@murdoc@autistics.life avatar

murdoc

@[email protected]

Way too many interests to list, but some highlights: #science, #sciencefiction, #technology, #computers, #foss, #psychology, NeuroLinguistic Programming, #sociology, #sexology, #horror, #vampires, #gothculture, #cyberpunk, #videogames, #ttrpg, #LARP, #philosophy, Technocracy (probably not the kind you're thinking of)

Avatar: A waist-up picture of Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock from Star Trek, holding a black cat, in front of the iconic two-themed stained glass window from the TV show "Wednesday".

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@imp3tuz@mastodon.social avatar imp3tuz , to ActuallyAutistic group

actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group it really does get to me a lot knowing that my existence as an autistic black person often feels like having double the layers of isolation. To my family I'm the odd one they try to avoid talking about too much- then I step into a society made to uphold white cishet standards and I'm suddenly a bit TOO MUCH, TOO PROVOCATIVE- TOO UNCANNY...to be in certain spaces that are supposedly "progressive".

I grew up being told to speak up more. Grew older and was told to shut up. Sigh

murdoc ,
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@imp3tuz actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I can't say that I share that experience exactly, but I have my own reasons for isolation and wanted to say that I hear you and think that it's all so stupid and unnecessary. :blob_cat_box:

@elight@tenforward.social avatar elight , to ActuallyAutistic group

actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group Curious how others refer to this condition and themselves. Do you "have" autism, are you "autisti, both, or something else?

I find the second most relatable, particularly as we are a "we"—a subculture based on identifying as neurologically similar.

I tend to bristle at little at the first as this indicates it's a condition. "Having" implies the possibility of ephemerality. We are autistic for life.

I didn't feel this way about ADHD, perhaps oddly.

murdoc ,
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murdoc ,
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@pathfinder @elight actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
We need a new term for it, like they did with PDA. Maybe, Attention Divergent and Hyperaware of that Difference.
OK, the first half of that was serious. 😛

murdoc ,
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@roknrol @nellie_m @elight actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I can't say for certain, but my current working theory is that all adhd meds do is just help you to operate in this NT world, not counting side effects of course. I believe that if we could properly accommodate people like that, there'd be no need for them. In the meantime I'm trying to research on how Neurolinguistic Programming can help instead of using meds.

murdoc ,
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@Frantasaur @pathfinder @elight actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
That's a good point. And if the terms were to be merged, we'd have the added benefit of ridding ourselves of a name meant to designate us as being self-absorbed. I'm liking where this is going.

murdoc ,
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@nellie_m @roknrol @elight actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
My suggestion isn't to alter brain chemistry, but to find and develop mental strategies for dealing with an NT society that's still healthy.

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@elight @roknrol @nellie_m actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Ok, maybe I oversimplified my statement. I should add that perhaps with the right accommodations from the beginning, people with adhd may not have symptoms like that, that perhaps they are not inherent but instead secondary effects. Basically like how some traits of autism are actually the result of having to grow up in an NT world, instead of being inherent. If that ends up being the case, NLP is even more likely to be able to help. In the long term, it gives us some new ideas of how to reshape society in order to be more accommodating to people.

murdoc ,
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@MamaLake @roknrol @nellie_m @elight actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Precisely my point, thank you for sharing!

murdoc ,
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@nellie_m @elight @roknrol actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Yes meds are fine since they do seem to help some people. I just suspect that they are doing a bit of the forcing a square peg into a round hole kinda thing. I also know that some people experience adverse side effects from them. I'm just exploring solutions (both short and long term) that would allow people to function without them, and perhaps be more of themselves.

And I agree with what you say about putting responsibility on people for their own health, my ideas would do less of that than meds would.

As for my lofty goals, I am in the process of writing a bit about them pinned to my profile, if you're interested. I will agree that they are quite ambitious, but they are the logical steps to take to my autistic mind. :BlobCatSmiley:

@holly@v.st avatar holly , to random

Heh. Spotted at the center in Amsterdam.

