open-mindedness Not jumping to conclusion, thinking things through and examinining them from all sides, and being able to change one’s mind based on evidence VIA 04 Love of learning — Enjoyment of learning and mastering new topics, skills, and bodies…
…hyper-systemizers.[4]The systemizing quotient: an investigation of adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism, and normal sex differences (Baron-Cohen et al., 2003) Read more: What is hyper-systemizing? Autism-like behaviors I did at one point wonder whether myopia contributed to my autism. I mean, my vision has little bearing on my fundamental neurology, and so I will…
…not the “problem.” Rather, the system is. Through the disabled community, I’ve also discovered the concept of community care, where in an ideal world, we are all working to support each other in meeting our needs as opposed to trying to fit into a system that only meets the needs of those with the most…
…reality than what I observe from people around me. It seems I enjoy discovering the truth and learning new things for its own sake. But then, I was watching a lecture by cognitive scientist and philosopher Joscha Bach on computational meta-psychology (about how the mind—despite being a computational system—introduces biases that can subvert meaning and…
…requires rapid attentional shifts, there are also situations where monotropism is an asset. Due to our ability to focus, we may find ourselves able to complete complex tasks very quickly (which can benefit people who work in fast-paced environments). However, it also comes at the cost of being very exhausting to maintain. During this highly…
…to minimize the risk of anxiety and depression in autistic and AuDHD communities. These potential solutions are also called protective factors. In this article, I have organized these protective factors into three, specific levels: systems-level factors, individual-level factors, and group-level factors. Systems-level factors When referring to systems-level factors, I mean that these changes are not…
Alexithymia is very common among autistic people; research indicates that at least 49.93%[1]Investigating alexithymia in autism: A systematic review and meta-analysis (Kinnaird, Stewart, & Tchanturia, 2019) of us have alexithymia—or even as high as 85% with slight to severe alexithymia[2]Measuring the effects of alexithymia on perception of emotional vocalizations in autistic spectrum disorder and typical…
…Effects on Epigenetic Gene Regulation But don’t think that methylation is always about disease. Sometimes methylation can make a different ‘version’ of the same genetics. For example, in bees methylation is used to change existing bees in the hive to whatever class bee is needed. So for example, when the hive needs more nurse bees,…
…is known as an “aversive” method or punishment, which came to prominence after an American Psychologist by the name of Joseph Cautela popularized the technique.[3]Aversion therapy | Britannica It’s fantastic that the Massachusetts Attorney General, Maura Healey, has taken notice of this practice at the JREC, and is actively working to ban the practice. It’s…
…2022) [27]Recognizing Psychosis in Autism Spectrum Disorder (Ribolsi et al., 2022) For example, catatonia, a common characteristic in psychotic conditions, can be confused with autistic shutdowns, times when we are non-speaking, and times when we do not display overt non-verbal communication.[28]What is the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and ASD traits in psychosis? A systematic…
…trans until after she broke up with me. The breakup devastated me, but it also liberated me. I finally felt free to acknowledge who I’ve always been, and free to start exploring my femininity. I started crossdressing in private, and wore bras as I went to bed. It felt appropriate, and it felt amazing falling…
…had listeners judge if the actors were interrupting or not. You can listen to a clip she used in her research and decide if you think it is interrupting or not.[9]Stanford researcher examines how people perceive interruptions in conversation (Shashkevich, 2018) | Stanford News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr2gkBzgCOM It will never be natural for me to take turns…
…by emotional empathy and cry with your client. Instead, the client wants to be helped/advised/guided, and it’s compassionate empathy that drives this behavior. It may very well be the case that emotional empathy forms the basis for compassionate empathy, however. Without compassion, empathy can be too much, and one can get pulled in too deeply…
…is by no means comprehensive, but I hope it will encourage more of us to document what’s working for us. Big picture principle: Trust your instincts and try things out. Obviously, no two autistic people are the same, and what makes one person feel extremely comfortable can be profoundly stressful to someone else. Maybe the…
…much more easily bothered by everyday sounds than I used to be. I am always hypersensitive to sounds, but those aversive sounds became unbearable and painful in burnout. I almost always felt like I had the energy to do what I needed to get done. This statement is a comparison of your energy level before…
…synaptic pruning or excessive synaptic growth. This intrinsic potential of increased communication between neurons and particular pathways can lead to amazing abilities. Synesthesia, for example, is quite common in brains that show a lack of synaptic pruning[9]Synesthesia: Opening the Doors of Perception , causing anomalous patterns of connectivity.[10]The immune hypothesis of synesthesia Some forms of…
…is based on comparing against neurotypical norms and expectations, autistics will always look “deficient” and neurotypicals will always look “capable”. Thankfully, more and more research has recognized the biases involved in conducting cross-neurotype research and have made adjustments. For example, researchers are finally asking the autistic community about what types of studies would be beneficial.[6]Research…
…expected of me Completely False Somewhat False Neither True nor False Somewhat True Completely True 11. My ideal relationship would not involve sexual activity Completely False Somewhat False Neither True nor False Somewhat True Completely True 12. Sex has no place in my life Completely False Somewhat False Neither True nor False Somewhat True Completely…
…Combining that with how we find most administrative systems convoluted and ambiguous, a common autistic trait, it becomes very difficult for us to get such tasks done. Because it affects both of us, we can find ourselves in situations with very little support.” Eva: “I wish I were more independent, so my partner wouldn’t have…
…in the normal range or higher (IQ > = 100+) Versions for adolescents and children are also available Versions & translations The test has been translated into most languages. Non-adult versions are also available: Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS–CA) Taking the test The Test consists of 24 statements, giving you 4…
…notion of coming to acceptance only comes up with people that we think of in terms of ‘other’, unusual etc. I guess there really is no word for that state of intrinsic acceptance or not needing to go through the process of coming to accept, likely because it is a non-issue, and so we never…
…to experience stronger emotional reactions than non ADHDers.[4]Emotional lability, comorbidity and impairment in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (Skirrow & Asherson, 2013) [5]Understanding deficient emotional self-regulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a controlled study (Surman et al., 2013) In Europe, the diagnostic criteria for ADHD recently recognized emotional dysregulation as a common trait.[6]Updated…
…autistic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (McDougle, 1995) [23]Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: A Comparative Review (Jiujias, Kelley & Hall, 2017) as well as an increased amount of rumination,[24]Autobiographical memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder: The role of depressed mood, rumination, working memory and theory of mind (Crane, Goddard &…
…in other situations. Being unable to speak interferes with your life Your inability to speak in a specific context lasts at least a month (and it can’t be just from your first month at a new school or job, for example) Not speaking is unrelated to language barriers (for example going to school in a…
