Autism-101

@autism-101.com

2778 Followers 312 Following

Autistic, ADHD, AuDHD 🧠 https://linktr.ee/autism_101

An illustration of a circle showing a cycle with arrows going around clockwise. The title reads, "The Autistic Vicious Social Circle:" The cycle entries read: Join a new group Mask in order to be accepted Establish a common interest Discuss the common interest Enjoy being with new friends Get more comfortable Start to unmask Receive criticism for behavior Become distressed by lack of acceptance Try to make up for it Get rejected Leave group
An illustrated drawing shows two stick figures. The first stick figure is opening a door to a room. The figure is wearing a hat and is smoking. The other figure is laying flat on the ground and is crying. A caption above the first figure reads, “Are you OK?”. A caption above the second figure reads, “No, I overshared at the social gathering.”
Two photos are shown on top of each other. The top photo shows a persons neck with a tag touching it. It has a caption that reads, “What it looks like”. The bottom photo shows the same picture, but the tag has been replaced with a cactus. The caption reads, “What if feels like”.
A photo of an older white man with a beard wearing a black shirt. He is wearing a Live Long and Prosper Spock pendant with necklace and a neurodiversity infinity symbol.
image: @SensoryStories An image with 4 panes. The title reads: Adult Autism Reality. * The first pane shows water with a hand of a person sticking out looking for help. The pane reads, “Autistic adult...” * The second pane shows another hand from above reaching towards the hand in the water looking for help. The pane reads, “Finally getting assessed for autism after a lifetime of autistic struggles” * The third pane shows both hands high five-ing each other with the pane reading, “Diagnostician: you are, in fact, autistic. Autistic adult: great, so what support can I get?” * The fourth pane shows the hand lower in the water…beginning to sink. The pane reads, “Diagnostician: wellll, all existing services are for children, so...”
A painting of a monk with a halo who is reading a book. His eyes are wide open in an exaggerated way. A caption above reads, “When you’ve read the same paragraph for the 6th time and still didn’t pay attention”.
Three cats are scrunched up together with their faces touching. The Eiffel Tower of Paris is behind them with bright lights illuminating it. The first cat on the left has the word “ADHD” on it, the middle cat has the word “Anxiety” on it, and the cat on the right has “Autism” on it.
A black t-shirt with white writing that reads, “Sorry I’m late. I didn’t want to come.”
A photo from the film Phenomenon showing main character George Malley being tested by an offscreen scientist named Bob. George is asking Bob to be more specific, because his questions so far have been ambiguous.
A graphic by @littlepuddins.ie shows character drawings of disabled kids and penguins representing different autistic love languages. The captions read, share experiences, unmasking, penguin pebbling, special interests, stimming, and infodumping.
A photo shows a man sitting at a desk drawing. Instead of holding a pencil, the photo has the man holding a giant barbell with heavy weight on it. A title caption reads, “Visual representation of what it’s like doing daily tasks with ADHD”.
Two illustrated characters are having a conversation. The first character is trying to get the second one to phone someone and the second character doesn’t want to. Person One: CALL THEM Person Two: I SENT THEM AN EMAIL Person One: IT’S BETTER TO CALL THEM Person Two: I ALSO TEXTED THEM Person One: JUST CALL THEM! Person Two: I’LL SEND THEM ANOTHER EMAIL!
An illustration with a title of “How to be Dismissive and Invalidating: Autistic Adult Edition” shows a woman with a description above her head that reads, “You can’t be Autistic because…”. There are arrows pointing away from her to different reasons that read: You can make eye contact. You’re too empathetic. You’re female. You’re an adult. You finished school or university. You’re too smart. You don't look Autistic. You have friends, a partner or children. You have a job. You’re too normal. You don't act like my 5-year-old Autistic son nephew. image: Very Helpful Chats
A toy store My Small World sign reads: "We are proudly Autism Friendly. We can -turn down the music - turn down the lights - give you space to be you. We never, ever worry about - excited play - noise - outbursts - meltdown. Let us know what you need and how we can help you".
