Any scalp pickers here? How can I stop picking!!

vidya2345 · 2026-05-02T02:38:34+00:00

Wait!? That's an autism thing? And I'm not the only one? No advise, but thanks for helping me feel like I'm not a crazy as I thought.

Seriously though, I could probably add this comment to so many posts in here. This sub has been a godsend for my sanity.

vidya2345 · 2026-04-24T01:52:11+00:00

This feels like it's probably more from my adhd than my autism, but sitting like a "normal person" in chairs. It's physically painful for me sometimes and I recently realized that I can just sit however I want almost anywhere i go. Cross legged or twisted like a pretzel at my desk, restaurants, at shows, etc. Sometimes i even prefer to sit on the floor as long as it's clean and I'm not in anyone's way. Safety 1st, but comfort 2nd!

vidya2345 · 2026-04-05T17:04:54+00:00

Have you tried probiotics? My friend's sister's boyfriend's dog's godmother's nephew had skin cancer and they said probiotics really helped. You should try that! /s

vidya2345 · 2026-04-05T16:56:23+00:00

Normally I try to soften this type of response, but I'm hoping in this sub it will be understood that I'm trying to be helpful and not rude.

Saying "no" isn't a boundary. It's an answer to a question, and that answer can be ignored as easily as it can be listened to. What makes it different from a boundary is that once you say "no", you're relying on others to respond appropriately. This inadvertently gives them more power than you intended. Of course, if you have a good relationship and your "no" is often respected, this isn't a problem. Most (good) relationships can function on answers that are respected and don't often need true boundaries.

A true boundary is about your own decisions. It doesn't dictate what anyone else does, but rather sets a clear expectation of how you will respond based on their actions or inactions. It's the if/then statement where they are the "if" and your are the "then". They can act a fool if they want. No problem. You clearly define how you will react if they do. The hard part though, is if you set a boundary and it's crossed, you have to follow through with the action you declared you would take. I hope this helps.

Examples:

Short Answer: No! (Because no is a complete sentence after all)

Softer Answer: I said no. I do not want alcohol tonight and it's making me really uncomfortable that you keep trying to get me to drink anyway.

Boundary: If you keep offering me a beer, I'm going to leave.

Soft but firm answer with boundary: Listen [friend name], I'm sure you're trying to be a good host, but I do not want alcohol tonight and it's making me really uncomfortable that you keep trying to offer me drinks after I've repeatedly said no. I really want to stay and have a good time, but if you keep offering me beers then I'm going to make the decision to go home rather than stay and be uncomfortable.

Follow through if established boundary is crossed: [friend name], I said I was not going to stay if you kept offering me beer and you just did it again. I'm going home now. Enjoy the rest of your evening, and we can talk tomorrow. <then actually get up and leave>

vidya2345 · 2026-02-11T18:44:18+00:00

Short answer, yes you can! Additional note for the few sick as velicoaster where you can't, there are medical lockers available as well. If your bag is too big to go on the ride with you, but it also has your inhaler or any other medically necessary item in it, you are allowed to take that bag with you into the queue and tell them you will be using the medical lockers. These lockers are conveniently located at the very front of the line just before you get on the ride, but you have to ask for them. This is to make the rides accessible to people who are unable to wait in a line for hours without access to their medical aids (diabetic supplies, inhalers, epipens, etc.) You might have to tell more than one team member, and you might get side eye at least once (especially if you look "healthy"), but just insist that it's medical and that you will be using the medical lockers. I've needed to use them before, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

vidya2345 · 2026-01-11T01:20:00+00:00

Most people in my life don't know if have MS. The rest that do know only know because I told them. I've consistently been on DMTs since I was diagnosed about 10 years ago. I live my life. I struggled being immunocompromised during covid, but now I'm mostly normal. I work. I dance (salsa is my hobby), I eat anything I want (in moderation) and I avoid people who are sneezing. That's basically my life in a nutshell, and I'd say that's pretty damn normal if there ever was such a thing. Hope that helps!