…Coordination in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Synthesis and Meta-Analysis [14]Underdevelopment of the postural control system in autism A study from 2003 for example documented impaired vestibular control,[15]Postural stability in children with autism spectrum disorder meaning alterations in the sense of balance and spatial orientation, which further affects movement. Limbs might for example sort of wander…
…those faces naturally. We call this compensation, because these autistic people are compensating for certain social shortcomings—or rather, differences from the majority group conventions. Examples: Copying and practicing others’ body language or facial expressions. Learning social cues and skills from television, films, or books. Repeating others’ phrasing and tone. Masking Another strategy is masking, where…
…considered to be an offshoot of the autism spectrum. Like autism, PDA is a spectrum. Versions & translations A version for children and adolescents is also available. Originally called the EDA-Q, it has been superseded by the EDA-8. The EDA-8 contains only 8 of the 26 items of the EDA-Q; the 18 items that were…
…available. Versions & translations The EQ has been translated into many different languages Non-adult versions are also available: Adolescents (ages 12–15): Empathy Quotient (EQ) for Adolescents Children (ages 4–11): Children’s Empathy Quotient (EQ-C) Taking the test The EQ consists of 60 statements, giving you 4 choices for each statement: Definitely Agree = 2 points Slightly…
…to understand what this meant, as he had trouble comprehending what a neurotypical might see. But once he understood it, he had a big realization. Martin said: When I was about 5 years old, my teacher told my mother that I excelled at drawing compared to my classmates. While they were still drawing stick figures,…
…sun was yellow, but I was so consumed with the colour purple that I just couldn’t bring myself to make the sun yellow. So what do these three stories have in common? They’re all examples of diagnostic criteria of autism. Hello, and thank you to the committee for this opportunity to address policy change on…
…on autism and my capabilities. Judging the outsider Before I found out about being autistic over a decade ago, I would compare my own proclivities and social competence with others’, and judge myself for being different. Not just for being different, but for what I perceived to be inadequacies, such as the apparent lack of…
…Behavioral treatment tools to promote better quality sleep include: Bedtime pass — For children 3–10 years old it can help to create a “bedtime pass” that the child can use one time after bedtime, granting them access out of the bedroom for 5 minutes or less.[4]Steps in the use of the Bedtime Pass | Oregon…
…seem to be able to conform to any specific gender at all. I generally understand myself as agender or non-binary, grey-ace so mostly asexual. Mostly aromantic, but sometimes panromantic. I think the concept of auti-gender is interesting! G: I have never completely identified as 100% female. My masculinity has always been extremely important to me,…
…upgrades itself, to an even more accurate crystal ball. This is why it looks as if neurotypicals have an innate knowledge of social interactions. Autistic people, however, have a crystal ball that looks at the world and makes very bad predictions, and has no self-correcting mechanism. The worse our crystal ball works, the worse our…
The image below—our own rendition of an image entitled ‘Asperger/Autism’ by Fuchskind—gives a pretty good overview of how autistic people are seen by various people and institutions: Image: copyright © 2018 Martin Silvertant (EmbraceASD.com) Different communication What I have seen as an autistic woman who can pass very well as neurotypical is that people think…
…He starts into the usual “How many movies do you go to?” line. After a few minutes, I tell him it is way too hot outside—come on in; I’ve got air conditioning. As he comes inside, my roommate who’d been sitting unseen reading, slumped down in a big chair by the door, springs up and…
…deficient, rather than simply being different from the majority of the community. Assuming you can stretch your imagination across this particular drum, then that should give a little idea of the rhythm of what it feels like to be autistic. If you are looking for a community, consider joining our Facebook group: Embrace Autism Community…
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1) is a self-report screening scale for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults, consisting of two parts. Part A is the main test, while part B offers more information that can be discussed with your medical professional. For the latest version of this test, have a look at…
…and neurocognition in a community-based, longitudinal study (Anckarsäter, 2011) 19↑ Alexithymia may explain the relationship between autistic traits and eating disorder psychopathology, Vuillier et al, 2020 20↑ Childhood diagnoses in individuals identified as autistics in adulthood (Rødgaard et al. 2021) 21↑, 22↑ Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anorexia Nervosa Comorbidity: Common Features and Treatment…
…affecting the proper functioning of the cortico-striatal dopaminergic regulation systems (and also the HPA axis).[6]Autism and substance use comorbidity: Screening, identification and treatment Author links open overlay panel (van Wijngaarden-Cremers, 2016) Less dopamine means more behaviors where dopamine is sought after, and since dopamine is produced among other things by sex, food, and drugs, this…
…project that was behind schedule, I worked 22 hours straight repetitiously running VB Scripts to generate input files to load data to a system. Then repeated this feat the following week to complete the project on time. It’s kind of unusual, but I have never been late completing a project in the past 35 years….
…Social and communication differences Our social and communication differences make autistics easy targets for bullying. Autistics have even been described as “perfect victims” by some researchers.[15]Assessment Issues in Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome, Klin et al. (2000) It is often found that because of these social communication differences, autistics are particularly easy for bullies…
…knowledge of other people. Affective empathy — Also called emotional empathy; the ability to infer about emotions felt by other people. Compassionate empathy — Also called empathetic concern; this is what moves you to help others. Motor empathy — The unconscious mirroring of body language or facial expressions of another person. For a more comprehensive…
…Versions & translations The AQ is available in most languages Non-adults versions are also available: Adolescents (ages 12–15) Children (ages 4–11) Taking the test The AQ consists of 50 statements, giving you 4 choices for each statement: Definitely agree Slightly agree Slightly disagree Definitely disagree Note: it makes no difference to your score whether you…
…meaning of 666: an exegetical analysis of Revelation 13:18 (Moncada, 2014) 8↑ David E. Aune — Revelation 6–16 (Word Biblical Commentary #52b, 1998), p.770 9↑, 10↑ Grant R. Osborne — Revelation – Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2002), p.520 11↑ Downsides of autism poll | Embrace Autism Private Community | Facebook…
…the overwhelm that comes with overidentifying with the emotions as I experience overwhelm. It’s a combination of difficulty in processing all information, and an inability to properly regulate. In other words, I was experiencing meltdowns. Internalizing judgments It’s not that I don’t take responsibility for my behavior as a teenager—I really do. But being autistic…
…treating mental illness and emphasizes maladaptive and negative thinking, while positive psychology emphasizes happiness, well-being, and positivity. The table below shows the common descriptive features of hyperfocus and flow, based on the most commonly reported features of hyperfocus and Jeanne Nakamura and Csíkszentmihályi’s criteria for flow.[9]Flow theory and research (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009) Table credit:…
…in and passion for such obscure disciplines as, say, type design and font engineering. Nocturnal being You are able to stay up long after Sesame Street has ended. In fact, it seems as if your biological clock is based on 30-hour days rather than 24 hours. This is called circadian sleep desynchronization.[16]Systematic Review of Sleep…