4 panel comic. Woman says, “I’m autistic.” Other person says, “But you don’t look autistic.” Woman reaches behind her to accept an Oscar, and then says thank you as she bows.
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murdoc ,
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@monsoonrains @holly
Ok, I see this around about people getting mad about this specific issue. What I want to know is, why? I mean, I get the frustration that comes from not everyone knowing as much about autism as we'd like them to. But why take it out on individuals? If they don't know, they don't know. What else are they supposed to do instead? Two years ago I didn't know anything about the subject, and I am reasonably well educated, interested in many things, and psychology is one of my favorite topics. So if I didn't know, how are other people supposed to?

Our current understanding of autism is pretty recent, and it takes time for this information to trickle through the system and reach everybody. Heck, most health care professionals aren't even up to date with the latest like we are. We have the privilege of being in a community that can collect and disseminate this information rather quickly, but we have a vested interest in learning it. Other people don't. There's lots for them to know about, even in just the 'disabled' sphere. And yes, our education system should absolutely be better, but that's not really the fault of the individual.

So why not, instead of getting mad at people like this, we take the opportunity to inform them ourselves? No, it's not our responsibility. And no, it's not even fair. But it's the hand we're dealt, and we can either do something to improve the situation or just be mad at it and keep it this way. "It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness" as the saying goes.

And yes, I get that we may not always be in a position to do so, may not have the energy or communication ability at the time to do so. That's fine. You can even get mad because of the situation, that's natural. But there's still no reason to take it out on someone who says this. How is that helping?

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murdoc ,
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@monsoonrains @holly actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
That's understandable. :BlobCatSmiley:
For me, I find that understanding why they are doing things like this helps.

murdoc ,
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@murdoc@autistics.life avatar murdoc , to ActuallyAutistic group

Took a big step yesterday, my first time "coming out" to someone as ND who wasn't already in the know, and I had almost no idea how they'd respond. Granted, it was my hair stylist, but since I've been seeing the same one for so long--I'm guessing somewhere around 15 years now--it was kind of a big deal. I wanted to do it the last time I saw her, but it didn't happen. This time it was harder to avoid though given all the changes going on in my life that got brought up in conversation.

So I've scripted this conversation dozens of times, typical autistic thing. Not a good sleep the night before. Was tense and nervous during it, having to adjust my scripts to the situation, as well as continuing to last-second optimize my answers to questions. And now my mind is doing the thing of going back over the conversation over and over again; that's an adhd thing, isn't it? Not a good sleep last night either. I kinda feel like those sports commentators that spend more time talking about a game, anticipating before and analyzing after it, than the game actually took. 😵‍💫

But overall it seemed to go well enough. She wasn't familiar with neurodiversity, but accepted the idea. And she knew a little about autism, but not much. Some of it was incorrect, like what "on the spectrum" meant, pretty common misconception. Most of her information seemed to come from a tv show I am unfamiliar with called "Love on the Spectrum" (iirc), so I have no idea how good that show presents us. I guess I'll have to look it up. Has anyone here seen it?

So I consider yesterday a practice run for when I bring it up to my family, which I really should do soon. I notice that they've stopped contacting me on the holidays, every time trying to get me to contact them instead, so I guess that they have just given up and left the ball in my court. But now I've just been putting it off because now I have a reason to explain why I don't do that, but it involves this whole big conversation that I am not practiced with, and most likely over the phone which I like less than doing in person. I mean, I could try to delay it until I see them again, but I might have to mention that there's something to talk about anyway which could make things awkward if they have to start imagining what that might be. Ugh, so many complications, it does not make me want to do anything but put this off more. But on the chance it might help improve my relationship with them, I have to sometime, and the later I wait, the worse it will likely be. And that doesn't help either. 😓

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murdoc OP ,
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murdoc OP ,
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@hosford42@techhub.social avatar hosford42 , to ActuallyAutistic group

"Studies have shown that children begin to identify and punish autistic traits from a young age. Human beings reinforce social norms by hurting people who break them."

If you want to understand why autism is a disability and not just a quirk or a difference, reread this quote until the words find a permanent home in your brain.

"Human beings reinforce social norms by hurting people who break them."

"Human beings reinforce social norms by hurting people who break them."

"Human beings reinforce social norms by hurting people who break them."

