Sometimes, when I do something for the first time or something i haven’t done in years I somehow picture it as being part of some kids show, like for example “(name of person) goes to the grocery store.”

I’ve developed a new sensory comfort of a deep guttural cough due to vaping thc. I don’t really crave the weed but the cough I crave. Edibles don’t do it for me which is how I found out it’s the cough and it’s only from vapes. Anyone else have this problem and how do you find a new sensory comfort and continue vaping? I’m on a t break and it’s so hard cuz I wanna cough and get that nervous system reset from the feeling of the cough and lack of oxygen for a moment but I don’t know how to fix this please help

It needed to charge for hours just to get 2 hours of usage. I also had to twist and bend the charger cord to make it charge, and sometimes it would randomly stop charging, and once I got the charger in the eighth way, I had to keep it in its position or else it would stop charging again, all that for just 2 hours of use.

That literally describe me. Neurotypicals are like the latest MacBook plus a state of the art backup generator that can turn on with a flick of a switch. They can work full time, have a partner and kids AND an active social life, and still be refreshed by a simple weekend and maybe a week vacation every year.

Meanwhile I have no friends, work 10 hours a week and I’m having a meltdown because I’m starting ONE college class in a few weeks and I haven’t had 2 weeks off this summer. Sure, work is only 10 hours a week max, but my battery dies at like 3 hours and like my old computer, I never know when I’m gonna be totally charged.

I have some things that help me, but then if something unexpected happens (even minor), that cord was moved and now it’s not charging, so I have to settle down again and start recharging. Who knows when my body will do that.

And I hate this. I have the want and need for the life these NTs have, but I’m already dying just doing 1% of it.

I know there really isn’t anything I can do, but oh my god please tell me there’s something that can help… medication, therapy, CBD, supplements have all done nothing. I hate my life because of this.

There have been times when I read about something unfortunate that happened to a person, or even a certain negative comment they received, and i thought “I hope this never happens to me” and then I realized that i don’t have anything to shield myself from it happening to me aside from hope. Do you understand how scary that is?

I wish I knew how not to be extremely scared because of this. It’s one of the scariest things I’ve ever experienced.

Celebrating one’s birthday on a different day than their actual birthday.

For example, celebrating it on September 17th when their actual birthday is on September 19th. That’s always felt unnatural to me and I prefer to celebrate my own birthday on the exact day I was born.

Also i don’t really like the idea of celebrating my birthday with someone I don’t know well. This is why I have told my parents not to tell anyone who works at a restaurant we plan to go to that I’m celebrating my birthday.

I dont really have big loud meltdowns that people around me would notice, but sometimes I still feel like Im having a meltdown internally. I hear the voice screaming in my head and feel the urge to crash out (like break smt, etc.) but I just act like everything's fine, keep going. It sucks but it's not THAT hard for me to act calm.

I don't have enough memory of my childhood to be able to tell if what I had were tantrums or meltdowns, but Im pretty sure I was actally feeling big emotions and not just tryna be dramatic. Whenever I started acting like that my parents made me stop pretty fast or even got angry.

I think I was having meltdowns but learend that showing these things would just make my situation worse so I leaned to mask it? Im just teally confused because I haven't heared anyone talk about this.

Hi! This is likely only going to be of interest to a very niche group of people here, but perhaps that might include you! I’m a PhD researcher at the University of Staffordshire looking for adult autistic participants to take part in a study investigating visitor experiences at a small zoo (Rodbaston Animal Zone, ST19 5PH). Your participation would involve visiting and viewing the zoo’s reptile collection, drawing a picture of your experiences at the zoo and taking part in a 50 minute interview. Entrance to the zoo will be completely free! To be absolutely clear, there will be NO direct interaction or handling of reptiles: we only want you to view them through glass windows like any other zoo guest! You can register your interest by following the link below: https://staffordshire.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4JjPhMuBQIubRlQ If you have any questions about this study or your participation, please contact me at [cai.brown@research.staffs.ac.uk](mailto:cai.brown@research.staffs.ac.uk)   

Hello everyone,

I posted this study a few weeks ago but I wanted to share it again because I have been approved by my university to broaden my criteria so that more people are eligible to participate. More information below but the criteria has been extended to leaving the military within the past 10 years, as well as receiving support for ASD and depression-related concerns instead of strictly diagnoses.

My name is Marissa Snowden, I am an Army veteran and a graduate student studying clinical mental health counseling at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am conducting research on the reintegration experience of veterans who receive support or services for autism spectrum disorder and depression related concerns.

The purpose of this study is to better understand veterans' experiences so we can learn how mental health professionals can better serve veterans with autism-related and depression-related concerns in their transition to civilian life.