…sake of simplicity, men and women (and male and female) will be discussed as biological categories in this post. This is not an endorsement of binary conceptions of sex or gender. However, the complexity of a comprehensive conception of sex and gender is beyond this article’s scope. Sex ratio The male-to-female ratio for autism has…
Superman’s struggles parallel autistic experiences People are afraid of what they don’t understand. (Jonathan Kent)[1]Man of Steel (2013) | Quotes Martin and I were having a chat on Facebook and I’d mentioned something that’d been on my mind for a long time. I told him that Superman—the classic DC Comics superhero—shared a lot of traits…
…planning/prioritizing, sustained attention, flexibility, metacognition, and goal-directed persistence. Time management: The ability to manage various aspects of time, including time estimating, time allocation, the ability to work within time constraints, task initiation, and working memory. Organization: The ability to create and maintain systems, keep track of information or materials, and incorporates the executive skills of…
…Because of this, I was called a “slow learner” and even “learning disabled”. But to give you an example of how learning disabled I was, I had a private pilot’s license before I had a driver’s license. Albert Einstein also seemed to have had some learning disabilities, including speech delay and dyslexia.[2]Albert Einstein’s dyslexia and…
…preferred methods of communication The interviewees largely found that their diagnoses positively affected their lives. Learning that they’re autistic meant they could start to understand themselves and their behaviors as an innate and expression of their neurophysiologies. When a star dies, the intense and brilliant crescendo that is a supernova forms a new star composed…
…Now you are ready to begin the test. Start the timer and complete the 36 test items. Stop the timer once you have completed all 36 items and write the number down. Please do not review the scoring until the test is complete, as it will affect your scores. Scoring Scoring is based on 3…
…morning. He’d shown up very early and let the clowns in right after I got there (also very early) but before he had a chance to tell me. So my point of view: I show up, start getting ready (company smock, change, count-in) and there is a knock at the back door. The DM rushes…
…So what is an example of lying? Eva: I can’t really recall. But I could give an example of a situation where I arguably should have lied! One day, my boss walked into the studio with a work of art he purchased, and proudly showed it to everyone. It was some kind of hybrid between…
…compliments, and the compliments I did receive were sometimes spaced years apart. Whereas now, I can hardly go a week without receiving a compliment. Usually it’s on my makeup, sometimes on my coat, a dress, or my nail color. One time a girl complimented me on my hair as I walked into the women’s restroom…
…Who the test is designed for Adults (18+) with an IQ in the normal range (IQ >=80). Versions & translations The ASRS v1.1 has been translated into many languages. The most recent version, the ASRS-5, is available in:[1]Adult ADHD Self-Report Scales (ASRS) | National Comorbidity Survey English Italian Turkish Taking the test The ASRS-5 consists…
…a matter of circumstances. Some friends I kept for quite some years, which may be because they understood me pretty well, and were thus more forgiving of some of my proclivities. For example, they would come to understand that I am not very likely to call them. But if they call me, I can be…
…Beattie, 2022 Tags: Codependency, Relationships, Emotional sobriety, Emotional regulation RECOVERY 2.0: Move Beyond Addiction and Upgrade Your Life Rosen, 2014 Tags: Codependency, Relationships, Emotional sobriety, Emotional regulation, Recovery The Codependents’ Guide to the Twelve Steps Beattie, 1990 Tags: Codependency, Relationships, Emotional sobriety, Emotional regulation, Addiction The New Codependency: Help and Guidance for Today’s Generation Beattie,…
…authentic selves! People-pleasing: This behaviour is common among neurodivergent folks and ADHD in particular. We may be engaging in people pleasing to avoid being judged negatively. Especially when we want to be seen as “competent” and “not lazy”. Just like masking, this is a sign that we are unable to be authentic in our current…
…still listed in the ICD-10).[1]ICD-10-CM Code F84.5 | ICD.Codes Image: copyright © 2017 Martin Silvertant (EmbraceASD.com) Lack of diagnosis Current estimates of the male:female ratio of autism is 4:1, however, Simon Baron-Cohen suggests that once autism in females is diagnosed effectively, the numbers will change to 2:1. The latest reports indicate 1 out of 59…
…physical and mental exhaustion caused by one’s professional life.”[1]Staff Burnout (Freudenberger, 1974) Dr. Freudenberger would work for 10 hours a day in his private psychologist practice, after which he would do a second full shift at St. Mark’s Free Clinic dealing with youth with addiction and other health concerns—he was very attached to the underprivileged…
…free alexithymia test for the community.[1]Alexithymia Questionnaire | Alexithymia.us The test is particularly suited for: Adults with ASD level 1 (previously Asperger syndrome). Adults with normal to high IQ (IQ >=80). Research indicates that 40–65%[2]The validity of using self-reports to assess emotion regulation abilities in adults with autism spectrum disorder (Berthoz & Hill, 2005) [3]Brief…
…subject and reading about this should create discomfort and open the way for compassion. The founding of the U.S. and the illusion of liberty and justice for all The tale of the founding of the U.S. is familiar to those who grew up in the U.S. public school system. We’re taught, starting at around 4th…
The banality of evil and the pathologizing of autistic people Evil comes from a failure to think. It defies thought for as soon as thought tries to engage itself with evil and examine the premises and principles from which it originates, it is frustrated because it finds nothing there. That is the banality of evil….
…addition, six of seven participants in the MDMA group had a >20-point drop in LSAS scores compared to two of four participants in the placebo group. So, what comes of this research? With a sample size of twelve—and with one of those participants not even completing the study—more research is definitely warranted. However, aside from…
…have an IQ in the normal range (IQ >=85). Versions for adolescents and children are also available. Versions & translations The ITQ has been translated into 25+ different languages Non-adult versions are also available: Children and Adolescent Version (ITQ-CA) is a 22-item self-report measure For ages 7–17 Taking the test The ITQ consists of 18…
…stereotypes 20:42 Masking 22:03 Autistic burnout 24:03 Socially ostracized 25:55 This Great Ape blog excerpt 27:44 Empathy 28:40 Alexithymia & empathy 29:35 Depression, anxiety, PTSD 30:14 Trusting people 32:46 Support from neurodiverse friends 33:09 Trust & manipulation 36:02 Honesty & masking 36:54 Introversion & extraversion 38:16 Neurodiversity movement 39:18 Women on the spectrum 42:30 Americans…
I received an autism diagnosis. Now what? There are 3 questions that I get asked most commonly after a person receives an autism diagnosis: How do I process being autistic? Who should I tell about my autism? What can I do for my anxiety and depression? How do I process being autistic? After your autism…
…we might actually be and come up with many alternatives. Even if autism perfectly describes us, we may still have doubts because some of our behaviors can be attributed to other conditions. Medical professionals do not recognize adult autism, especially late-diagnosed adult autism. Many people I assess describe being turned away by assessors, mocked by…
…complementary color to gold. But it may be an indication of how hard it can be to completely avoid the use of blue. And why would you? Image attribution: North East Autism Society As you can see, gold and blue make for a powerful combo, and nothing about the gold ribbon or its general presentation…
…the test here: TEQ Who the test is designed for Adults (age 16+) of average intelligence to higher intelligence. Test versions & translations The TEQ is available in: English Greek[1]Psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Toronto Composite Empathy Scale in Greek dental students (Tsiantou et al., 2013) [2]The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire: Reliability and…