A picture shows four rocks of different sizes with faces carved in them. Each has the same expression, with their lips puckered liked they are saying, “ooooh”. A caption above the picture reads, “Your 4 toes watching how you hit the little one on a corner of a piece of furniture.”
An illustration shows a young person sitting and holding a cat in their arms. Another cat is shown sleeping next to them. A caption reads, “Autistic Joy: Feeling an extra strong connection to my pet/animals in general”. image credit: @autism_sketches
An image with text on it that reads, In an episode entitled “Duel of Honor” from the old TV western “The Rifleman”, an Italian count arrives in the town of North Fork. He is made fun of and treated badly because he is dressed differently than everyone, and speaks English with an Italian accent. In a scene where Lucas McCain and his son Mark are eating dinner, Mark asks him, “Why do they all treat him that way Pa?” Lucas: Well, it’s a little hard to explain son. Someone who is strange or different is often treated with cruelty. Mark: But why? Lucas: Ignorance mostly. Sometimes when people don’t understand something, they think it’s to be feared or hated. That’s wrong. But it takes a long time to learn differently.
Four pictures depict Neurotypical, Autism, ADHD, and AuDHD. The Neurotypical photo shows a picture of a man with a caption that reads, “I can do whatever”. The Autism photo shows a picture of a woman with a caption that reads, “I need routines to function”. The ADHD photo shows a picture of a woman with a caption that reads, “I function in chaos”. The AuDHD photo shows a picture of a man with a caption that reads, “Wait, you guys can function?”
A mind map illustration of autism and its many related conditions. The words "Autism and..." are at the center. * Deafness * Selective Mutism * Dsygraphia * Dyslexia * Aphantasia / SDAM * DCD * SIB * Depression * Intellectual Disability * Sensory Issues * Tinnitus * ADHD * Anxiety * Sleep Disorders * OCD * Epilepsy * GI Issues * Hypermobility / Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome * Tourette Syndrome * Nonverbal Learning * Immune Disorders
A graphic of a map highlights which states currently have mandated autism registries. The states include: Delaware, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah and West Virginia
A photo of the character Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) from the movie Anchorman dressed in suit and tie and wearing glasses. Brick is yelling at something or someone unseen. A title caption reads, “LOUD NOISES!!!”
Poster image from the TV show Geek Girl by autistic creator Holly Smale. It shows the main character Harriet wearing sunglasses with the words Geek Girl shown across the lenses.
Velma from Scooby-Doo is shown searching for her glasses. A caption reads, "My subtitles. I can't hear without my subtitles…".
A photo from the film Young Frankenstein. Igor is shown talking to Dr. Frankenstein. There is a caption that reads, "ABBY SOMEONE...ABBY NORMAL". In the photo is a glass jar of a brain with a label on it that reads, "DO NOT USE THIS BRAIN! ABNORMAL!"
A screen shot of two people in a video about autism awareness from a news site, erroneously describes autism as a disease in the video caption.
An illustration of a woman with three thought bubbles over her head. They read, “I love routine.”, “Until I’m bored, then I love excitement.”, “Until I’m overwhelmed, then I love routine”.
Two pictures of Gollum from Lord of the Rings are shown. The top picture shows Gollum smiling with a caption that reads, “We thrive on routines.” A picture below shows Gollum angry with a caption that reads, “But we hates it!”.
