Disabled people are allowed to be pissed. Disabled people are allowed to be negative, angry, bitter. Abled people lament and complain about the hands they're dealt all the time. Disabled people have no more obligations than abled people to be always positive and looking for the bright sides.
being autistic and struggling with motor skills isn't immature. it's ok to be an adult and struggle to write neatly. your handwriting doesn't look like a kindergartener's it looks like an autistic adult's handwriting.
it's ok to be an an adult who struggles with eating. spilling food on yourself and getting food all over your face and your table doesn't make you a child. it just means you have motor disabilities is all.
being an adult who can't drive, an adult who needs help using machinery, an adult who can't play video games even on easy mode, an adult who keeps dropping fragile things: these are all ways to be an adult. like yes it's inconvenient and uncomfortable and frustrating. but being disabled doesn't make you a child
dismantle the idea that you should love your body because "it works". bodies that don't work deserve love too. disabled and chronically ill bodies are just as deserving of love as abled bodies.
If y'all want to know just how badly it does NOT "get better" for Autistic people in college vs. high school (& how bad bullying is towards Autistic people in general), one of my classmates in 2017 did literally actually bully me for standing & doing nothing.
disability advocacy went wrong when it became about inspiration porn and “differently abled” and savants. its incredible that that guy with no legs did a triathlon but your sister with no legs will not and she doesnt need prosthetics or five hour training days to deserve respect and compassion and accommodations. its incredible that that autistic guy can look at a city from a helicopter for an hour and then draw the entire detailed skyline from memory when he lands but your autistic friend cannot and they dont need to have a special Autism Power to deserve respect and compassion and accommodations.
activism framed around “we are just as CAPABLE” means that when people genuinely are less capable they are left behind. activism framed around “we are just as WORTHY” is fundamental to radical compassion.
I post a lot about recovery and working on ourselves, and those are good things! But I just want to take a moment to say that you have value as you are right now. No matter where you are in your recovery journey. Even if you haven't started. You have value as you are now.
people are absolutely EVIL about the boundaries of “picky eaters”. no, they do not have to try it. yes, they can know they don’t like it without having eaten it before. no, they probably have not suddenly grown a taste for the food they’ve said they hate. no, they probably are not going to like it in the Special Way This One Place Cooks It. yes, you are being a bad friend if you try to “trick” them into eating it anyway
Things that actually help picky eaters try new things:
And most importantly, build trust with that person by listening to them, showing that you take their concerns into account, and being cool if the answer is no. No is always an option. This isn’t something you do once, it’s a pattern you have to stick to if you want to establish that you are a safe person when it comes to food stuff
Basically: offer the food, explain what’s in it and why you think it’s worth trying, and then be cool with the answer you get. No pressure, no trickery, just be straight up with people
you can do it
We don't talk enough about when you have jaw issues and you eat something hard or crunchy and your jaw clicks like it's popping out and back at every bite so you decide to not finish the food and eat something softer instead because it's weirdly exhausting to keep chewing. Or is it just me
mobility aids save lives. medication saves lives. paid sick leave saves lives. special considerations at school or work save lives.
anyone who tries to tell you any different is being ableist
Food tips for hot days
(obviously content warning for food and nutrition talk)
Europe has been dealing with a lot of heat lately, and with the lack of AC, our places get really got and stuffy. Hot weather also dulls your appetite, and especially if you've got trouble understanding your body's needs and signals, it can be difficult to eat and drink enough. So here's some advice I've been collecting that personally has helped a lot in our household.
1. Don't stress yourself. Take it easy. It's totally fine if you eat multiple small meals instead of bigger meals. Unless you're really used to meals as a routine, grabbing smaller portions every once in while can be really useful and less overwhelming.
2. Eat like a kid. Drink yoghurt drinks, chocolate milk, smoothies. Have cheese and crackers and whatever things you can throw together. If you can, get some veggies and fruits in too, in whatever form you can eat them. Use dishes and cutlery that make you feel safe and make it easier to eat with - no shame in using straws, kids' spoons, throwing everything into your school lunchbox and sitting down on the cool living room floor for your snack break.