…colors, while all three primary colors combined produce black(-ish). In printing black (key) is usually added to produce true black. To produce green in RGB, you can just use the primary green, and when you combine green and blue in equal measure, you produce cyan. If you add red as well, not only do you…
…Autism is like cake Below is an exchange from ASDirect, posted in a Reddit thread.[1]I was thinking back at this conversation from ASDirect | r/autism | Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/m8laa4/i_was_thinking_back_at_this_conversation_from/ Person 1 says: Autism is like cake; some people have more slices than others. And person 2 responds: I think it’d work more like different people having…
…the scores actually correlate with. In the table below, I compiled all the correlations. Aspie Quiz domains ❮ DomainHigh ND score indicates:High ND score is associated with:Low NT score indicates challenges with: Talent Strong/special interests Noticing details and patterns Asperger syndrome (AS) Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Verbal communication Learning by imitation Dyslexia and dyscalculia ADD/ADHD Perception…
…taxing). One-on-one also demands less energy because it’s easier for me to figure out how to interact with one person compared to managing multiple different personalities and communication styles all interacting at the same time. It makes conversations simpler as well—it’s easier to find a topic that interests two people compared to a topic that…
…will have—however, this is not due to a lack of empathy but too much. Unmitigated communion Fritz & Helgeson (1998) developed a nine-item questionnaire to measure the personality trait unmitigated communion.[2]Distinctions of unmitigated communion from communion: Self-neglect and overinvolvement with others (Fritz & Helgeson, 1998) Unmitigated communion is focusing on others while excluding an individual’s…
…this includes competitive chess, walking my dog, and reading. One thing to keep in mind is that cognitive strategies are rarely effective for treating burnout. This is because autistic burnout is not a cognitive distortion but an overwhelming of the system. Learning mindfulness and other strategies for listening to our bodies’ needs is much more…
…4 Chemically Dependent and Codependent 5 Communication 6 Control 7 Denial 8 Dependency 9 A New Legacy from Our Family of Origin 10 Giving and Receiving 11 Self-Love Is Contagious 12 Manipulation 13 Let’s Play 14 Nurturing 15 Obsession 16 The Secrets to Power 17 Codependency Progression 18 Healing What Hurts 19 The Freedom to…
…mask? (Mandy, 2019) [4]Good social skills despite poor theory of mind: exploring compensation in autism spectrum disorder (Livingston et al., 2019) That might include forcing yourself to make eye contact (masking) or thinking of—and potentially rehearsing—a list of questions to ask when you meet someone new so you may avoid social faux pas (compensation). Some…
Embrace Autism has always been dedicated to research-based information. Misinformation and a lack of control pose a significant threat to our health and increase our stress and fears. We believe the latest research-based information on COVID-19 will lessen these concerns. Quality information It is essential to have accurate, up-to-date information that comes directly from evidence-based…
In my previous article, I shared AuDHD-friendly strategies for preventing burnout. However, preventing burnout is not always possible. Despite our best efforts, we may find ourselves in burnout due to the common demands of living in a neurotypical-paced world. Here, I share my own top two strategies for dealing with burnout. When we find ourselves…
…until a light tells me I can walk again? I would feel stupid for going entirely on auto-pilot, refrain from critical thinking, and blindly follow rules. Comfort Having said that, if the rules make sense, they can offer comfort. It’s interesting to analyze why that actually is. Sometimes, regulations and what we find comfort in…
…a message that he is coming on the 28th. My stress peaks. Okay, so I know he is certainly coming now. For how long though? Will he stay over with his wife and possibly their child? Or will they get a hotel? Stressed out of my mind, I talk to Natalie’s son about it. He…
…to “flatten the curve” | The Washington Post by limiting our exposure to others. In delaying the spread of the virus, our health care systems can save lives and better deal with the emerging COVID-19 cases. Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” | The Washington Post The above link…
There’s a new scientific journal article out by Buch et al.![1]Molecular and network-level mechanisms explaining individual differences in autism spectrum disorder (Buch et al., 2023) In this study, researchers used pre-existing databases of brain imaging data in combination with common autistic behavioural traits to create four distinct clusters of autism presentations. What did researchers conducting…
…accounted for in the study, and create various positive feedback loops. For example, improvements in irritability and social withdrawal can make an autistic person (or anyone, really) less anxious in general, resulting in a better quality of life. The study was designed to treat autistic children with the 640nm Erchonia Spectrum Laser as the active…
…trillion lungs to pump enough air to make up the Earth’s atmosphere. Research from 2009 by Greg Holland et al. indicates that the atmosphere and oceans must have come from something other than volcanic gases as was previously thought, but possibly from a late bombardment of gas and water-rich materials similar to comets.[4]Earth’s atmosphere came…
…has resolved this apparent contradiction by demonstrating that certain brain regions show high interconnectivity in autistics and comparatively reduced connectivity in neurotypicals, while other brain regions show lower connectivity in autistics and comparatively elevated connectivity in neurotypicals. Analyzing fMRI scans from high-functioning autistic adults and non-autistics, certain regions had high interhemispheric (between the right and…
…speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). Speech, language, and communication needs Venn diagram illustrating relationship between different diagnostic terms. DLD is nested within the broader SLCN category. (Image: copyright © 2018 EmbraceASD.com – design based on an infographic by Dorothy V.M. Bishop et al.) For more information on the statement ‘language disorder associated with biomedical…
…interactions. Doesn’t play the game correctly — Reduced or abnormal responses to social overtures from others. Plays a different game — Speaks with simple sentences, and has markedly odd nonverbal communication. Plays only one game — Interaction is limited to narrow special interests. Strange strategies — Repetitive behaviors, preoccupations or passionate interests appear often enough…
…LEDs used in TVs, computers, smartphones, and tablets. This suggests that we should avoid electronics before bed to restore our natural melatonin release and promote tiredness. One popular way to limit blue-light exposure without completely cutting out electronics is the use of blue light-blocking glasses. However, thus far, results across clinical trials looking at the…
…complete tasks I was unable to complete during a level 1 burnout which I have sustained for over a year. So honestly, everything felt like such a relief, but due to my alexithymia, I did not know what was brewing underneath! I was also on the phone a lot with several people to work on…
In my article entitled E is for erring, I talked about a masthead design I did for our weekly digest mail which made a lot of people feel uneasy due to the typography. I offered a few examples of the negative responses people had, I offered a speculative cause for the phenomenon, and I described…
…outwardly does not express much in terms of emotions, even though internally they may feel emotions very deeply. The issue then is that autistic people are often perceived as cold or robotic, while quite the opposite is true. Sherlock seems to be driven by passion, in any case. Passionate objectivity, as one paper on Sherlock…
…❮ AutismADHDAuDHD Differences in social-emotional reciprocity Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly Differences in social-emotional reciprocity & mind seemingly elsewhere during communication Differences in non-verbal communication — Differences in non-verbal communication Hyperfocus Difficulty sustaining attention (actually: hyper-attention) Hyperfocus, but also hyper-attention Differences in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships — Differences in developing,…