This happens every. Single. Day.

https://observer.co.uk/news/first-person/article/laurie-penny-autism




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murdoc ,
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@analogfusion
For what you're talking about, diversity in the gene pool allows a species to survive in a greater number of circumstances, like environmental shifts, new diseases, etc. See this classic example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution

But there is another advantage to diversity, and that's in the population, allowing for specialization. Different individuals having different strengths allows them to take on different roles benefiting the group. Some might have better senses and thus be better at spotting predators or finding new resources, while others might be stronger and thus better at fighting off predators or extracting the resources. This is my favorite illustration of that principle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhu9AniWshg

@themaskerscomic @hosford42 @erosdiscordia actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group

murdoc ,
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@analogfusion @hosford42 @erosdiscordia actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Human nature can't be changed, but what most people call "human nature" is more often the result of widespread environmental conditions plus cultural momentum. To look at the broad sweeps of history and pick out the commonalities is to more look at those traits than what is fundamentally "human nature". To really learn about that, you have to look more at our diversity in a range of circumstances. What our nature comes down to is that out of all the animals on this planet, humans are the ones least ruled by instinct, and have the greatest capacity for overriding those instincts. We are more behaviorally adaptable than any other species, and because of this, we are the most influenced by our environment.

The kind of cultural changes that would be needed for a fully accepting and inclusive society would be possible by just doing what we're already doing--making changes socially--but it will take a long time, be very painful in the meantime, and with no guarantee of success. The reason is not because of human nature fighting against this change, but rather our environmental circumstances, specifically economic one. If we could change our economy to one that would properly take advantage of the vast wealth that modern technology can afford us, changing to that kind of society would be automatic.

murdoc ,
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@hosford42 @hlangeveld @spiegelmama @zakalwe actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group @Zumbador @DziadekMick @JaxVent
Aren't high fantasy style elves supposed to be like that too? Most of the time looking aloof and emotionless, until something happens that is important to them, then they get intense. I'm no fantasy expert, but that was my impression anyway.

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@VulcanTourist@autistics.life avatar VulcanTourist , to ActuallyAutistic group

Variety is not the spice of life for autistic people. We know what works, we've done the math (and published the proof), so why the fuck change it?!

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murdoc ,
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@VulcanTourist actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
That's part of how I figured out that I must be adhd as well as autistic, because I crave variety, but only in things I enjoy. If I don't enjoy it, then I want routine, the most efficient way I've figured out how to do it so I don't have to think about it. Grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.

@theautisticcoach@neurodifferent.me avatar theautisticcoach , to ActuallyAutistic group

When someone tells you “no pressure” when they ask you something, does this add pressure to you or help relieve it?

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murdoc ,
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@theautisticcoach actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I'm not sure because I don't recall anyone saying it to me. The only times I've heard it said are by the person to whom the request is being made, and only then sarcastically.

@ScriptFanix@maly.io avatar ScriptFanix , to ActuallyAutistic group

actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group

Post de Orion Kelly - That Autistic Guy

http://youtube.com/post/Ugkxq7eXIGaeyNl9O5VCPuHF4Rs12R5rjFQV

comparison of undiagnosed autism to playing a game in hard mode while others tell you it's on easy. diagnosis is then learning the game is on hard mode and being able to strategize
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murdoc ,
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@ScriptFanix actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I still have hope that I can put together a strategy guide, complete with cheat codes. Maybe even some mods.

@Uair@autistics.life avatar Uair , to ActuallyAutistic group

@actuallyautistic @actuallyaudhd

I go down the strangest rabbit holes. Sword canes.

https://fashionablecanes.com/collections/sword-canes?srsltid=AfmBOornjIxnG3R6GupYfVQNxM6RXMtgocUx1w65cW_Li91hjArfoqJJ

murdoc ,
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@Uair actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group @actuallyaudhd
Ooh, a couple of those I'd want more for the cane than the sword. :blob_cat_aww:

@kelpana@mastodon.ie avatar kelpana , to random

Can anyone tell me how to to control "tone" in written and verbal communication? I often get told I'm "saying things aggressively or directly" or "sound really angry". I suspect some neurodiversity issue is at play here, but I don't seem to be able to do anything about it no matter how hard I try. Even when I try I'm told I still sound wrong or patronizing. I think this has been a problem for me forever, but I just don't know what I can do about it.

murdoc ,
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@nddev @kelpana actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
That's a pretty good primer on how to be diplomatic aka speak NT. It fits with my experience. Some of it is even helpful for talking to sensitive NDs like me. :BlobCatSmiley:

@hosford42@techhub.social avatar hosford42 , to ActuallyAutistic group

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferpalumbo/2025/05/06/autism-speaks-from-criticism-to-inclusion-and-a-future-of-listening/

I'm curious to get my fellow autistics' take on this article. What do you think? Can Autism Speaks be redeemed? Is their change in direction legitimate? Is it enough?

