Hello again and welcome. In an effort to raise awareness for April 2023, I would like to offer another glimpse into what it is like to be autistic and of adult age. For those of us who know autism well enough, we are no strangers to the never-ending list of traits.
Overthinking. Oversharing. Being unfiltered. Too direct. Coming on too strong. Trying too hard. Missing social cues. Sensory overload. Stimming. Nonverbal. Fixation. Laser focus. Info dumping. Oppositional defiance. Meltdowns. Shutdowns. Abrupt changes. Being rushed. Eye contact. Over/under-expressive. Speech preparation. Dominating conversation. And the list goes on…
It is also common for us to over-complicate things. Sometimes we have a more challenging time processing simple tasks and concepts. In recent years, I have come to suspect that I can oversimplify some things that are difficult to understand. Like a filter, but in reverse. What is autism? At its most basic, what is it that all aspects must go back to in order to define it?
The answer is simple: thinking. We do exhibit a collection of traits. These can be scrutinized individually or collectively at any time. But that is not how life is experienced. Life is a dance of constant thought processes and emotional responses. We are shaped by it every second of every day, such as a stream carving us like rocks into a canyon of evolution.
Similarly, autism begins in us at a very deep level. Medically, it is known as neurology. Psychologically, autism influences the fundamental nature of our very existence. In my article, Better Late Than Never?, I discuss this in the context of a neurodivergent identity crisis brought on by my late diagnosis at age 37.
“Who am I is the quintessential self-awareness question every human being experiences. For those who are autistic, our thinking is where we diverge from everyone else. Our awareness of self is the most basic thought affected by neurodivergence.”
Thinking. It all goes back to thinking.
Without question, autism is very complex and often confusing. Just ask us. We live with it. However, I have seen an increasing amount of evidence indicating that the mental health profession is still having difficulty defining what autism is. Going so far as neurology and genetics while struggling to diagnose those under 21 and not considering those over 21. I know. I am 41.
I humbly believe these studies overthink (no pun intended) the fundamental nature of what autism actually is. Neurodivergence. Thinking. It is 2023. Almost 20 years ago, Asperger syndrome was integrated with autism spectrum disorder — and, as it turned out, not to everyone’s benefit. We will not get further unless autism is simplified, diagnostics are improved, and all ages, women, and minorities are taken seriously, worldwide. Autism is not a US or UK ‘thing’.
We are everywhere.
#LetThatThinkIn
Welcome to the next Autism Experience.
The Essence of Divergence.