…you might expect the co-occurrence of the conditions to be 0.1% (10 in 10,000 people). However, synesthesia was diagnosed in an impressive 19% of autistic people, compared to 4% in the general population.[5]Is synaesthesia more common in autism? (Baron-Cohen et al., 2013) Sensory sensitivity Research has found significant phenotypic and genetic overlap between synesthesia and…
…Network International introduced the term neurologically typical or neurotypical (NT) to describe non-autistic people. Since then it is a label that is applied to the ‘non-’ version of whatever disorder is being discussed. For example, psychopathy versus neurotypical (non-psychopath). The term ‘normal’ immediately creates an ‘us-vs-them’ mentality and is applied to race, gender, sexuality or…
…on particular brain wiring which I suppose are then a little bit more neurotypical, effectively I have become “a little bit less autistic” if that makes sense to say. Strange thought. Talking with subtext I know I use an idiom or metaphor now and then, so my communication isn’t exclusively literal, but it actually shocked…
…deficits and stereotypic behavior.[23]Children With Autism: Sleep Problems and Symptom Severity Communication abnormalities and RRBs were associated with an increased risk of sleep problems in autism. Autistic individuals had higher internalizing/externalizing problems compared to their unaffected siblings.[24]Sleep problems and their correlates and comorbid psychopathology of children with autism spectrum disorders Children who slept fewer hours…
…educational system for the fact we haven’t put up more content recently. Adding a Q&A page. If you have questions for Natalie that you think should be on that page, please feel free to comment on this post with suggestions! Quinn will add a custom 404 page soon. And of course, we need to establish…
…have come to realize that awareness is the key to start dealing with your challenges. If you are not aware, you cannot exert much control over your life, and everything will seemingly come out of nowhere. Like Carl Jung said:[9]Quote by C.G. Jung | Goodreads Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your…
…tried to commit suicide in desperation He assaulted a correctional officer once more As such, Neli may never walk out of that prison door Meanwhile, he is being punished in the most severe manner the criminal justice system can concoct. He has spent most of the last year in solitary confinement and has lost almost…
…that may facilitate social interactions.[18]Systematic review of risk and protective factors associated with substance use and abuse in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (Ressel et al., 2020) [19]Personality characteristics of adults with autism spectrum disorders or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with and without substance use disorders (Sizoo et al., 2009) For example, drinking alcohol may…
Here is a story about the willingness to show curiosity in others, rather than judgment. It’s about inclusion and acceptance. Special dinner I’ve always enjoyed the many different types of people who show up to do a weekly commitment to community volunteering. During September 2011, a woman I had volunteered with for 4 years invited…
…who hoard are not autistic.[3]Do patients with hoarding disorder have autistic traits? (Pertusa et al., 2012) Within the autistic community, hoarding-like behaviour is thought to be primarily linked with our special interests. But autistics may also engage in hoarding of many other things for various reasons. For example, autistics may accumulate many pens at a…
Do autistic people typically get easily exhausted from socializing? Hmmm… Let me tell you a quick story. A number of years ago a friend and I reunited via email. She asked me when we could get together for a dinner. I thought it over for a moment and said: “May”. She said, “That is 6…
…Cognitive and Emotional Empathy in Autistic Development (Smith, 2017) I do seem to lack compassionate empathy at times. Compassionate empathy is the understanding of a person’s predicament (or indeed a fish’s predicament), feel with them, and be spontaneously moved to help if needed.[2]Three kinds of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and compassionate | Daniel Goleman The problem…
…baseline and placebo.[8]Melatonin in autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis Sleep duration Melatonin demonstrates a significant effect on sleep duration compared with both baseline and placebo using both effect size calculations. (Image attribution: Daniel A. Rossignol & Richard E. Frye) Sleep onset latency Melatonin demonstrates a significant effect on sleep onset latency compared…
…role in movement and cognition (Koziol et al., 2014) But the cerebellum does not initiate movement (the motor cortex does that); it uses information from sensory systems (vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, and balance) to compare the performance of a given movement with the original intent of the brain. So if needed, the cerebellum corrects…
Up to 80 percent of autistics also meet the criteria for ADHD, and up to 50 percent of persons with ADHD meet the criteria for autism. This significant overlap was not known in the past, and previously, a lot of incorrect assumptions were made about both conditions.[1]ASD and ADHD Comorbidity: What Are We Talking About?…
…communication, repetitive behaviors, social interaction, and behavior.[5]Children with autism spectrum disorder who improve with fever: Insights from the Simons Simplex Collection In the diagram below you can see the percentage of those that reported improvement by domain. Image attribution: Rebecca Grzadzinski, Catherine Lord, Stephan J. Sanders, Donna Werling, Vanessa H. Bal The study also indicated…
…for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with cognitive ability in the general population (Clarke et al., 2016) and giftedness.[5]What Genius and Autism Have in Common | Healthland Consequently, some came to call autism a “disorder of high intelligence”. Estimated rates of intellectual giftedness in autistic children are 0.7–2%, compared to up to 1% in…
…validation and compassion. Although sometimes even that isn’t enough, as I first need to vent my anger. I have a lot of suppressed rage that often comes out during a meltdown. Although I can be verbally aggressive in this state, it all comes from fear. I guess it’s a fairly child-like state. In terms of…
When we think of autism we tend to focus on the differences in our brains as compared to neurotypicals. A favourite fact of mine about the autistic brain is that while no two brains are alike, neurotypical brains are all quite similar, whereas autistic brains show a lot of variation not only in relation to…
…I notice that I understand metaphorical language more readily most of the time. But I get surprised when now and then, I fall for it again! It sort of happened just today. Not taking things literally per se, but completely missing the intended metaphorical meaning. Natalie shared a story of an autistic person at a…
…disordered) function within single brains, but as a dynamic interpersonal mismatch.[1]Beyond Autism: Introducing the Dialectical Misattunement Hypothesis and a Bayesian Account of Intersubjectivity Dialectical misattunement: increasing communicative gap (collective level) yields increasingly different prediction and (inter-)action styles (individual level) and vice versa. (Image attribution: Dimitris Bolis et al. – redesigned by Embrace Autism) In other…
…sounds without risking clipping (distortion) A story of diminishing headroom Monday (headroom remaining: 100%) Eva and I go for a pedicure. The three aestheticians (unsupervised) have on a loud TV show, which I can still hear through my sound-blocking earplugs. Despite saying, “That hurts,” over and over, the aesthetician wounds my foot, causing it to…
…psychosis, I can tell you that the experience can be really quite subtle, and the realization that you’ve experienced psychosis may not come until after the fact. In this article, I will describe my own experience of psychosis, from back in 2011. Hard to grasp It’s pretty hard to put my experience of psychosis into…
…domains, and the savant skill is always linked to an extraordinary memory. In a study of 5,400 autistic savants the most common savant skills were music (53%), memory (40%), mathematical/calculating skills (25%) and art (19%); 53% had multiple special abilities.[7]Savant skills in autism: psychometric approaches and parental reports Left-brain damage/right-brain compensation One hypothesis of how…