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murdoc ,
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@felyashono @hosford42 actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Wow, I'm surprised that there any of us on the BoD. I guess they wanted a token?

murdoc ,
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@felyashono @hosford42 actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Yeah, I figured that's what it would be. I just wonder if they're the token that no one listens to, or if they themselves are as badly misinformed as the rest.

@Uair@autistics.life avatar Uair , to ActuallyAutistic group

actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group @actuallyaudhd

Maybe somebody here can think how to monetize this.

I have a very rare skill. I'm extremely good at totally unexpected, completely novel, and life-threatening situations. If the driver throws a seizure at 70mph on a busy highway, I'm the man you want in the passenger seat. The thing is, I'm only good in emergencies. They have to be sudden surprises. If it's my job, like a fireman or EMT, I'll get bored and fuck up.

My high school guidance counselor gave me the aptitude tests and said I was good to be an in-flight engineer at the airport. That's the guy who, when all the pilots eat the chicken Kiev and the landing gear fails, teaches a stewardess how to manually unlock the wheels and land the plane. There are not a lot of these jobs. That's really what my high school guidance counselor told me, though. The other one just said I was a fuckup and threw up his hands, but in a lighthearted way.

I'd be good at crime, but never wanted to be that man.

Any ideas?

murdoc ,
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@Uair actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group @actuallyaudhd
That is quite the puzzle you've presented: how to make money doing this, but it not be a job... :blob_cat_thinking:

(I'm audhd too, and while I don't have your skill I do have a similar predicament trying to survive on the various things that I'm good at. Been working on the problem for a long time now.)

@AnAutieAtUni@beige.party avatar AnAutieAtUni , to actuallyadhd group

🤣

Reposting this with ALT text.

H/t @spaf

actuallyadhd@a.gup.pe icon actuallyadhd group actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group

Title says Venn Diagram of my life. Underneath there are two overlapping circles, one with the text “things I like to do” inside it and the other with the text “things I’m good at” inside it. A short distance below those, entirely separate from them, is a circle with the text “things that make money” inside it. Then someone very, very carefully hand drew a very wobbly shape that encapsulates the remaining space in this square image but without overlapping any of the circles, so it is very broadly like an infinity sign, getting extremely narrow in the middle between the three circles. They put in a lot of effort to draw this shape! Inside the wobbly shape is the text “things I do”.
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murdoc ,
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@murdoc@autistics.life avatar murdoc , to ActuallyAutistic group

I don't know how many in the autistic community have played the ttrpg called Vampire: The Masquerade, but I've had some interesting insights about the game since my self-realization that I'd like to share about it.

In the game, vampires are divided into clans, each with their own vampire powers, weaknesses, culture, outlook, and goals. For example the Brujah clan are known as rebels and strong fighters, while the Ventrue clan are aristocratic, manipulative, and like to be in charge.

One clan is called Malkavian, and the only thing that they all have in common is that they are all insane. It's even in the rules that you have a pick a mental illness that your character suffers from, such as being bipolar, or has multiple personalities. Other than that, they have the greatest diversity of any clan, and can look like anything, act like anything, have any goals, beliefs, etc.

But since learning about autism and neurodivergence, I've come to the belief that Malkavians were never about mental illness, but instead neurodivergence. They don't just suffer from their affliction and that's the sum of them. There's talk about how they are often regarded as seers, prophets, and oracles, that they see the truth of things that others do not. They often have trouble communicating these truths to other people, and often have trouble even understanding the social rules of "normal" vampire society. They sometimes feel as though they live in another reality altogether, but it is one that they all seem to share. Regardless of their near infinite diversity, they mostly seem to just "get" each other, can communicate more easily with each other, and even share ideas on a level not accessible to other vampires (called the "Malkavian Madness Network"). One of their vampire powers even lets them change their appearance, called "Mask of 1000 Faces", so "masking" is something many of them are familiar with. Another power of theirs gives them supernatural insight, such as seeing people's auras or reading their minds. Yet another ability is psychically making others ignore them, as though they were invisible. They often have to hide as a defense mechanism due to the abuse they receive from others for being different. They are often misunderstood, but when they aren't, they can make powerful allies.

