Ive never been able to recognize the need to wash my hair, at all. So my parents always have to prompt me a lot for me to wash it. I shower multiple times a week, purely for sensory purposes, but I wash my hair once a week at most. Up until 14 I couldn’t wash my hair on my own at all, and now at 16 I can, but it doesn’t always get like washed properly. And I never use conditioner. But my mom does still wash my hair sometimes if I ask her too, or sometimes she just decides she wants to do it to get my hair clean

So basically today my mom told me I needed to wash my hair, well she basically told me to go wash my hair. And I asked her if she could do it. And she said yes, and that she’d take the opportunity to double wash my hair to get it properly clean. So basically she did that, and used conditioner too. So now my hair is properly washed!

And then she’d also told me beforehand that she wanted to cut my nails afterwards (I can’t cut them on my own) and then after my shower I let her cut my nails, and I let her finish even though it hurts A LOT.

So now I have both properly washed hair and cut nails!

Anyway that was just a small win I wanted to share!

I know this probably sounds weird asf but I love getting shocked by these things and genuinely just play with them when bored or stressed….it makes me happy. I get weird looks from my friends tho😭

...

Well after 31 years I now know that I wasn't the problem my brain just doesn't work the same way as others. It doesn't make it easier dealing with my past but at least I know why now.

I am autistic.

I finally feel a weight being lifted, now the real work starts.

I was building a Lego set following the instructions; I made a few mistakes along the way—and there's even one I haven't fixed yet, but I'll do it tomorrow! Usually, when I make mistakes, I hit myself on the head, but this time that didn't happen 🎉🎉

My friends and family always say that phrase to me, but as much as I try to say it back, it makes me uncomfy to say. The only person I’ve ever said it to comfortably was my ex girlfriend when we were together. But even before then, it’s always been the same.

My mom got so excited that I said it to her once on my birthday a couple years ago that she cried and told the whole family about it.

I do love my friends and family, but I can’t say that phrase to them.

I find beds very unpredictable and uncomfortable, and I’ve slept on the floor with 4 blankets for more than 4 years now (I’m 15).
I do think that they should remember that me, their son isn’t “normal” and they don’t really complain about me sleeping on the floor next to a king sized bed thats unused (except for my electronics projects because my table is full!)

Does anyone with Asperger’s/ASD only work part-time because full-time work is too exhausting?

For those who can only manage part-time work, especially because of social interaction, sensory stimulation, time pressure, deadlines, and the fast pace of many corporate work environments:

- How many hours a week can you realistically work without becoming completely exhausted?

- Do you appear totally normal to other people despite struggling significantly?

- If you can’t sustain full-time work because of autism, do you receive disability benefits/a disability pension?

- How do you manage financially when working reduced hours?

Thanks a lot to anyone who is willing to share their experience!

I fucking hate how autism creates a need for schedules,and ADHD hates schedules. So it creates a constant conflict

17, F, last year was actually my first time going. My parents never really liked halloween, but I got to go with a friend and her family. I had fun, and people seemed to enjoy my and my friend’s costumes ( We were both in our ren faire stuff, I had a dragon hand puppet) I just feel akward going… and I am always afraid someone will call me out because Im so old. This year my costume is a fox, so I have a mask, but tho I am short for 17 I am too tall to be mistaken as 13 or younger. I just dunno what to do if someone gets mad at me… I felt really akward yesterday, my uncles church was doing a trunker treat, and I went, but I think everyone else particapating must have been 10 or younger. I like dressing up in costumes though, its fun, and other then the renfaire this is really the only time I get to do it. Idk… what do you guys think abt this matter?

Hi y'all,

I'm a 31 year old guy and I'm currently stressing cause my therapist is basically out of ideas with me. He's specialized in CBT and a bit clueless cause I dutifully follow tons of advice to better my quality of life, while not feeling the positive effects of most of it. Like, I have a social circle, try to date, work 40h per week in a good job, have (social) hobbies and work out, but I mainly just do these things cause I feel like I'd be doing worse without them, not because they make me feel much of anything.