…he suggested I might be autistic. Laughable, I thought. After all, I had spoken to others about how to even communicate successfully with an autistic person; I didn’t have any challenges in communication (I thought), so how could I be autistic? I purchased numerous books on the subject. Still, I saw myself as neurotypical (but…
…borne out of ignorance about who they are, or a denial of it. The pseudotypical has internalized other people’s judgments so completely that they are unable or unwilling to see who they truly are, and those judgments leak out and start playing a role in interactions with others. Here, the mask is unintentional, and destructive…
This is part 2 of a 3-part series on seeing our autism in a positive light In my previous post, I talked about adopting a more positive outlook on autism. In this second post, I want to dive deeper into that concept, talk about some common obstacles, and briefly go into the relationship between our…
I want to share something that I think is important and worth sharing, which is the power of our self-image—how we see ourselves—and the impact our moods can have on it. And I want to demonstrate this idea by an experience I had today. Context Unless you are in our Embrace Autism Community on Facebook,…
…on sameness (IS) — Finding comfort in routines and consistency, and circumscribed interests Repetitive motor behaviours (RMB) — Repetitive movements such as rocking and hand-flapping, ritualistic behavior, and sensory sensitivities Versions & translations The RBQ-2A is available in English only.[4]The Adult Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A): A self-report measure of restricted and repetitive behaviours. Journal of…
…ibuprofen. (false) In an upcoming post, I will dispel more myths around COVID-19 in a further attempt to combat and correct misinformation. [+] References 1↑ Are patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus at increased risk for COVID-19 infection? (Fang, Karakiulakis, & Roth, 2020) 2↑ NSAIDs in Acute Respiratory Infection (Heneghan & Brassey, 2020) 3↑ Coronavirus…
…prevalence is attributable to biases inherent in the diagnostic process. Girls without diagnoses showed increased communication difficulties, but reduced social impairments as compared to non-diagnosed boys. Thus, it may be that relatively higher levels of social ability in females preclude them from getting an autism diagnosis. Here is an excellent video on autism in females:…
…you can be sure that it will affect the brain development of the baby!” Adaptations From Embrace Autism, I know that it is common to find family members with personality disorders with a similar genetic likelihood as the heritability of autism [heritability estimates of personality disorders range from 79% to 28% (median 61%),[1]The Behavioral Genetics…
…(common in dyslexics, but plenty of other people too!) as well as general visual hypersensitivity (has its benefits—I’m good at drawing/design). I suffer from migraines, which are often accompanied by visual vertigo, dizziness and nausea. I also get motion sickness. The combo of ALL these factors means that font actually looks like it’s moving. I…
…characters’ intentions, are next to impossible for me to answer. Whether difficult or easy, is something I have no way to compare or contrast. That said, the questionnaire is quick to take, easily understood, and the scoring uncomplicated. The AQ-10 1. I often notice small sounds when others do not. Definitely Agree Slightly Agree Slightly…
…it’s like to be human and begins questioning the justification of his assignment. The Humans Haig, 2013 Basic information Author: Matt Haig Title: The Humans Versions: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, E-book, Audio CD ISBN-13: 978-1476730592 Pages: 304 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishing year: 2013 Genres: Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Humor Reprint edition Pages: 320 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Publishing year:…
…the video below, you can see an example of a pretty severe meltdown, involving a lot of screaming and self-injurious behaviour (a harmful form of stimming). She snaps out of it and calms down at 9:07 minutes, but note that she had to do it on her own. She was given no support or compassion,…
…Research from 2017 indicates that among autistic students, social incidents such as ostracization are much stronger predictors of PTSD than violent ones, such as war, terror, or abuse. In neurotypicals, the opposite tends to be the norm.[1]PTSD and autism—are they related, and how? Abuse, sexual assault, violence, natural disasters and wartime combat are all common…
…have no complaints about soft walls though. As long as the thread count of the fabric is sufficient. 10 autistic people in a psychomanteum This room is way too small. Please don’t touch me! I know this room’s function is to communicate with the dead, but your physicality creeps me out more than the dead…
…et al. Publishing year: 1988 Seminal paper: Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study (Felitti et al., 1998) Take the test here: ACE-Q Who the test is designed for Teenagers Adults Parents to describe their child’s experiences Versions &…
…2003) but it’s still considered to be an offshoot of the autism spectrum. Having said that, some argue that it should be separated from autism.[7]Is Pathological Demand Avoidance a “meaningful subgroup” of autism? (Woods, 2021) Versions & translations A version for adults is also available. The Extreme Demand Avoidance Questionnaire for Adults (EDA-QA) contains 26…
…problem. In fact, research shows that autistics and non-autistics are more different from one another than are people from different cultures. Education regarding your challenges Explain the social and communication difficulties you have experienced almost daily. For example, practicing scripts, eye contact, or interrupting others during a conversation. Many of the challenges often attributed to…
…a marginalized group, we come to understand the world, social interaction, theory of mind, etc. through failing, getting up, and learning from our failures. Fortunately for Pablo, he has his anthropomorphized animal friends to help him with all of that. Aspects of autism I mentioned how each animal friend represents one of Pablo’s traits. It’s…
…changes in routine or sensory stimuli, are common. Our traits create a heightened risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.[3]PTSD and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Co-morbidity, Gaps in Research, and Potential Shared Mechanism (Haruvi-Lamdan, Horesh, & Golan, 2017) [4]Experience of Trauma and PTSD Symptoms in Autistic Adults: Risk of PTSD Development Following DSM ‐5 and Non‐DSM ‐5 Traumatic…
…sensitivities or suppressing them) Sensitivities & alexithymia There is an interesting relationship between sensitivities on the one hand, and alexithymia on the other. Because although alexithymia can desensitize us in many ways, it does nothing to prevent sensory overwhelm, for instance. This results in an interesting mix between hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity. One example is an…
…DSM-5 (2013), so many people that are considered on the autism spectrum today would not have qualified for an autism diagnosis in 1980.[13]The evolution of “autism”: Comparing DSM-III and DSM-5 | Cracking the Enigma Even the DSM-III-R (1987) has a broader autism diagnosis, as you can see in the table below.[14]DSM-III and DSM-III-R diagnoses of…
…person’s preferences than when they behave authentically. Compared to behaving authentically, catering harms performance because trying to anticipate and fulfill others’ preferences feels instrumental and increases anxiety. That last factor also relates to compensation, which are techniques autistic people use to compensate for their social shortcomings. Compensation is fine if we’re talking about practicing social…
In our second podcast episode, we talk with Arik Marmorstein; a serial entrepreneur who’s founded Mimoona, RefreshBox, and most recently Spectroomz, a remote freelance blog for autistic talent. Arik lives in Israel with his wife and his autistic son. Follow Arik: Website: Spectroomz.com Facebook: Autism Jobs Blog Twitter: @Spectroomz Medium: @ErikBrodch Arik also has a…
…styling emails, and learning about automated emails. Cool stuff though! Mailing list If you never want to miss out on Embrace ASD content, I recommend you sign up for our mailing list! Here is what you will get: A weekly digest of the articles published on our website. Updates on projects we are working on….
