This is Autism

This is Autism

This blog post is part of the This Is Autism FlashBlog in response to Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks statements made in her national call to action plan.where she so kindly told us all autism is 

Pain

Misery

Suffering

Destroying families

A burden to our families

Now individuals and families are speaking out! We want our voices heard! So....

What is Autism?

If you go for a  technical definition autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting communication, both verbal, and nonverbal communication i.e the ability to read and produce body language, social skills/interactions and sensory processing and is accompanied  by narrowed fixated interests, resistance to change and stereotyped behaviors that affects each person differently......... But what does that even mean?????? Well what it means for each person with autism is different. I am only one person with autism and here is what autism is for me.

Autism is seeing and experiencing the world differently from everyone else.

          Autism is a life lived through my senses. Not merely just using them as a passing way to observe my surroundings, made sense only by a plethora of words and verbal communication  but RATHER They ARE how I understand, communicate and navigate this world! Without needing words to do so.  Both for the good and the bad!!  They are the cause of frustration, pain, confusion and overload  but also of joys, wonder, amazement and understanding.

Autism is experiencing pure overwhelming joy and happiness from certain smells,textures sights, and sounds but great pain confusion and overload from others.

Autism is a world of focus and intense passion for one specific thing, my special interest.

Autism is reading about, writing about drawing and experiencing my special interest.

Growing up it was relating to animals before people.

Autism is years of intensive early interventions, speech, occupational, play therapy, ABA ect learning to be like everyone else and learning to do things everyone else can do

Autism is struggling to communicate even a fraction of everything going on inside my mind.

Autism is Where words and verbalizing are tiring and draining,

Autism is working so hard to gain verbal skills only to find that those very same skills take from other more important skills like processing Vision and cause slower ore skewed sensory processing.

Autism is being able to formulate complex thoughts and ideas, being able to quote movies and understand complex ideas and concepts but not be able to tell you where the keys are in the house even though I can see visually in my mind.

Autism is sitting at the dining room table at a friends, family or of your fiancé not saying a word wishing to and trying to find some way to participate in the conversation.

Autism is working twice as hard as everyone else to do the things they take for granted everyday

Autism is needing a schedule and routine In order to be certain you remember all the basic self care things

Autism is needing visual schedules and picture charts as an adult

Autism is running out of the public restroom covering your ears form the hand dryers

Autism is crying yourself to sleep

Autism is not having your facial or vocal expression match your emotions or intent

Autism is not being able to find the words you need and not being able to get them out.

Autism is discovering that You communicate much better through your ipad using AAC apps and for the first time you can actually get out more of what's going on inside your head then you could ever do before!

Autism is fighting off public meltdowns and shutdowns when overwhelmed an overloaded

Autism is watching your nieces, nephews, cousins and friends grow up and out grow you.

Autism is never reaching some milestones and finding different ways if reaching others

Autism is missing out on subtle cues and misinterpreting peoples reactions and body language

Autism is being both hypo and hyper sensitive  to your senses

Autism is intense strong emotions

Autism is tags being painful and sensitive to what clothes I wear

Autism is not knowing how to express or put words to those emotions

Autism is over stimulation an meltdowns

Autism is people constantly misinterpreting you

Autism is hating to see those you love or care about hurting or in pain but not knowing what to do or how to show you care.

Autism is becoming easily overwhelmed by things other people  can do easily

Autism is not being able to describe what hurts or how to a doctor

Autism is not being able to tell your love ones when something bad happens or someone hurts you

Autism is having sensory issues

Autism is having anxiety

Autism is having intense and heightened senses

Autism is having organizations like autism $peak$  claim to speak for you while ignoring what you and others on the spectrum have to say. Claim to speak for you then tell the world you are financial, physical and mental burden that will destroy your family and use you to make money while promoting fear.

Autism is needing to break even the most basic things down into smaller steps

Autism is suddenly laughing or making a random sound, movement or  saying something suddenly because you just processed something in your head that you are responding to

Autism is being overwhelmed by kids your age and not knowing how to interact with them

Autism is being overwhelmed in a crowd

Autism is  being overloaded when people are to wordy

Autism is struggling when there are to many verbal directions.

Autism is thinking visually

Autism is sleeping under a 20lb blanket because it helps you wake up less and sleep through the night and is super comfy!!!

Autism is wearing the same outfit you wore yesterday because it feels softer then the fresher cleaner ones.

Autism is watching the sidewalk sparkle in the sunlight as you walk.

Autism is looking at a brick wall, checkerboard pattern on repeated tile patterns and seeing changing shapes and designs  as you look at them

Autism is carrying around your favorite stuffed animal when your 14 and when your an adult

Autism is being 5  taking apart flashlight and pulling out the springs then putting it back together again.

Autism is dissecting flashlights and electronics into your adulthood

Autism is caring very deeply for friends and loved ones but forgetting to call or talk to them for long periods of time

Autism is getting so caught up in thought or in your own world you walk right into a street.

Autism is comfort in the repetitious and predictable.

Autism is 3 hour baths

Autism is being the child who never slept through the night and being the adult who still doesn't.

Autism is living in the moment

Autism is being detail oriented but being unable to organize or keep my room clean

Autism is watching the same movie over and over again

Autism is being a picky eater

Autism is randomly echoing the teacher in class

Autism is rocking, spinning, jumping had flapping to express emotions and to self regulate and regulate your senses.

Autism is stimming!!!

Autism is knowing your loved ones scent

Autism is curiosity

Autism is walking your own path

Autism is growing up with everyone trying to make you normal

Autism is trying so hard to please your parents and lived ones so you try to be normal and what you think they want even though it is exhausting and you get it all wrong anyways!

Autism is finally learning to accept yourself for who you are.

Autism is learning differently

Autism is loving your friends and family

Autism is never out growing your love of the swings, blowing bubbles in the park or going down the slide

Autism is imagination and creativity

Autism is loving water and swimming

Autism is being able to see and hear but needing a service dog to help guide you in crowds and alert you to specific sounds,

Autism is fighting to beat the odds

Autism is surpassing everyone's expectations

Autism is being fragile and resilient

Autism is determination

Autism is smelling, tasting, chewing and examining new objects

Autism is  seeing the traffic cone with the orange light on it and tasting the flavor of an orange lollipop In your mouth

Autism is finding a sing that you love and get a strong feeling from and playing it over and over again until it fades

Autism is just being happy sitting next to someone you love and not needing to say a thing to have a good time

Autism is exploring

Autism is getting so into something you loose track of time me and forget to eat

Autism is needing deep pressure

Autism is prescripting interactions and conversations

Autism is Ned exta supports and assistance

Autism is loving a full life and thriving through love, patience, acceptance, understanding and having the right supports

Autism is energy

Autism is sensations through your body when you see christmas lights

Autism is smelling christmas lights

Autism is good and bad

Autism is love

Autism is trusting

Autism is being different

Autism is being human

Autism is complex an complicated

Autism is individualized

Autism is living

Autism is so much more

Autism is a part of who I am

Autism is part of me

Somethings there are no words for so let these photos tell you the rest!

This is autism!
 

   -AutismDogGirl