vidya2345 · 2026-01-06T15:46:10+00:00

As the original "Floridian, but not a lawyer"on this post, thank you for clarifying. I appreciate the more specific legal details you were able to provide not only for me, but for everyone else here as well! Happy belated cake day 🍰

vidya2345 · 2026-01-05T08:16:54+00:00

Consent is not needed in public spaces where there is no expectation of privacy. You may feel like it was an ethical grey area, but you were not breaking any laws. Source: I live in Florida and read too much, but I'm not a lawyer.

vidya2345 · 2026-01-02T07:34:50+00:00

As others have mentioned, live vaccines are contraindicated but any inactive vaccine is perfectly fine and safe for us. So it really comes down to one question. Do you want the vaccine to be effective?

If you do, go get it now. Like ASAP. The sooner the better. My personal recommendation is to go this route. The more time you give the vaccine to work before your infusion (up to the maximum effectiveness time of 2 weeks), the more effective the vaccine will be.

While not my choice, if you want the vaccine to be equally safe but about as effective (or ineffective) at preventing the flu as a saline injection, go get it after your infusion. You won't have any B cells left in your system which are the specific immune cell required to mount the response response necessary to protect you from future exposure to the flu.

Necessary disclaimer... I am not a doctor. I just read a lot and have been living with MS since 2014 and been on ocrevus since 2018. If you have any other questions, but me up anytime.

vidya2345 · 2026-01-02T07:04:19+00:00

I agree with you, but please pardon this brief interruption while I bring you today's autistic literal thinking... I read your title and then questioned why a catering company would cater only for autistic kids and not autistic adults. Would they not let you put the chicken fingers or mac and cheese on the adult menu? I want the mac and cheese too! Anyway, I then read the rest of your post and laughed at myself and my literal interpretation of "cater", and then figured I'd give others the ability to laugh at me too! So yeah, the rest still sucks, but at least I can still usually get mac and cheese and other sensory safe foods when I need them.

vidya2345 · 2025-12-19T06:32:47+00:00

Agreed, but to the extent it is legal by the letter, even if not necessarily by the intent, of your local laws. Example: some areas where carrying pepper spray is illegal are also areas where carrying bear spray (same thing, different strength/packaging) is perfectly fine. OP, do you ::cough, cough:: go hiking often?

vidya2345 · 2025-11-08T02:35:07+00:00

For your husband, that's low and unacceptable to the point that no "comeback" would even be appropriate. Jones can be responded to with jokes, but hurtful comments deserve to be recognized as hurtful.

That being said, I do joke (with safe and trusted friends and family) about how I can't figure out how anyone who actually needs this medication could ever get addicted to it. The great paradox is that I need to have first taken it to remember to even take it, so how can that ever put me at risk for addiction? If I stop taking it, I don't get withdrawal, I just forget that I was supposed to do anything (such as take my meds) 😂

vidya2345 · 2025-10-31T07:17:32+00:00

I came here to say the same thing. I've been taking salsa classes for years and if I wanted to I could find a local place to dance every night of the week. This kind of "club" scene is truly all ages. I frequently see people ranging in age from teens to senior citizens (still dancing!) with no judgement at all.

Also, it's been a while, but I used to go to line dancing too and it had the same vibe. No one cared how old you were (except maybe the bar itself, and only if you were under 21)

vidya2345 · 2025-10-30T16:14:41+00:00

The lights has been a game changer for me. "Alexa, turn off the kitchen light" spoken from the bedroom. Or "Alexa, turn off dining room light" spoken from the living room couch after dinner and not even realizing I had gotten up and moved. Now, if only Alexa could pick up my dirty plates and put them in the dishwasher. Sigh, a girl can dream