We are very excited to finally unveil the new EmbraceASD.com! We hope that this site serves as a community, an information portal, and a learning center for all of us. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact us. A special thanks to our web developer Quinn Rusnell, who advised us in…
…in social interactions, nor indeed particularly useful as a way to fit in. Movie scripts There are real consequences to camouflaging, including losing your sense of identity, which is described in the post below. Masking: is it good or bad? But (long-term) consequences aside, in principle learning more social scripts can be greatly beneficial in…
Let’s examine the proposition that neurotypicals have a great theory of mind and are highly empathetic, and that Aspies/Auties have a weak theory of mind, and weak or no empathy. Might there be a double empathy problem at play?[1]Autism and the double empathy problem: Implications for development and mental health (Mitchell, Sheppard & Cassidy, 2021)…
…formulation of the neurodiversity movement probably already became apparent in the early 90s. The neurodiversity movement celebrates neurological differences, and is more restrained when it comes to the use of terminology that is imbued with negative connotations, such as the term disorder, the meaning of which can be: Disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement…
In the next post in the series, we will have a look at the anatomical differences of the autistic brain compared to the neurotypical brain. But before we do that, let’s have a look at that flesh crown around the brain. This is the kind of research you are probably not going to like. But…
…in the past. Finally, it helped them connect with a community and improve relationships. While a diagnosis identifying that a woman has autism is the most significant factor in her future well-being, research shows that acceptance post-diagnosis is essential for autistic women. Having never viewed autism through the prism of disadvantage, I saw my autism…
…to common light sources such as LEDs or screens. Note that Sunset Lenses are not necessary when there is no blue light (as with candles, fire light, and red or orange light bulbs). Function: Relax naturally, fall asleep more easily, sleep more deeply, and wake up with more energy. In the diagram below, you can…
…but may or may not be neurodivergent—including for example people with ADHD—then the correct term to use is ‘allistic’ or ‘nypical’. In context Particularly in scientific studies, it can be beneficial to have a “pure” control group, where autistic people can be compared with people that have been verified not to have any type of…
What made you seek an autism diagnosis so late in life? For my entire life, I hid complex struggles behind the many masks I presented to society. I spent huge amounts of energy trying to pass as neurotypical, and this had a significant impact on my well-being. Getting an autism diagnosis changed things for the…
…how they perceive us/you. On the surface, neurotypicals and autistics may appear quite alike. Except—from my/our perspective—neurotypicals exhibit an excessive need for social interaction. To autistics, this often appears as their singular communal “special interest”. Just as we are known to misinterpret interactions with neurotypicals, they commonly misinterpret interactions with people on the spectrum. For…
…a support network is really significant for their/our mental health. I was too scared to come out as trans to my parents until I was 19, in part because I grew up with my dad making a lot of homophobic jokes which made me feel unsafe to share that I’m different. Now as an adult,…
The virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. In this post, I will cover some of the basics of COVID-19. In this illustration—provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January…
…melatonin metabolite concentrations compared to neurotypicals,[6]Melatonin in autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis and show lower activity of the ASMT gene, as well as some splicing mutations in the ASMT gene in some autistic individuals. This also results in lower melatonin levels.[7]Abnormal melatonin synthesis in autism spectrum disorders Have a look at the…
…we have the same challenge with the odours that we are unaware of smelling, but which are, nonetheless, a part of the nonverbal communication that perplex us. Humans emit odours that allow them to determine smells that announce such emotions as happiness, fear or aggression, and this in turn affects our own moods and behaviour….
…systematic review and meta-analysis (Yang, Khalifa & Völlm, 2017) Often either cognitive or affective empathy and its relationship to autism (and alexithymia) is studied, without accounting for the other. This is problematic because affective and cognitive empathy are correlated, and used together in social situations.[10]On the interaction of social affect and cognition: empathy, compassion and…
…combat selective/fluctuating empathy as a result of issues with cognitive empathy (largely stemming from alexithymia). Researchers and investigators have also noted MDMA’s capacity to help people talk openly and honestly about themselves and their relationships, without the use of defensive mechanisms.[12]Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting (Greer & Tolbert, 2012)…
…when it comes to informing us of our surroundings and how to relate to it, sometimes it is more conducive to our wellbeing not to be aware of (all of) our emotions. Example 1 Amy experienced a lot of emotional dysregulation during her childhood, in part due to the environment in which she was raised,…
…expectations and assumptions about autism. If I told you I am autistic you would tell me, “You don’t seem like you are”. Benefits I am very good as a therapist for a number of reasons: I excel at problem-solving, and that is what people come in for. I am able to see things that other…
…to be published in the journal Autism in Adulthood! Upcoming week we are going to dive deep into the research literature, and hopefully come out of it with an even more comprehensive understanding of alexithymia and how it presents in autistic adults. We will let you know if we have something to show. And there…
…I was not diagnosed until age 61, I recognize that nearly all the friendships I have developed during my life were with neurodivergent people. I did not know it at the time, but those were the people I had the most in common with. Like people in the Embrace Autism Community. Lastly, it is unfortunate…
…of the Neural and Symptom Literatures (Schauder & Bennetto, 2016) Our sensory sensitivity is related to social differences and repetitive behaviour.[4]Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: A Comparative Review (Jiujias, Kelley & Hall, 2017) If you think about it this makes sense—we avoid loud and vexatious places and when we can’t…
…the group as a platform to launch a curated gallery of autistic art, or become an art/media collective, or start some other creative enterprise. Let’s see where it goes! Join So come have a look in our group. If you don’t have Facebook, consider creating an account! Several of our members of the main Embrace…
…a few things I consider: Not every autistic person feels comfortable going to an office, so an online assessment may be better suited for them. The way that I break up the assessment I think diminishes the overwhelm you might usually experience enduring the assessment process. Many autistics communicate better in written form, so I…
…and by writing not only about our challenges but also about our abilities and accomplishments, and by communicating research that advances our understanding and appreciation of ourselves, we can empower ourselves and others. That is why we call ourselves Embrace Autism. We want you to understand yourself and your autism, and come to a place…
…switching from one task to another) and cognitive switching (conscious switching from one task to another). Children who were bilingual were more easily able to shift tasks in a computer-generated test. The tests required children to sort cards with blue bunnies or red sailboats via colour first and then via shape on the second trial.[2]Being…
…Statements like: “Are you okay?” “Are you sure you don’t want to take a break?” “Are you okay?” “Wow, most people would be in distress, but you haven’t winced once.” “Are you sure you are not in pain? I usually freeze the teeth at this point during this process.” But no, I was fine. She…
…But this time, I set the words ‘Embrace Autism’ in my own Astroville typeface. Behold! Here are a few more pictures of the results: To see more of the design process, have a look at the following post: Pumpkin carving 2019 If the message of our pumpkin speaks to you, please feel free to share!…
…free and bound forms. The research on the health benefits of polyphenols and flavonoids is not clear, however, as in vitro findings don’t necessarily translate to health benefits after human consumption. Brazil nuts are rich in tocopherol, phytosterols, and squalene, which may make you squeamish at high doses. It’s probably not the most romantic, but…
…On Tuesday, March 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that:[3]Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1 (Doremalen et al., 2020) Aerosol transmission After sneezing, the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) stays suspended for 30 minutes and then drifts down. Once landed on a surface it can last for many hours. Everything…
In our third podcast episode, we talk with Aaron Orsini, co-founder of the Autistic Psychedelic Community, collaborator with neuroscientists, and author of the book Autism on Acid, about how LSD helped him understand, navigate, alter, and appreciate his autistic perceptions. Follow Aaron: Websites: AutisticPsychedelic.com & AutismOnAcid.com Twitter: @AutisticPsyched & @AutismOnAcid Aaron’s book: Autism on Acid…
…also a brief look back at the main iterations of the home page since 2018. 2018 2019 2020 I think we came a long way! We would love to hear what you think about the new home page design! Also, feel free to share any other cool ideas you might have for our website….
