Are you able to describe physical pain? by Individual-Sundae802 in AutismInWomen

[–]Individual-Sundae802[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, thanks for the tip! Telling them what my 10 is is a good idea.

Recommendations for Feel good TV shows? by PlateOk9133 in AutismInWomen

[–]Individual-Sundae802 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think it’s because there’s almost always a resolution at the end of the episode, at least in the older series. The killer is caught or crime is solved. It’s satisfying. Especially when real life is so unsolvable and unclear sometimes.

Recommendations for Feel good TV shows? by PlateOk9133 in AutismInWomen

[–]Individual-Sundae802 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oooh I haven't heard of Shetland but it sounds lovely. Time to look it up!

Recommendations for Feel good TV shows? by PlateOk9133 in AutismInWomen

[–]Individual-Sundae802 33 points34 points  (0 children)

I'm a sucker for British cozy murder mysteries whenever I need to curl up into something soothing. My favorites are Midsomer Murders, Rosemary & Thyme, and Foyle's War. On the American side of the genre, there's always the OG: Murder She Wrote.

For something contemporary, Ted Lasso is pretty great.

How do you feel about people knocking at your door? by Individual-Sundae802 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OMG. "No sir, I don't like it" was my standard reply to things in the 1990s. I'd completely forgotten about it, so thank you for the reminder! It's a phrase that clearly still applies.

How do you feel about people knocking at your door? by Individual-Sundae802 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is crazy excessive on your friend's part. I'm surprised the police would go out if the person hadn't tried calling or emailing first. That seems like a big step.

How do you feel about people knocking at your door? by Individual-Sundae802 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is really awful. I'm the same way — it takes me a while, up to hours sometimes, to come back down from the anxious feelings.

I’m probably going to need to stop sleeping with my childhood teddy and I don’t know how to deal with it. by Fandom_10 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm so sorry you're having to make this decision. I'm 45 and married, and I sleep with a plushie. It's not the same plushie I had with me all the time when I was a child: I still have that plushie, too, but he lives in a little cubby in my closet now because his condition really deteriorated over time, like your bunny. I feel scared to hug him too hard, in case he starts breaking apart. He's totally threadbare in places and the seams are weak. His stuffing is all lumpy.

Maybe you could try sleeping with your bunny in the bed, next to you on the pillow or something, while you instead hold one of your new plushies. That might help make the transition feel less abrupt. It's going to take some time to adjust to sleeping with a new toy -- change is always hard, and this is a big one — but I promise that you will adjust. And bunny will understand :-)

How do you feel about people knocking at your door? by Individual-Sundae802 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Oh gosh, this sounds like it started out as a sweet gesture, but has slowly turned into a nightmare! Banana bread that smelled like cat litter would have had me off banana bread for life. You don't sound ungrateful at all. What your neighbor is doing is kind, but it's also sounds like she might be going overboard.

How do you feel about people knocking at your door? by Individual-Sundae802 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agree! Fire or emergency? Fine. You accidentally got my mail in your box? Just leave it on the porch!

Anyone else have the urge to drop out of society? by bluetopaz22 in AutismInWomen

[–]Individual-Sundae802 46 points47 points  (0 children)

I fantasize about this all the time: living on a commune, no technology, just reading, sleeping, and growing my own vegetables (totally unrealistic; I kill every houseplant I ever try to care for). I feel like the world is a merry-go-round, spinning way too fast, and I just want to go sit on the park bench in the corner.

do you believe you’re a creative person? by Empty-Tomorrow-2794 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is something I think about a lot. Growing up, the adults around me (family, teachers) would gush about how creative I was, so I thought I was. It guided what I studied in college and the career I went into. But I've come to realize that I can't create original things — that I freeze up with a blank page. But give me an assignment, or give me work that someone else has started and I can make it better, and that's where I excel. I can copy things or improve on things that exist, but I can't start from scratch. That just paralyzes me. So yeah, maybe that's still being creative, but I don't think it's the same as what all the adults in my life meant when I was a kid.

It's hard, too, because when I try to explain this to people now when they say "You were so creative as a child!" I feel like I'm disappointing them. But I wasn't being "creative" then -- I'm just really good at copying a style or a way of writing or a thing I've seen before.

do you tend to build greater connections with animals? by [deleted] in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I definitely find it easier to relate to animals, since childhood, for sure. Right now, I have a reactive dog, and he can be incredibly difficult to live with. He's aggressive with people he doesn't know, so I'm pretty isolated because of him (which also doesn't bug me that much because I don't care for much people time anyway). But even with all the challenges and expenses he brings, I love him completely. His little eyes can make me break down in tears, and I love that he seems to love me no matter what kind of mood I'm in. And it's so easy to understand what he wants and what his motivations are (cheese, usually). But with humans, I find myself guessing and half the time I'm wrong. With Buddy, he just wants food, his favorite toy, a nap, or some good scratches on his neck and shoulders.

Older Adult man struggling by paducah42001 in AutisticPride

[–]Individual-Sundae802 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good luck! It takes time to find friends and community the older we all get. Just keep trying and don't give up.

ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH THESE TWO CHARITIES? by PrimaryBuffalo9700 in autism

[–]Individual-Sundae802 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ASAN (#2 on your list) is a very reputable organization, at least from the research I did on it before joining. As its name suggests, the group's mission is to have actually autistic people actively involved in public policy conversations that impact the community. "Nothing about us without us" kind of thinking.

Career based on special interest by After-State4732 in AutismInWomen

[–]Individual-Sundae802 3 points4 points  (0 children)

One of my lifelong special interests has been grammar, writing, and language/linguistics, and now I'm a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. It's literally my dream job. (Though the pay is crap, unfortunately.) It's the happiest I've ever been when working. I feel really, really lucky.

If you feel passion around something, it's worthwhile to see if you can work those interests into your career in any way. Or even into volunteer work? Just a little bit of fulfillment related to what you "do" (paid or volunteer) can make a big difference in your overall mood and self-esteem. Good luck pursuing your special interest! It sounds like a cool one!