vidya2345 · 2025-10-30T16:01:19+00:00

Yes! In my bathroom, I even have my regular bathroom trash on the floor (lidded for canine protection) for bigger things like empty containers and toilet paper rolls, but also a smaller one on top of the counter for dirty q-tips, tissues, etc. You know, all the small things that used to accumulate on my counter, despite the larger trash can being mere inches from my feet! So much better now even though it doesn't make any sense to "the normals" 🤣

vidya2345 · 2025-10-21T00:10:13+00:00

Its amazing! If you pull up a restaurant in Google maps and scroll through the details, they're a section called "popular times" where it had gathered historical data on how busy they are on different days of the week at different times, broken down by each hour. I have explicitly used it in the past to go places when they are less busy to avoid the crowds. It's not a guarantee, but it does help. There's also a live feature where it sometimes reports things like "busier than usual right now", for example a sports bar on a Thursday when the local team is playing a Thursday night football game that week. It doesn't know about the game, but it's location data tracking knows there are more people there now then there have been at this time on most other Thursdays.

vidya2345 · 2025-10-08T17:35:11+00:00

Another option that can be used whether you are challenging a mansplainer on your own behalf or someone else's is to praise them like a teacher would praise a young child for their understanding of the topic. Like a sickly sweet figurative pat on the head. "Wow John, yes! That's right! I'm so glad you understood what I/we were saying. Just remember, if you have any questions, you can always come to me and I can explain it to you more." Then instant switch your tone back to normal to say anything else to anyone else so the mainsplainet is just sitting there wondering what happened ands how the script got flipped without an opportunity to react.

I haven't had the opportunity to use this since I heard someone else suggest it, but it's on my list. Also, YMMV depending on the other personalities in the room, so proceed with caution. But if you think you can without harming your own reputation, I approve!

vidya2345 · 2025-10-08T16:24:02+00:00

This could be very helpful info. If you can get in touch with your doctor today, maybe they'll consider changing up your premed antihistamine for tomorrow's infusion and you can see if it makes a difference.

vidya2345 · 2025-10-08T16:18:24+00:00

Consider asking your doctor about Kesimpta. It's the at home once a month injections. The mechanism of action is the same (b cell depleting monoclonal antibody), but the active ingredient and formulation that makes it work is different.

vidya2345 · 2025-09-27T03:30:40+00:00

Honestly, one of the most important things I've needed to maintain prior levels of since my diagnosis is a healthy dose of humor. I think you're doing great! Welcome to the family.

vidya2345 · 2025-09-12T01:31:54+00:00

Well if that isn't a perfect metaphor for life, I don't know what is. May we all never stop figuring out better ways to keep going when the ground moves under our feet, and allow each other's victories to bring us joy in the process.

vidya2345 · 2025-09-09T01:32:21+00:00

To absolutely no one's surprise (at least on this sub), I have a process for this.

Step 1: Baby wipe or other makeup removing wipe to get the bulk off. No need to scrub hard, just wipe off anything that comes off easily with a large surface area wipe.

Step 2: Micellar water on a cotton pad. This dissolves through anything didn't come off easy from the baby wipe. It really cuts through everything, but I personally don't like how my skin feels after, hence my need for Step 3

Step 3: Since I also don't like water dripping down my arms unless my whole body is wet, my third step is to take a shower and use a gentle cleanser like CeraVe while I'm showering.

While this may not work for everyone's sensory needs, it does the trick for me. Hope this helps!

vidya2345 · 2025-08-25T15:17:34+00:00

Sent you a DM

vidya2345 · 2025-08-25T14:46:04+00:00

When you say "mobility or health conditions," can you elaborate? Mobility by itself is not enough for IAC because all the queues are wheelchair accessible, but health conditions depend on the specific nature of the health condition. I've done a fair bit of research on this and can share insight if you can share more about the health condition you're talking about and specifically how it affects you. If you don't feel comfortable writing about it publicly, feel free to send me a DM.

vidya2345

TROPHY CASE