…hand, I think many of us could use a good laugh. Jolly April posts So for those who are looking to forget about the pandemic, I have compiled some of our funniest and/or most light-hearted posts. Funny pranks by Steven J Greenfield Who said autistics don’t have humor? Steven’s pranks are brilliant! A literal clown…
…our name will probably not offer that incentive. But I was a bit hesitant about using Astroville. Yes, it will look amazing to see the light from inside the pumpkin come out of all those holes (I originally designed the typeface for a project involving a lamp with the same principle, so I knew it…
…community. But is it actually a good metaphor for autism? Imagine if ASD was described like types of cupcake. You have some with icing, some with sprinkles, some chocolate, some vanilla but they’re all cupcakes. “But how cupcake is it?” “What?” “Like it is a little bit cupcake or severely cupcake?” “It… it doesn’t work…
…insensitive needs to be challenged. No kidding, right? It’s possible not all autistic children express their physical discomfort in the same way neurotypical children would (i.e., cry, moan, seek comfort, etc.), which makes others including medical professionals and caregivers interpret the response as pain insensitivity or leading to the belief that the child is experiencing…
Many autistic people report heightened sensory perceptions, and research confirms this! Extraordinary vision One example of heightened sensory perception is being able to read tiny text—like the small print on the back of products—from across a room. At a size of 0.07 mm × 0.10 mm, below is the world’s smallest book, entitled Teeny Ted…
…build up inside. In general, Natalie and I—push each other to—engage in a lot of reflection and communication, and where we might have our failings we go to therapy to help us identify the underlying issues and the emotions involved. So I can rightfully say communication, identification, and validation are the keys to reducing alexithymia….
…feelings may come up. I mean feelings from early childhood that are stored in the mind and body, and which can come to the surface in unexpected ways. For example, Natalie might say to me that my anger is misplaced, while I insist that I am not angry. I tend to get frustrated when someone…
…psychiatric condition that is caused by abuse and violence. To complicate matters, some signs of psychological trauma resemble symptoms common to autism, such as: Repetitive behaviors. Challenges with social interactions. Being overly sensitive to input from one’s senses, such as sound or touch. Difficulty sleeping. Sudden or large changes in mood (meltdowns). Alexithymia. The reasons…
…of reference but your own, so it’s not obvious whether certain talents or conditions improve how we do things, or just make us do things differently. Either way, she indicates it does offer extra insights in her work as a photographer. For example, when a client expresses their desires and expectations regarding a photoshop job,…
…Let’s talk about that, because it seems to relate to autism! Masthead If you haven’t seen the masthead in question, here it is: The typeface I use for Embrace ASD has always been Work Sans, but for the masthead design I was exploring different typefaces to complement it. I tried blackletter typefaces (think for example…
…MORE connections… Too much sensory input comes at us at once, and our brain says WTF! Image credit: Eating Off Plastic We can have a sensory overload… Image source: Memes.com When we get overwhelmed by too much stuff! Image credit: Rick Woods Sometimes patterns can overstimulate us… Image source: Dreamstime And when we hear speech…
…get the pictures in my mind as Shaun Murphy (the Good Doctor) does. My brain goes through different categories and conditions and narrows the options field until I reach a conclusion. Dr. House’s thinking is probably more accurate of what happens for me. Although I don’t come across as a jerk, I would say in…
Research shows that autistic people are significantly more affected by sleep problems. In this series, we talk about how common sleep problems are, what causes them, what the consequences are, and what you can do to get a good night of sleep. Autism & sleep problems: Prevalence About how common sleep problems are among autistic…
Here is a short story that may be indicative of the strong empathy and other feelings autistic people experience, or perhaps of our affinity with animals[1]Autism and Animals: A Close Bond of Mutual Understanding | Celebrating Individual Abilities [2]Assessing Preferences for Animals in Children with Autism: A New Use for Video-Based Preference Assessment [3]Children’s representations…
…as the labels we use may misrepresent reality rather than—in some way—accurately represent it. But ‘king of autism’? Completely accurate. You may or may not find these labels to be useful. But at least it has nothing to do with functioning labels or even support levels. Instead, we would have a beautiful class system, which…
…within the context of psychology. When you search Google for ‘disorder’ you get:[2]Search: Disorder | Google noun — a state of confusion. verb — disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement of. This reduces the complexity of autism to a state of confusion, or a disruption in functioning. I protest! I am not perpetually confused…
…At one point I was very focused on my struggles and at times forgot about the distinct benefits of autism. In fact, there were many benefits I didn’t know I had. As we all have only one subjective frame of reference and no other subjective experience we can compare our own to, it often takes…
…the three highlighted factors mean: Insistence on sameness The desire for sameness, and a tendency to do—or think about—the same things repeatedly, as if doing so were a comfort or a compulsion.[6]Insistence on sameness | Interactive Autism Network The insistence on sameness also comes with resistance to change, or a proneness to dysregulate when a…
…indicating a prevalence as high as 70%.[3]Measuring the effects of alexithymia on perception of emotional vocalizations in autistic spectrum disorder and typical development (Heaton et al., 2012) So alexithymia is very common among autistic people, and in fact, some symptoms generally attributed to autism actually stem from alexithymia instead! More about that later in this…
…which is draining, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout. And over time, it can even come at the expense of your sense of self, or a sense of genuine belonging. So… is masking good or bad? Shield When someone doesn’t like our mask, that can hurt to a degree. But the mask is a…
…the other boys, who were in a large group playing sports. The autistic boys were the ones circling the perimeter of the yard, or off by the tree in the back.[1]The peer relationships of girls with ASD at school: Comparison to boys and girls with and without ASD This is definitely what Martin was like…
This week we are back with another Sensory Sunday, with the following question: In what ways do you use stimming subconsciously to regulate yourself and prevent sensory overload? Napkins Autistic females are so good at hiding our stimming behaviours that we do not even see them ourselves. Let me give you an example. Martin and…
…toward acceptance and self-understanding The process of embracing myself for who I am happened in stages rather than as a result of a sudden epiphany. There was overlap. I began accepting certain things about myself even while still trying to fix others. Team sports was one very early example. My family was athletic and my…
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