A cartoon of Sponge Bob shows him quietly listening as other adults are shown yelling at him. A title caption reads, “You are so quiet, why don’t you talk more?” SPONGE BOB (thinking to himself): *talks, gets ignored, gets spoken over.* image: unknown
An illustration with a title caption that reads, “Autistic people don’t need to apologize for”. The following list follows: 1. Needing to know details in advance: who, what, when, where, why & how 2. Being upset if something changes unexpectedly 3. Moving our body or making noises to self regulate in public places 4. Asking for accommodations & being angry if these aren’t respected 5. Putting ourself first & giving ourself time alone to recover 6. Taking the literal meaning & misinterpreting information 7. Taking a long time to process information & make decisions 8. Talking about interests passionately & always bringing them up 9. Being our authentic self & unmasking Illustration by Izzy @autieselfcare
Two illustrated heads that look the same are looking towards each other. The one on the left is labeled Autism and has a caption that reads, “I will cry if anything changes.” The one on the right is labeled ADHD and has a caption that reads, “I will cry if I can't rearrange all of the furniture RIGHT NOW.” image by: unknown
An illustration by @adulting_with_autism_ shows various signs of autistic burnout. Each sign has drawing representing it. The title caption reads, “Signs of autistic burnout” The list reads: nonchalance/ flat mood low attention span exhaustion scared to make commitments irritability overwhelmed & / or underwhelmed special interests unappealing low capacity for socializing unshakeable and constant anxiety
Two photos are shown on top of each other. The top photo shows a persons neck with a tag touching it. It has a caption that reads, “What it looks like”. The bottom photo shows the same picture, but the tag has been replaced with a cactus. The caption reads, “What if feels like”.
A painting of a monk with a halo who is reading a book. His eyes are wide open in an exaggerated way. A caption above reads, “When you’ve read the same paragraph for the 6th time and still didn’t pay attention”.
An illustration describes autistic shutdown in a series of panes depicting a person in different mental states an addressing how allistic (non-autistic) people can help. The introduction reads, “Autistic shutdown is like an internalized meltdown. While the person is experiencing a lot of emotions, they can’t express them outwardly.” The first suggested help is to help the person in distress to a quiet place with minimal stimuli. It goes on to show other means of help. image: @introvertdoodles info: Kate Gaster
A cartoon with many pictures depicting common triggers that lead to an autistic meltdown. Captions read, “masking for too long, feeling trapped, crowded places, unexpected changes, itchy clothing, hunger or thirst, stress, social interactions, sensory overload, supressing stims, too loud, cognitive/emotion overload, difficulty regulating body temperature, not able to sleep, new environments, difficulty identifying emotions, too many instructions at once”.
A picture of a man is shown with long hair and a long scraggly beard. He has a look of puzzlement on his face. A title caption reads, “Me when I come out of hyperfocus.” A caption on the picture reads, “What year is it?”. A caption at the bottom reads, “But really, I re-enact this scene and say it every single time”.
Two pictures from the tv show The IT Crowd. The top picture shows Jen formerly dressed. The bottom image shows Roy, Maurice, and Noel at a party, all awkwardly holding drinks and trying to act normal. The caption on the top image reads, “Me prepping myself to be in a social situation. ‘Pretend to be normal’”. The captions on the bottom image for each person reads, “My awkwardness. My anxiety. Some pretty rad facts about obscure topics”.
A vin diagram shows the intersection of four circles: ADHD, SPD, ASD, and GAD and issues such as: * hyperactivity * sensory seeking * concentration struggles * executive dysfunction * sensory anxiety * social challenges * hypersensitivity * sensory sensitivity * social anxiety
A four-panel cartoon depicts a brain talking with a dinosaur. Step right up and spin the wheel of motivation! What do you get from me today?!? The bare minimum! Better luck next time
Watching the same show over-and-over again is one way I regulate the autistic side of my brain. But the ADHD side sure gets bored sometimes. Do you watch any shows on repeat? #AskingAutistics #AskADHD #ActuallyAutistic image: @NoNonsenseND
A picture of a character drawing who has hearts in place of hands. The right heart is represented as broken with a crooked line through it while the left is whole. There is a title caption that reads, “Meet Anxiety”. There is a caption on the left of the hand with the “whole heart” that reads, “likes: routines and structures, to be in control, reassurance, being extra careful, being alert at all times, to try and keep safe from perceived danger”. There is a caption to the right of the “broken heart” that reads, “dislikes: big crowds, unsafe situations, loud noises, not being in control, the unknown, plans keep changing at the last minute, new situations”.
An illustrated drawing shows two stick figures. The first stick figure is opening a door to a room. The figure is wearing a hat and is smoking. The other figure is laying flat on the ground and is crying. A caption above the first figure reads, “Are you OK?”. A caption above the second figure reads, “No, I overshared at the social gathering.”
