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#autisticacceptance

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DoomsdaysCW<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://beige.party/@pathfinder" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>pathfinder</span></a></span> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/actuallyautistic" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>actuallyautistic</span></a></span></p><p>So, an example of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Autistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Autistic</span></a> folks before modern vaccines is <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NikolaTesla" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NikolaTesla</span></a>! Compassionate, brilliant, and had his ideas stolen by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Edison" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Edison</span></a>! </p><p>Excerpt from "Was Nikola Tesla Autistic?"</p><p>"Some Eccentric Quirks Might Hint at the Possibility of Autism</p><p>Tesla garnered headlines for other reasons that fascinated the public, as well:</p><p> A carefully regimented daily schedule with work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and dinner at the same restaurant at precisely 8:10 p.m., to be served only by the headwaiter.<br> Physical tics such as repeatedly curling his toes 100 times each night.<br> His eidetic memory that allowed him to instantly memorize books and possess perfect recall, allowing him to learn 8 languages easily.<br> He demonstrated an early ability to perform complex integral calculus computations in his head.<br> In his youth, Tesla experienced periods of sickness during which he would have visions. These were often the genesis of inventions or solutions to technical problems.<br> He became obsessed with electricity at an early age.</p><p>Because of his inventions and the era in which he lived, many of Tesla’s quirks were seen simply as the eccentricities of a genius—the archetype of the mad inventor.</p><p>But looking back, it’s easy to see many of those some quirks as evidence of typical symptoms of an individual with high-functioning autism."</p><p><a href="https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/was-nikola-tesla-autistic/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org</span><span class="invisible">/was-nikola-tesla-autistic/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AutisticAwareness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAwareness</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AutisticAwarenessMonth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAwarenessMonth</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a></p>
Heather Cook🖖Autistic Coach<p>Is autism disclosure harder than ever? <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/autisticacceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>autisticacceptance</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/DEI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DEI</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/answer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>answer</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5wCNi16U1g" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">youtube.com/watch?v=X5wCNi16U1</span><span class="invisible">g</span></a></p><p><a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/AuDHD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AuDHD</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Neurospicy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Neurospicy</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Neurodivergent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Neurodivergent</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ND" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ND</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Interesting that Quinn is talking about how though he’d known he was Autistic for a long time, and had this at the back of his mind, but didn’t really appreciate just how much of his nature was informed by being Autistic</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Quinn is picking up on some previous talking points to start: he is an aphantasic hyperempathic alexithymic Autist in the end stages of a two-year burnout</p><p>Now he’s talking about something he’s not at liberty to say 😉</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Chloe talks about the need for all Autistic therapy to be trauma-focused (not just trauma-informed)</p><p>Also references Sonny Hallett and Colin Kerr’s 2020 report: <a href="https://autisticmentalhealth.uk/creportfull/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">autisticmentalhealth.uk/crepor</span><span class="invisible">tfull/</span></a></p><p>And the BPS’s recent article on neurodiversity-affirmative therapy: <a href="https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/what-does-it-mean-be-neurodiversity-affirmative" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">bps.org.uk/psychologist/what-d</span><span class="invisible">oes-it-mean-be-neurodiversity-affirmative</span></a></p><p>A lot packed into this talk!</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/therapy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>therapy</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/trauma" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>trauma</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Chloe notes that *group* CBT appears to work for Autistic people</p><p>But is it really the CBT that’s effective in that setting, or is it just sharing common experiences with other Autistics?