3. Ready meals. If you like supermarket sandwiches or salads or whatever, and it's within your budget, stock up on some (a reasonable amount, since they're usually not meant to sit around for more than tree days or so). You can also buy precut fruit and veggies, if prepping them is exhausting or difficult. There is no shame in taking advantage of products like that, especially during times where nutrition can be difficult. If you can manage, you can also prep some things yourself.
4. Set reminders. If you tend to get absorbed into activities or forget about time altogether, it can be useful to set timers on your phone or computer to remind you to eat, drink, and take medication if you have any. It might startle or annoy you if you're very occupied, but it can be useful to know that time has past and that you need to engage in some "system maintenance".
5. Snack smart. This is something I picked up from dieticians online and it's really changed my experience with snacking. If you're craving something specific, you can always add more things to make the snack or meal more filling and nutritious. For example, if you're craving a cookie, have that cookie! If you've got some strawberries lying around, have those too. Chocolate and strawberries always go well together, and strawberries will give this snack more fibre and vitamins. Pair your coffee with a protein bar or some crackers with peanut butter, add some nuts or chocolate to your plain popcorn, have a waffle with cream cheese and raspberries, have some cream cheese with your veggies. Add whatever veggies or sauces you've got lying around to your quesedilla.
Feel free to add your own ideas! These are just some things I've learned over the years.
Shout out to people with auditory processing disorder!!!
what?
*holds up a sign that says “Shout out to people with auditory processing disorder!!!”*
*before the sign is fully up* Oh! Thank you for the support!!!
I love when autistic people have niche special interests like I know a guy who's obsessed with yeast & it gives me secondhand joy listening to him talk about it
"Oh nobody wants to hear about this nobody else cares" WRONG I care now. Tell me about your yeasts king
legitimate fucking lifehack: discord server literally just for yourself to keep track of stuff over devices. links. reminders and checklists. all neatly divided into categories. search function and dates. why didnt i do this earlier oh my god.
op here. everybody adding passive aggressive comments like “just use [other thing]” or “wow u dont know [other thing] exists get well soon ❤️” owes me 5 dollars
everybody else especially adhd folks are very welcome and i hope u see something beautiful today
ive been doing this lately and it works pretty well!
these r the channels i use
basically organisation has my schedule and any random stuff thats happening or i gotta do
media is where i drop a youtube video, episode of a show, or fic im reading with the time of where i am in the video that i need to close so i can focus
plus it doubles as a catalog of stuff to do when I’m bored!
then document is links to things i need open to do work or any slideshow links i get for school
and formulas are the formulas i always search for those classes like a wavelength formula or molar mass or smth!
what the fuck what the fuck this is genius what the fuck
OP, you’re amazing and I love you
actually, "autism is a huge part of who i am and i'm proud of it" and "autism is a disability that requires accommodations" are both true statements that can and should coexist
it’s okay to have “unflattering” symptoms
it’s okay to have “embarrassing” symptoms
it’s okay to have “gross” symptoms
it’s okay to have “ugly” symptoms
it’s okay to have “inconvenient” symptoms
it’s okay if your autism makes everything harder. it’s okay if your autism makes you worse at most tasks. it’s okay if you need a support person (or support animal) for your autism.
autistic people deserve love, support, and kindness even when we’re difficult. even when we’re heavily dependent on others. even if we can’t work or can’t cook or can’t drive.
autistic people deserve to be loved and appreciated regardless of whether or not we’re “useful” or contributing anything incredible to society.
growing up being autistic but not knowing is just *hiding in room while people are over* *getting tired and needing to recharge after the smallest chores* *getting called a gifted kid* *knowing that you’re “weird” because people are making fun of you but not knowing how to stop being weird* *having adults tell you how “mature” you are* *getting in trouble for not doing work* *convincing yourself that you’re just lazy and stupid because you can’t make yourself do work* *getting really invested in “weird” media*