A graphic shows an autistic persons thoughts during a conversation. Each thought is shown in a “thought bubble”. Monitoring my voice & body language "I should smile, am I smiling?" Trying to say the 'correct answer’ "Am I making enough eye contact" *I'm so embarrassed of my stuttering" Infodumping about a special interest Noticing everuthing around me & finding it hard to concentrate on the other person "What is she trying to tell me?" Feeling uncomfortable when others look at me Feeling socially exhausted & overwhelmed "Am I giving too much information or too little?" Questioning if it is my turn to speak Copying the other is my turn to speak person's replies & facial expressions Unintentionally getting into other people's personal space "There's too much noise, it hurts" Replaying every interaction in my head afterwards, feeling like I said something strange Struggling to keep track of multiple conversations at once Suppressing stims "I don't know what to say now"
A graphic titled Autism Iceberg with a caption above the water that reads, “What people think Autism is”, and one below, “What Autism really is”. There are many examples shown for each. Some shown above the water: an illness or disease, a tragedy, aggressive, being emotionless. Below the water: anxiety, depression, deep focus, straightforward direct.
What is Catastrophizing? * thinking the worst could/will happen * may come from “all or nothing” thinking * linked to anxiety and depression * thoughts may get stuck, rumination
Photo of the Enterprise bridge from Star Trek The Animated Series 1973-5.
Unmasking is a privilege not all autistics enjoy. Masking is how some autistics survive in situations where being yourself can have bad outcomes.
An image of a quote: "Because there is comfort in knowing you are a normal zebra, not a strange horse. Because you can't find community with other zebras if you don't know you belong. And because it is impossible for a zebra to be happy or healthy spending its life feeling like a failed horse.” quote: @omgimautisticaf
A graphic by @alittlepuddins.ie shows a woman standing holding a mask with her face on it. The title reads, “Autistic Masking Can Look Like”. There are many masking examples that surround the woman. They read, “Surpressing Stims, Forcing Eye Contact, Intensely Self Monitoring, Rehearsed Scripts, Intensely Adapting To Suit The Social Environment, Exaggerated Facial Expressions, Ignoring Sensory Trauma, Ignoring Spoon Levels, Appearing to know what's happening, but actually are lost, Ignoring Own Social Interactions Capacity
A mind map illustration of autism and its many comorbidites. The words "Autism and..." are at the center. The comorbidities listed are: * Selective Mutism * Dsygraphia * Dyslexia * Aphantasia / SDAM * DCD * SIB * Depression * Intellectual Disability * Sensory Issues * Tinnitus * ADHD * Anxiety * Sleep Disorders * OCD * Epilepsy * GI Issues * Hypermobility / Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome * Tourette Syndrome * Nonverbal Learning * Immune Disorders
A picture of a microwave oven is shown. The countdown has stopped at 1.
A graphic by @littlepuddins.ie shows character drawings of disabled kids and penguins representing different autistic love languages. The captions read, share experiences, unmasking, penguin pebbling, special interests, stimming, and infodumping.
A caption at the top reads, “What social interactions look like”. Below the caption are two hand-drawn characters shown talking to each other. A frame below shows the two characters now playing a game of chess. A caption below them reads, “What they feel like”.
A photo of an audio mixer with a bunch of sliders. A caption above the image reads, "AUTISM SPECTRUM". Each slider has a caption below it. They read: Non-Verbal, Stimming, Eye Contact, Special Interests, Literal Minded, Fearless, Sensory Overload, Routines, Solitary, and Social Cues.
A graphic by Erin Human (@theeisforerin) with drawings of a face is shown in several panels. The “tendril” panels show long squiggly lines coming out of the head representing thoughts. The panels read, 1. When I’m focused on something 2. My mind sends out a million tendrils of thought 3. Expands into all of the thoughts & feelings 4. When I need to switch tasks 5. I must retract all of the tendrils of my mind 6. This takes some time 7. Eventually I can shift to the new task 8. But when I am interrupted or must switch abruptly 9. It feels like all of the tendrils are being ripped out 10. That’s why I don’t react well 11. Please just give me time 12. To switch tasks when I’m ready