Omggg All Of These Look Sick! My Favorites Are Probably Fighting/Flying/Poison. 🧡🩵💜

@j-starchaser @brooke-the-pal @colorfulstarlights

What toppings do y’all want on the pizza? :)

hey dude im on Loves You island and all of your friends are here too. what time are u planning on getting here? we are gonna order pizza

Attorney Young-Woo, obviously! She’s an amazing lawyer who happens to be autistic (like me) who’s hyperfixation literally is the law. She knows it like the back of her hand, she’s sharp and quick-witted with a heart of gold, and is genuinely passionate about the work she does! If the world don’t got me, I know Extraordinary Attorney Woo got me! 💖

choose wisely one will defend you the others will work against you

Petting animals is my favorite stim for sure! 🩷

On another note though, if animals feel the same way when they interact with us. I know dogs may just start licking or nibbling you while you pet them, and cats love making biscuits! Both are sensory type behaviors similar to the way we stroke their fur or pat their heads. So, it might not be that far out of the question!

I love when dogs and cats just let you pat the shit out of them and they enjoy it so much. Like yeah dude real quick I just need to play you like a bongo and they’re like god yes I’ve been waiting for someone to play me like a bongo

Connect four! :]

He's a pretty annoying bot.

AKDHFJFKSK??? I love this. 😂

Oh yes, this is a really helpful guide. It can also be helpful to non-autistics as well! Some symptoms of ASD can also cross over to other conditions like PTSD and ADHD. It’s important to recognize your limits and know when you need to step away!

Some things that tip me off when I’m getting overloaded are on this list, but disassociation and the freeze response can also be reactions of overload too. So can becoming mono-syllabic or non-verbal.

Another important thing: don’t belittle yourself for needing a break! Everyone needs one from time to time, even neurotypicals. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, knowing how to take time for yourself in stressful situations is a sign of good boundaries and good mental health! I wish more parents taught this stuff to their kids; so many meltdowns could have been avoided.

Clues to help you figure out if an autistic friend or loved one is in overload

Overload is basically the point where our Autistic brains can no longer handle input. It's not a meltdown or shutdown, but more of a mental checkout. Frequent overloads, however, can lead to meltdowns or shutdowns.

It's important not to assume that we will have overload only in loud or busy environments. Autistic brains often process information at a much slower pace than a NT brain, so even quiet environments can cause overload if something triggers it.

Note: not every autistic experience is the same and these are general guidelines only.

Common signs of overload:

Loss of facial expression or difficulties in making facial expressions. May start to exaggerate facial expressions, too, as they are struggling to mask.

Staring off into space, easily distracted, struggling to pay attention etc.

Increased stimming.

Difficulties in speaking such as stuttering, forgetting words, mixing up sounds, or difficulty speaking at all.

May try to cover their ears, eyes etc to sensory input.

Increased sensitivities and may include new or unique sensitivities.

Headaches or feeling physically sick such as sweating, stomach ache etc.

Fellow Autistics: what signs would you like for others to know?

For REAL.

While high-functioning may appear more “normal” to neurotypical people, in my experience, it takes a lot of hard work to appear that way. Hence the term “masking.” You’re essentially wearing a mask to appear more neurotypical to the people around you, but there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes to help keep the facade up, and it is super tiring for the people doing it. I may be able to keep a bubbly and open presence at a party, but I know for dang sure I’m going to lock myself in a quiet room when I return home so I can decompress and process.

I would be genuinely curious if anyone is able to hack this. 😂 I cannot find a universal thread between any of these guys. Love them though! <3

Oh yeah, for sure. Especially with conditions like Autism.

It’s often hereditary—and chances are that if you have it, a family member has it too. High-functioning ASD can often slip under the radar, and a lot of people get diagnosed later in life because of that.

The funny thing about figuring out youre neurodivergent is looking through your family and starting to notice youre definitely not the only one