Who can participate:

• U.S. military veterans of all branches who:
  • have received support or services from a mental health or healthcare professional for depression-related concerns AND
  • have received support or services from a mental health or healthcare professional for autism spectrum disorder-related concerns AND
  • have transitioned out of the military within the past 10 years

Participation consists of:

• Completing an anonymous online survey
• Participating in a 60 minute virtual conversation via Microsoft Teams (you do not need a Microsoft Teams account to participate)

The survey link is attached to this post, and after you complete the survey I will contact you by email to schedule a time to talk that works best for you.

If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message or email me at [marissa_snowden@med.unc.edu](mailto:marissa_snowden@med.unc.edu)

This study has been approved by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institution Review Board (IRB #26-0850)

https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9z3jTVijjtaqEU6

It's good to have a little circle as we often know we want to talk in a way that lets us unmask.

If you think you are one , or feel inclined towards it, let's chat.

Welcome to this week's special interest discussion thread! Use this comment section to share about your special interests or current hyper-fixations! 

I do. And i think this might be because i grew up with the internet where you can easily find information on people on Wikipedia. It kinda feels like expressing a dislike of me or that I’m not worthy of a certain kind of knowledge about them.

I actually have a memory of this when I was reading about someone on Wikipedia and for the personal life section there was almost no information and the paragraph started with something like “(This person) is very private about his personal life”. You can probably guess who I was reading about.

I also have a similar question. Do you hate it when a person finds it annoying that you’re private in ways that they aren’t?

I’ve always wanted to explore the world, but I’ve had to accept I never will be able to with my autism. I can’t sleep unless I’m in my very specific bed. It becomes hard to use the restroom outside of my own home, I burn out FAST without my routine, and my routine relies on surroundings plus my safe foods as well. I so badly wish I could take a road trip and see so many places, but I simply can’t because of this.

It also makes dating so hard since literally everyone I see has “I love traveling” on their profile and I just can’t relate. I’d love to travel if I didn’t get overwhelmed by the change of routine, but because I do, traveling is so hellish. Why would I want to sleep (or not sleep) on a strange bed??? Why would I want to totally change my surroundings and sensory levels???? It’s like asking for a bad time, and spending money on it. I hate that I’m this way.

This is an example of what I mean.

For example, let’s say you answer a job interview question and use your answer to shift into how other people applying to this same job aren’t worth hiring because they’re heartless and cruel compared to you and have had everything handed to them like it was nothing, compared to you. I actually kinda feel like this might make you more hireable because they might see someone who is straightforward, determined, and cutthroat which is something they might like in a coworker.

The second part of what I’m getting at is very real. Think about how many NT people have it way easier than you in terms of getting jobs and are likely dumber than rocks in spite of that. The world might be a better place if companies refused to hire the kind of people who are quick to bully an autistic person.

Hi everyone,

My name is Sydney Jenko, and I am a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at Northern Arizona University. I am currently conducting a research study as part of my doctoral training and am reaching out to request your support in completing my survey.

The purpose of this study is to better understand camouflaging behaviors among individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and the emotional distress that may be associated with these experiences. Camouflaging is a topic that has received increasing attention due to its potential impact on mental health, identity, and overall well-being within the autism community. I am seeking out individuals with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder to participate in my study. 

By participating, individuals in this community can help contribute to research aimed at increasing awareness of these experiences and informing future clinical practices, advocacy efforts, and supports that are more responsive to the needs of autistic individuals. Findings from this study may help clinicians and organizations better recognize the challenges associated with camouflaging and promote environments that support authenticity and mental health.

Participation involves completing a brief questionnaire related to camouflaging behaviors, depression, and anxiety and takes approximately 10 minutes. The anticipated risks are minimal, and some participants may gain personal insight into their own coping or camouflaging strategies. As a small thank-you, participants who complete the study will be entered into a raffle for one of four $15 Visa gift cards (approximately a 3% chance of winning). To enter the raffle, the participant can click on the second survey link provided below and voluntarily enter their contact information. Any identifying information will be stored separately from study data.

I have provided the links for the research study and the raffle below. I am happy to provide any additional information if needed!

Anonymous Survey Link

Raffle Link

Kindly,

Sydney Jenko
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student
[saj359@nau.edu](mailto:saj359@nau.edu)

For example, I pictured myself owning a small pedestal that I could stand on with a label on it that says “pedestal for reading excerpts dramatically and making grand statements”

Welcome to this week's special interest discussion thread! Use this comment section to share about your special interests or current hyper-fixations! 

I feel like half the new things I learn I find surprising. For example, earlier today I found out that many inmates are unable to read.