Able and Disabled

Hey All! Sorry that this post is coming to you a little later than my usual Wednesday evening upload time. This week has just been SO overwhelming; moving into a new flat, returning to uni and starting a new job has obviously been a lot for me to process! However, it does lead me on nicely to today's topic... For a lot of us on the spectrum routine is a key part of our lives and something we depend on in order to feel in control and understand the world around us. It is for this reason that we can really struggle when our routine is suddenly changed. This is something I've been finding challenging myself recently. Quite often the change I struggle with concerns the smallest things, things that those around me would never consider to be a problem. For example, we don't have WiFi in our flat yet so I didn't get to watch Holby on Tuesday (no spoilers please!) and this has thrown me off a bit. Another example would be my new shift hours changing my meal schedule. While I

Hey All! Just a short post this week as I've just returned from a lengthy trip. As the start of the academic year quickly approaches, one of my many tasks this summer has been to find a job with which to support myself this year. This task has primarily been relevant following my recent ASC diagnosis. This new information and recognition of my difficulties has understandably influenced my approach. I thought that based upon my recent experiences I might give a few tips, of course stemming purely from my personal opinions and findings. 1. Don't be afraid to be a little fussy - Obviously you can't have everything you want in life and sometimes we really need a job but that doesn't mean you can't have a good idea of what you'd like. The kind of jobs that students get to support themselves aren't necessarily the kind that naturally suit those of us on the spectrum, e.g. catering, customer service, etc. They are often jobs that are intense and highly social.

To mask means to cover or to conceal one's face but within the Autism community 'masking' is thought to have somewhat of a metaphorical definition. 'Masking' with autism refers to the act of camouflaging one's autistic traits, or pretending to be neurotypical. In the eyes of some this may suggest that the individual who is 'masking' isn't autistic at all but despite potential appearances, 'masking' does not come easily and can result in the same meltdowns experience post-overload. 'Masking' can entirely drain one's energy support while simultaneously preventing the individual from accessing the support they need, as one's efforts can make those around them entirely oblivious to the fact that they are struggling. 'Masking' is not the walk in the park or deceitful play that others might believe it to be. We are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that women experience autism differently and part of that seems to be

Hey All! The last month or so has been incredibly stressful for me! As we near ever closer to the beginning of the new academic year for those starting or returning to university, I've personally had a lot to organise, primarily my flat, my courses and job applications. Adulting can be difficult at the best of times, but add the capacity for becoming overwhelmed that so often comes with autism and it can quickly become even harder! I think the primary reasons why my ability to become overwhelmed makes admin and adulting a little more challenging for me personally is that it involves a lot of organisation and is very often social intense. I don't wish to speak for everyone on the spectrum but I do feel like having a condition which is characterised by difficulty with communication and processing information makes 'adult' tasks a little extra challenging. There's emails and phone calls and meetings and numbers and dates and to do lists. When your takes in absolute