Ten reasons I’m happy to be autistic 😎
A thread...
🧵 ⬇️
1. I get to have those moments where I look around a room full of people thinking, ‘Yikes get me out of here!’ but then notice the other autistic person.
And make a beeline for them.
Then we can quietly read each other’s minds while we sit scrolling on our phones next to each other in the corner.
2. I have a very silly sense of humour, and often find things funny that no one else seems to.
Note: Children usually appreciate my sense of humour more than adults do.
3. I always think love is beautiful, regardless of context.
Anyone, any being, towards any other person, being, or thing – or towards oneself or a bit of oneself.
Tree-hugging. A bedful of Beanie Boo Owls. 🦉 ❤️
If it’s love, it’s beautiful!
5. I find outcomes more important than making a point, or than intentions.
This has been described as a deficit in autistics.
But for me, it makes a lot of sense to focus on outcomes. If the outcome is an unhappy one, then you can modify your actions accordingly.
If I instead placed my focus mainly on what’s *true*, who’s *right*, and who’s *to blame*, I feel that the outcome would get sidelined and things would stay the same.
5. My visual experiences can be very intense, even too much so – especially my sensitivity to light.
But they can also be very beautiful, even spiritual!
I’ve heard people describing certain aspects of being on hallucinogens – such as the air around you pixelating, lazily swirling, and/or sparkling (alla Van Gogh) – and I think, ‘Ooh yes, I get that when I’m walking the dog sometimes!’
6. My sense of smell is like a bloodhound’s (talking of dogs).
I can smell cookies baking in the house down the street. I can smell it when people near me are nervous.
This skill is super handy, e.g. in case of a house fire.
But can also be a handicap in a lot of situations, such as a public toilet. The natural smells there are just about bearable, but the smells of bleach and perfumed cleaning products can be frankly overwhelming!
7. I have a laser-beam awareness for when people are being controlled, manipulated, or oppressed in my vicinity.
And, even if I’m scared, I feel a strong urge to call it out in one way or another.
The strong emotions I feel (and the trouble I get into!) aren’t quite so much fun, but I personally think it’s worth it.
8. The things I do that are important to me don’t depend on other people’s approval.
I can go for years working on something with no external validation whatsoever.
Part of me thinks, ‘What if no one cares, what am I even doing, does it even have any meaning?’ But for some reason, even without any answer to the ‘why’ question, I feel compelled to do it anyway. For me, I guess it has meaning.
9. I look for more information when in doubt… about anything and everything! Research is a fundamental part of my life.
I’ve read that ‘autistics don’t do heuristics’ (‘heuristics’ being the basis for quick-and-dirty decision-making, where we come to conclusions based on limited information).
That certainly seems to be true in my case. I always want more info.
@KatyElphinstone Love this list. Wishing I could get my ADHD teen to recognise some of these postitive aspects (as I have).