There was a time when many people were getting upset because people played the Malkavians as silly, complaining that the players were not treating the subject of mental illness seriously. But like I said, I don't think that they were ever supposed to be about mental illness, but rather neurodiversity. I think that the creators of the game had a good grasp of the subject, but just didn't have the words we use today to classify it. The Malkavians are treated as mentally ill, even though they are just different, and the fact they actually have to have a mental illness according to the rules I think is just a reflection of how many of us suffer from mental illnesses in addition to our neurodivergence, not because of it.

All this would explain why I took to that clan the moment I first heard of them, and have been a big fan ever since. In addition to playing them in both tabletop and live games, I've written about them, from stories, to poems, songs, even had a website at one time. They've been a big part of me for a long time now, and now I think I know why. Also I wonder how many other people who have played Malkavians were also neurodivergent in real life.

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murdoc OP ,
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actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I had another epiphany more recently (last night in fact) along these lines. This will make sense more to those familiar with the game, but if anyone would like an explanation I'd be happy to oblige.

That not only are the Malkavians supposed to be representative of neurodiversity, but it seems that all seven of the original clans in the game could be viewed as representing different aspects of autism specifically.

(obviously not every autistic person has all of these traits, but these are just ones commonly seen in many of us)

Thusly:
Brujah - justice sensitivity, meltdowns
Gangrel - love of animals, being in nature, being away from people
Malkavian - mental illnesses, diversity, insight
Nosferatu - alienation, masking
Toreador - hyper empathy, autistic joy (entrancement)
Tremere - love of order, hyperfocus, special interests (especially obscure ones)
Ventrue - limited diet, tradition/routine inflexibility

murdoc OP ,
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@Tarrenvane actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I hope that you get the chance! In the meantime, just reading the books can be fun too.

@murdoc@autistics.life avatar murdoc , to ActuallyAutistic group

Rewatching Andor so I can watch season 2 that is out. Found this exchange in episode 1:

(Keeping in mind that these are longtime friends)
Andor: Look, I know that it takes a lot of energy for you, but I need you to lie for me.
B2EMO: I can lie! I have sufficient energy reserves.
Andor: Good. Don't tell anyone you saw me. Don't tell them where I am.
B2EMO: (looks sad) That's two lies.
Andor: Tell both of them!
B2EMO: I'll have to recharge myself at home.

Kinda sounds autistic, doesn't it? 😆

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murdoc OP ,
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@IPmonger actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
How so? All I see is "emo". Not sure how that would apply.

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@IPmonger actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Ok, I can see how you got there then. Just not very strong connections in my mind.

@samiam@lor.sh avatar samiam , to ActuallyAutistic group

actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
just found out my server is winding down. i don't post regularly but the connections i've made here are still very meaningful to me. thinking i'll migrate to a designated autistic or otherwise neurodivergent-type instance. advise? thoughts?

murdoc ,
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@samiam actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
You'll most likely be welcome on my instance: https://autistics.life/about And Ashley'a been a great admin.
As a bonus, with a 10,000 character limit, you can infodump easily. 😁

murdoc ,
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@ickplant@lemmy.world avatar ickplant @db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar db0
I remember that decades ago this was considered a classic men vs. women thing, so I wonder why that is, what's going on there. Did "male culture" pick up this trait from their 1% minority somehow? Or is there something else to this? :blob_cat_thinking:

I remember an incident where my best friend's girlfriend got pissed off at him for doing this (in retrospect I believe he is classic ADHD), and kicked him out of his own room so she could talk to me alone because I was just listening to her. So, on the surface that's weird since I was the autistic one. OTOH, I've had plenty of people tall me what a great listener I am, when it's more do to with me being "quiet and shy" around people I'm not entirely comfortable with yet, and this too scared to offer solutions. So in that respect, yes, me doing so would be a sign of how comfortable I am with you.

murdoc ,
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raltoid @ickplant@lemmy.world avatar ickplant
Alternatively, what one of my roommates and I do is often we will preface our rant with "I just need to vent." or finish it with "Thanks for letting me vent."

