Actually-Autistic:
What can you expect while working with me?
What is Autism?
When you hear the word Autism, most people think of the stereotypical things associated with the disorder. Working with someone who is Autistic may seem a little scary or anxiety-provoking.
I should know because I once knew absolutely nothing about Autism either.
Below I’ve provided a definition of Autism and some general rules and reminders for working with me so you can get an idea of what to expect in advance.
The National Autistic Society describes Autism as this: “autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways. Like all people, autistic people have their own strengths and weaknesses. Below is a list of difficulties autistic people may share, including the two key difficulties required for a diagnosis.”
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Social communication and social interaction challenges
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Repetitive and restrictive behaviour
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Over or under sensitivity to light, sound, taste or touch
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Highly focused interests or hobbies
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Extreme anxiety
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Meltdowns and shutdowns
This sounds like a lot, I know. However, you often won’t see most of the above manifest externally with me, or at the very least, not in obvious ways.
Here a five simple rules and reminders:
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Please be clear and direct when communicating. I struggle to “read between the lines,” so just say what you need to say. I won’t take offense, I promise.
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I prefer to communicate via email/text/DM or in-person. Video calls are also welcome. I do not like normal phone calls as they give me a lot of anxiety.
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I will struggle with eye contact. Please do not take this personally. I just find it very uncomfortable.
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I can often have a blank face. This has nothing to do with you, I swear. My facial expressions, or lack thereof, don’t often correspond to what I’m actually feeling.
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I’ll probably stim while talking to you. Remember those fidget spinners? Yeah, those are for people like me that need to fidget (stim) with something to help them think and regulate emotions. I’ll often twist a scrunchie around or fidget with a pen while conversing. Otherwise, I just talk with my hands a lot.
If you have any questions about Autism, any at all, please reach out and ask. I am more than happy to help educate others or to point you in the right direction.