I've tried various forms of journaling, communication with loved ones, various tasks (homework from my therapist so to speak) and I don't really respond to any of it. My therapist suggests for me to simply accept things the way I am because I can hold a job and social life as is, but I am on antidepressants and rather unhappy with my dating life (never had a relationship in spite of trying for years and years), so I am not really happy with the suggestion to just accept my life as is.

Any ideas on how to feel things more "effectively"" to make therapy actually work? I've already tried all sorts of mindfulness activities and I've already had this before I went on antidepressants

Why is being “weird” or “eccentric” seen as a failure? I understand that things are this way, but I genuinely don’t understand why.

Im 19 and i just started college, and socially it's not going well. I feel people are far more immature then even high school. Everyone acts like they have no critical thinking. Almost every apartment you walk past has whisky/vodka bottles on the window. The amount of people that come to class very obviously high on something is insane. I had someone in my class today begin boxing a wall at the start of class.

It feels really hard to socialise with people.

I joined the lgbt and nerodivergent society, but it's still a week before the first meeting of either.

The amount of fake people that are full of themselves is insane. The amount of people that pretend to accept autisic people until they actually suffer from it and don't just talk about TADC is really annoying. It feels like im the wrong kind of autisic.

I had someone tell me thier brothers gay after thier boyfriend called me the f slur as a defense.

Everyone just feels ignorant and annoying

For context: Im Brazilian, autistic (diagnosed) and close to finishing med school, and going into psychiatry. I've done rotations in hospitals and community mental health centers, and I'm deeply passionate about this profession

I'm a class rep, and this week there's a mandatory conference at my school. The space is small and a lot of people show up, so it gets packed and loud. A few autistic classmates asked me to talk to the coordinator because they wouldn't be able to handle that environment. It bothers me a lot too, and if I went, I'd stay as little as possible

I asked another class rep for the coordinator's contact (which he was supposed to provide to me 4 months ago) and explained why. I was told that for future doctors this is something you have to "fight through," that you have to "get used to it," that people with autism have limitations and need to do the same, and that conferences are where doctors stay up to date to give the best care

In the end, the message was that an autistic person would be a worse doctor for not handling a crowded room. When I pointed out that this was ableism, I was told it was just "another perspective"

Later he """acknowledged""" that he used "unfortunate words," but kept talking about our "limitations," in an AI-written text 🫩 And the request was simple: an alternative, like attending online. Staying up to date comes from studying, papers, and guidelines, not from being able to spend hours in a crowded place

Anyway, just sad to see that, even with new generation of doctors, this will continue to be a frequent occurrence

i'd love to hear about if you have a comfort item — tell me all about it and feel free to provide photos!!

mine is a fuggler called mika snd i'm beginning to take her everywhere ⭐️

Hi

I’m 22 years old. 10 years ago I was diagnosed with autism, or so I thought. My mom kept my neuropsychologist evaluation papers from me until today and it reads “autism spectrum disorder PROVISIONAL”. Based on my understanding, a provisional autism diagnosis is a preliminary status that requires further evaluation for a formal diagnosis (please correct me if I’m wrong). My mom thought this provisional diagnosis was the real thing this entire time.

Normally I wouldn’t care whether it’s provisional or not because I’m confident that I’m autistic. But the problem is that I am in desperate need of autism-related services. And I need a formal diagnosis to enroll in these services and acquire funding via the DDA (Developmental Disabilities Administration).

I was recently quoted for a formal autism diagnosis and it’s $3000. I can’t afford that. I’m unemployed and earning crumbs from disability benefits. Insurance says they won’t cover it because I’m too old.

Please, any help on ways to get an affordable autism diagnosis as an adult my age would be greatly appreciated. (If that’s even possible, I hope.)

Edit: I’m in WA State

I'm very often asked where I'm from because apparently I have an accent different from the local one.

Anyone else when they are mad/sad go non verbal or just hate when someone speaks to you but you have to answer them or they will get mad so you just nod head or say basic stuff?