@unixorn@hachyderm.io avatar unixorn , to ActuallyAutistic group

@autism actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group

Screen shot of antisocial media post from @arakkosuperstar text: if ur autistic friends also think ur autistic, then that's not self-diagnosis that's peer review
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murdoc ,
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@Richard_Littler@mastodon.social avatar Richard_Littler , to ActuallyAutistic group

"'[Autistic people] will never pay taxes. They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go out on a date,' Kennedy said"

  1. I pay taxes.
  2. I ran 5km this morning.
  3. My poetry has been published.
  4. I've been on dates; I'm married.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/04/17/rfk-jr-autism-children/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=threads,twitter&utm_medium=social

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murdoc ,
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@shaknais @Richard_Littler actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Nah, it was a joke, and they know it. Not that I would put it past them to harbor the cognitive dissonance/double standard though.

murdoc ,
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@felyashono@autistics.life avatar felyashono , to ActuallyAutistic group

Hey folks. Am I the only one who sees the image in this post as a Rainbow Infinity symbol?

I'm asking the community before I reply directly to the EC.

actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group https://ec.social-network.europa.eu/@EUCommission/114341388836450977

murdoc ,
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@felyashono actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
By "make a big deal out of it"... what were you planning to say to them? I do see the resemblance, but I doubt that it was intentional, or a problem.

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@felyashono actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Well, I said that I doubt that it's a problem, so I am open to hearing your side. And I do see your point about it being April. That does make it more coincidental and a little unfortunate, if it was unintentional.

On the whole, I don't think that many people will confuse the two, we're still pretty not well known, but on the other hand I don't think that it would be a problem for you to mention it either, because it is a point that they may want to consider in the future. And who knows, maybe doing so would raise awareness with the EC. It'd sure be nice to have them on board with neurodiversity.

Either way I can appreciate your care in handling this. :BlobCatSmiley:

@pete@mas.to avatar pete , to ActuallyAutistic group

Am really enjoying bingeing the series.

I'm going through the process of understanding myself and my offspring in relation to and .

I have a referral to get assessed but haven't followed it up yet.

So many things ring true for me. I know there are lots of common traits with ADHD and autism. I'm beginning to wonder though whether what I'm experiencing is ADHD only.

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murdoc ,
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@pete actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
Have you checked out https://embrace-autism.com/? They have lots of resources including online tests for autism, adhd, and more.

@undefined_variable@mementomori.social avatar undefined_variable , to ActuallyAutistic group

So, folks, there's an idea I've been mulling. As I'm getting more and more involved with neurospicy peer support and such volunteering, would be cool to go and visit others and see what they're up to. I'd be especially interested if there are any permanent meeting spaces specifically for ND folk, like low-treshold places where you can pop in, have a cup of coffee, meet others, maybe they arrange some activities and events and such. Or just in general, if there's some cool ND org, anywhere in the world, you're involved with, lemme know! Not making any promises that I'll actually be able to visit, what with quite limited resources and whatnot, but one can always dream... And at least we can spread some info about cool places for our own folk!

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murdoc ,
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@undefined_variable actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I haven't done much with them yet, so I can't say how active they are, but judging from the website, autismedmonton.org has a number of programs, resources, and community events.

@StevenSaus@faithcollapsing.com avatar StevenSaus , to ActuallyAutistic group

You would think that after having realized that I’m autistic — I’m AuDHD, for what it’s worth — that I would be happy about Autism Awareness Month.

Instead, it makes me feel worse. More like an outsider.

Because is a difference, not a disease.

And that’s the awareness I want to see this Autism Awareness Month.

https://s.faithcollapsing.com/2s66m

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murdoc ,
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@SilverArrows@autistics.life avatar SilverArrows , to random

Oh man, seeing all these steps makes me feel like giving up and just accepting I'm never going to have a place where I can live alone 😭

Process of buying a house: timeline | MoneySavingExpert
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/buying-a-home-timeline/

At least I've found my guide, anyway 😞

murdoc ,
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@SilverArrows actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I just spent way too long reading that guide for someone not in the country, or likely to be.