</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/CBT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CBT</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/therapy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>therapy</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Aucademy video (wtih Rachel Cullen) on the Autistic Language Hypothesis: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjTIqrSp-o" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">youtube.com/watch?v=qxjTIqrSp-</span><span class="invisible">o</span></a></p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticLanguageHypothesis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticLanguageHypothesis</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Aucademy video (with Lisa Cromar) on person-centred counselling for Autistics: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShhpNjbsGW4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">youtube.com/watch?v=ShhpNjbsGW</span><span class="invisible">4</span></a></p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Inertia can look like depression to a therapist, says Chloe</p><p>We need to be aware of our sensory profiles</p><p>Chloe recommends Ben Usher-Barrass’s ‘A guide to autistic experience’ – and also the infographics on Ben’s website <a href="https://www.autisticality.co.uk" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="">autisticality.co.uk</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Nature therapy may not work for Autistic people like Chloe who are tactile averse</p><p>Talking about aphantasia and hyperphantasia now, and how this can impact on therapeutic approaches</p><p>Touching on Rachel Cullen’s Autistic Language Hypothesis here too (not sure that the description here is entirely accurate)</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>nature</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/TouchAversion" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TouchAversion</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticLanguageHypothesis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticLanguageHypothesis</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Why might mental health treatments not work for Autistic people?</p><p>First of all, therapists need to know about ordinary Autistic behaviours to be able to differentiate these from mental health problems, says Chloe</p><p>We may have difficulty in recognising mental health issues in ourselves too – alexithymia, different baseline</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/therapy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>therapy</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/CBT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CBT</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/alexithymia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>alexithymia</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>On top of mental health difficulties that we share with the general population, Chloe notes that there are a number of Autistic-specific mental health issues: overwhelm, meltdown, shutdown, burnout (not the same as depression), harmful stims</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/MentalHealth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MentalHealth</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Very pleased to hear that Chloe shares my view that there is no such thing as ‘autism’ – there are just Autistic people</p><p>We have differences (from the non-Autistic world) in our experience of the sensory world, in communication, and in thinking, socialising and moving</p><p>There is no one way to be Autistic</p><p>Just because we need support to varying extents doesn’t mean that we lack some ‘independence’ that other people have</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/SensoryProcessing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SensoryProcessing</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>The popular notion of the ‘spectrum’ (often thought of as a linear continuum) is also profoundly unhelpful – they reference this excellent comic strip: <a href="https://the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">the-art-of-autism.com/understa</span><span class="invisible">nding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/spectrum" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>spectrum</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Chloe Farahar (Aucademy) is on now, talking about Autistic mental wellbeing, and will be talking about the usefulness (or otherwise) of CBT and the prevalence of trauma, among other things</p><p>First they are considering ‘outsider’ clinical descriptions of autism (e.g. DSM-V) and the way we as Autistic people internalise this negative portrayal of autism</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/MentalHealth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MentalHealth</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/CBT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CBT</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/trauma" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>trauma</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Now, after a break, Sarah Meharg is talking about stimming and senses, in a talk she put together at very short notice (she’s taken Pete Wharmby’s place, as he was unable to attend)</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/stimming" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>stimming</span></a></p>
Anna Nicholson<p>Really enjoying the North East Autism Society’s online conference ‘Acceptance Matters’ :GoldInfinity:</p><p>I wasn’t going to watch the first talk, by Ruth Jenks, as I didn’t think I’d find a talk on communication as Autistic parents useful, but it was brilliantly clear and very relevant – she addressed a lot of things relevant to Autistic experience regardless of parenthood</p><p>[thread]</p><p><a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AcceptanceMatters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AcceptanceMatters</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://autistics.life/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a></p>
Heather Cook🖖Autistic Coach<p>Meltdowns are not tantrums. They are&nbsp;not&nbsp;a choice. They are&nbsp;not&nbsp;manipulative. They&nbsp;are&nbsp;an extreme stress reaction. </p><p><a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Autistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Autistic</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/AuDHD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AuDHD</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/AutisticBurnout" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticBurnout</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a></p>