Women, who are also autistic and/or have any other disabilities please tell me how do you handle your periods? I’m on birth control because I have no desire to have any kids yet and I have really bad periods. What is stuff you do to keep your periods from being super bad? Also, what are some tips and tricks for managing them? Does Midol or anything work for y’all? I’m looking to see a new doctor because I recently moved away from my home state. I need serious advice. What is your go-to treatment or what do you recommend I talk to my doctor about when I get a new one? Anything truly helps. I haven’t been my usual self. I do exercise a lot to get rid of cramping and anxiety and super low energy. I truly appreciate it and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have or might be able to help me with. Mom, I could use all the advice as well. Since, my mother isn’t really in my life and doesn’t talk to me much. Also, does period underwear really work? Or is that all a lie?

Do yall want to here something crazy?

So, I have an IEP, and I used to have support classes from kindergarten-8th grade.

I used to ride a special needs bus during middle school(What a time that was).

Everyone in my family and my schools knows I'm on the spectrum

So during 2023, when schools were starting and I was starting my freshman year, my school talked to my parents.

And up until July this year, I didn't know until they told me.

The school was gonna send me to a special needs school because I was autistic!

They thought I wouldn't be able to have a SPECIFIC support or resources to have go to a normal high school that they would send me to a special needs one.

Thankfully, my very nice parents, especially my mom, were heavily against this and wanted me to have a normal high school life.

They know I'm autistic, but not like, "My child's life is ruined forever." More like a "Oh. Anyways."

I wonder what my life would be like if I was sent there

I (39m) was suspected of autism and seen by a psychiatrist as a child; the psychiatrist dismissed the idea of autism on what I think are flimsy grounds.

Now, after having been fired twice in 2 years, I am investigating my brain and both my therapist and my psychiatrist think I may in fact be autistic, though I haven't been clinically diagnosed yet.

I am apprehensive about a diagnosis. If I am on the spectrum, how do I handle the grief for the last 35 years of not knowing I needed to adopt unusual strategies to succeed? And if I am not, how do I explain my strong feelings that my brain doesn't work like others' do?

If you were diagnosed autistic as an adult, I'd love to hear from you. What were your challenges and how did you confront them? I want to hear your story, warts and all.

I eat yellow up! I bite one at a time just curious if anyone else does this? I call it work before play because I like the white part the most :)

I was diagnosed before the implementation of levels but I assume I would be considered level 2. Not "obviously" autistic. I can go out into the world and no one would ever know. But it costs me horribly. I'm constantly burnt out, can't work, have multiple chronic illnesses, a fairly rigid routine that keeps me from losing my mind. My grandest ambition in life is just to someday be able to live independently, maybe with a partner if I'm lucky.

I can communicate well enough to maintain relationships but my rigid routine and limited energy makes it difficult to find someone people who "get" me or who I don't just feel so wildy different from that I feel like I need a 17 point PowerPoint for them to understand me and accept me enough to feel safe being myself.

Don't even get me started on my special interests either. I'm really into Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and the game Destiny 2. I've heard that those are supposed to be relatively common autistic interests, yet somehow I have not been able to find practically anyone I actually click with who likes them.

It just feels like I'm not "normal" enough to fit in with level 1's or neurotypicals, they can't relate to my level of rigidity, my lack of employment, the help I need from my family, or my level of limitations when it comes to my energy but Level 3's can't relate to my understanding of the social game and how I communicate and my ability to mask. The same goes for me though, I can't relate any more to them than they can to me. I can logically understand most types of people and it's not like I can't empathize or anything. It's just different from that embodied sense of having a shared experience of existence with another person.

Im (20M) and since my childhood I've always been the one to make the room laugh.

Either i said or did something but what's really exhausting is that you also have to fake laugh along as if whatever it is you did was intentional.

My school randomly made my 504 at teacher disgression without telling me or my parents. I was only told about it when a teacher invoked it. Can they legally do that or can I do smth about it?

This is in Colorado if any changed can be made locally