@JackRacc@furry.engineer avatar JackRacc , to ActuallyAutistic group

Starting a new thread.

I'm down to $1.43 after spending on getting the phone repaired from a previously broken state, and needing to cure my cabin fever by eating out.

As of now, there's still the risk the screen and rear camera module need replacement, but the battery replacement was 100% successful.

My most pressing needs include money for seeing my psychologist, money for purchasing 4 more glass containers, and money to counteract days where my landlords decide not to cook.

I will face the consequences of taking my time to save up for repairing the phone, but what I just listed that's more pressing is of high urgency. The way I will get better is to be supported by my psychologist, not have issues with a lack of a buffer for meals, and having the money to eat out as a backup plan.

https://gofund.me/007216f9

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Available balance: $1.43
ALT
murdoc ,
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@JackRacc actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
I don't know if it will help, but it sounds like this story I wrote: https://autistics.life/@murdoc/113216940612819157

@murdoc@autistics.life avatar murdoc , to ActuallyAutistic group

I'm reposting this because I messed up last time and forgot to use hashtags. So apologies if you've already seen this. Also, my new instance has a much higher character limit so I can post it here directly instead of making you use a link to somewhere else.

This is a super short children's story I wrote inspired by the challenges of being , and possibly other forms of .

Once there was a little car named Sporty the Sportscar. He grew up on a farm where it was all dirt and rocks. Sporty wasn’t like all the other vehicles at the farm. They were all trucks, tractors, jeeps, and ATVs. They had no problem getting around the farm, whereas Sporty had a very hard time. No matter how hard he tried he could only go very slowly over the rough terrain, sometimes hurting himself, sometimes getting stuck and not moving at all. His little wheels would spin and spin, but seldom was he able to get very far.
But Sporty didn’t know why he had these troubles. All the others at the farm would see his slow, clumsy movements and make fun of him for it.
“Come on!” they’d say. “Put some horsepower into it!”
“Kid must not have much horsepower after all.”
“A vehicle without horsepower can’t go very far in life.”
And this would make Sporty very sad and frustrated, wondering what was wrong with him. Maybe the others were right, maybe he didn’t have much horsepower. Maybe he was defective.
One day he heard of a place called The City, where they used these things called roads. Long, flat, smooth surfaces that made driving so much easier than on rough dirt. The other vehicles from the farm would travel out to the city and zip along the roads for fun, before returning to the farm later for their work. To Sporty it sounded like something he’d like to try. Maybe his defective body and wheels wouldn’t have such a hard time there.
But The City was far away, and Sporty couldn’t get there. He tried a few times, but after a long and painful journey, he’d get stuck, not even very far from the farm, and he had to wait for someone to tow him back home.
“I wish I could get to The City.” Sporty thought to himself sadly, but without any way to get there, he was stuck being a disappointment to everyone.
Then one day a truck named Big Rig visited the farm. Big Rig had a trailer that carried other cars. He noticed Sporty and asked him if he needed a ride. Sporty was a little shy about accepting help from Big Rig though. Normally Big Rig only carried cars that were broken and couldn’t move on their own. He was afraid that it would make the other vehicles look down at him even more than they already did.
“Come on, son! It’ll be fun.” Big Rig encouraged him. So Sporty accepted, and slowly drove up the ramp onto Big Rig’s trailer. He still couldn’t help feeling like a failure though, like he was worthless as a vehicle. Once on board, Big Rig said “All right then, let’s go!”, and the two went into The City.
Once in The City, Sporty tried driving on a road. He was nervous at first, it was so different. But once he got going, he went fast! Faster than all the trucks, tractors, and ATVs could ever go. Sporty was so happy zooming around The City, and everyone was impressed. It turns out that Sporty had plenty of horsepower after all! Sporty even met other sports cars like him and they’d race together all around The City. And Sporty was happy, he had finally found his place.

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murdoc OP ,
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@lmgenealogy actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe icon ActuallyAutistic group
My instance went from 2000 to 10,000 right before I joined. I could write whole essays if I wanted to. 😁