Johnny Profane Âû<p>For the growing community of <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/Autistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Autistic</span></a> folks &amp; allies on <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/subStack" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>subStack</span></a>...</p><p>"Calm Down!" Why is this the WORST Advice You Can Give an Autistic Person?</p><p>I now publish all my articles, podcasts &amp; artwork on <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/subStack" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>subStack</span></a> too. Hit subscribe... let's keep in touch.</p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/actuallyautistic" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>actuallyautistic</span></a></span> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/actuallyadhd" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>actuallyadhd</span></a></span> </p><p><a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/ADHD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ADHD</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AuDHD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AuDHD</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticAdults" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAdults</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/Neurodivergent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Neurodivergent</span></a></p><p><a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/johnnyprofaneknapp/p/calm-down-why-is-this-the-worst-advice?utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">open.substack.com/pub/johnnypr</span><span class="invisible">ofaneknapp/p/calm-down-why-is-this-the-worst-advice?utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web</span></a></p>
Johnny Profane Âû<p>"Calm down."<br>🧵</p><p>G-d, I hate those words. Always have.</p><p><a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticParent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticParent</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticMom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticMom</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticDad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticDad</span></a><br><a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticAwareness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAwareness</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticAcceptance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAcceptance</span></a><br><a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/Autism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Autism</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/ADHD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ADHD</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AuDHD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AuDHD</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticAdults" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAdults</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticAlly" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticAlly</span></a><br><a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AutisticElder" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AutisticElder</span></a> <a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/ActuallyAutistic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ActuallyAutistic</span></a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/actuallyautistic" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>actuallyautistic</span></a></span><br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/actuallyadhd" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>actuallyadhd</span></a></span></p><p>I've heard them pretty much every day of my long life.</p><p>Delivered in soothing tones...<br>Helpful tones...<br>Authoritative...<br>Anxious...<br>Angry...<br>Sometimes accompanied by a slap.</p><p>From Parents. Teachers. Priests. Playmates. Lovers. Doctors. Therapists... Each one demanding one thing of me.</p><p>👉Control over THEIR own feelings.</p><p>By demanding... control of mine.</p><p>WHO needs control when I'm sad?<br>Angry?<br>Intense?<br>Passionate?<br>Proud?<br>Informative...<br>Joyful...<br>or...<br>Suicidal?</p><p>You folks do.</p><p>I'm feeling what I'm feeling. And expressing it in ways that are not only the most natural to me... but also the most appropriate...</p><p>To the neurology I was born with.</p><p>You may not like it.<br>In the park.<br>In the grocery store.<br>In front of strangers.<br>In front of Aunt Mary.<br>In 2nd grade.<br>👇👇👇</p><p>With my office door open.<br>In your waiting room.<br>On our 3rd date.<br>In your house...<br>In *your* life.</p><p>There's a whole wing of autism deniers masquerading as scholars who say we autistics lack a "theory of mind."</p><p>Like adult autistics don't deal with typical human minds<br>👉 24 / 7 / 365.25 ... 👈</p><p>YOUR problem with MY behavior is easier to understand than your whole "theory of mind," "behavioral analysis" crap.</p><p>I don't get how YOU think or feel.<br>You don't get how * I * think or feel...<br>And we rub each other the wrong way. Just like cats and dogs.</p><p>👉THIS cat has a theory of *your* mind. It's simple.</p><p>You don't acknowledge what you think or feel.<br>Not in public.<br>Lots of times not even to yourself.</p><p>S'why y'all drive me crazy.</p><p>Why did parents, teachers, "helping" pros, "friends" tell me to calm down?</p><p>Not to soothe *my* distress. To soothe THEIR distress.</p><p>👉 Shame?<br>Not fun to feel ashamed... of your child.</p><p>👉 Fear?<br>Scary when everybody's looking at you.<br>And you think it's not even your fault.</p><p>👉 Anger?<br>It's frustrating... when you have no control.<br>Like... when I don't do what you want me to. Fast enuff.</p><p>👉 Soothing?<br>Of course, YOU need soothing...</p><p>Every time someone else's pain...<br>Or bad luck...<br>Or death...<br>Reminds you of YOUR danger.</p><p>🚨 "Calm down." 🚨</p><p>There is never a time that a command...<br>implying that an autistic person in distress is doing "something wrong"...<br>helps.</p><p>Doesn't matter our age... education... profession... wealth.</p><p>And since your "helpful advice" almost certainly inflames their pain... literally adding fuel to the fire in our hearts, minds, and bodies...</p><p>You'll NEVER get the outcome you demand... soothing.</p><p>You'll just add one more brick to the prison wall of our trauma.</p><p><a href="https://neurodifferent.me/tags/AskingAutistics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AskingAutistics</span></a></p>