This week I’d like to discuss autism in the brand new medical drama that everyone’s talking about- The Pitt.
So The Pitt is a unique new medical drama set in the emergency room of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital (hence the name). Unlike conventional dramas however, the show happens in real time, with each episode focusing on one hour of the doctor’s shift. By the end of the season, there will have been 15 episodes documenting one single 15 hour shift in the E.R. The show has been praised for how realistic it is, not shying away from the squeamish reality of medicine like close up surgeries, gory injuries and uncovered birth scenes.
And before any of you guys ask, yes that is the guy from E.R.- Noah Wyle (a little bit typecasty bringing him back to lead another series set in an E.R. but everyone is raving about his performance!).
So to autism!
In episode 7, Terrance (played by autistic actor Coby Bird) comes into the E.R. with a sprained ankle. His autistic traits are immediately obvious to the trained eye (his lack of eye contact, constant questions, interrupting his doctor, monotone voice and language use) buuutttt his doctor does not pick up on any of it. Instead he leaves frustrated giving out that he couldn’t take a patient history from the constant questions. Thankfully another doctor’s spidey senses start to tingle, and she quickly spots his autism diagnosis in his medical history file in the hospitals computer.
Mel has an autistic twin sister (played by autistic actress Tal Anderson) and immediately volunteers to take over. She calmly enters the room, closes the doors to the noisy E.R., turns off the lights, and disables some alarms going off on the wall. This allowed her to have a calm conversation with Terrance to understand his concerns about his ankle and assess his injury. She quickly reassures him that his injury won’t keep him from a table tennis tournament, explains the scans that need to be performed, and even shows him a model of the bones in his foot to show what kinds of injury he could have.
Here’s a quick short from the episode:
This was such a heartwarming moment in the episode to see an autistic patient getting the proper care and understanding they need in a medical setting. Medical environments can be very overwhelming on a sensory level before you add in your fears, uncertainty and uncomfortable procedures. I’ve had minor meltdown’s every time I’ve had a cannula placed in my hand, but thankfully the nursing staff were aware of my diagnosis and made every effort to make things easier for me where others would have told me to grow up and stop crying. They got me to start talking about alpacas and my blood pressure dropped right back down to normal 🙃🦙
On another level, Mel herself has many neurodivergent traits, as is often the case with siblings of autists. Several members of the autistic community believe she is on the spectrum and feel seen by her portrayal. Taylor Dearden (daughter of Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston) is herself neurodivergent (she has ADHD) which she says has really helped her to shape the character of Mel. As Mel goes forward into the rest of this season and beyond (it’s already been renewed for season 2), I can’t wait to see what other neurodiversity story lines we may encounter.
Autistic patients come up a lot in medical dramas, but rarely are they treated with this level of understanding. It’s great to see The Pitt demonstrating the true reality of this experience. If medical drama’s are your jam, I highly recommend you check it out 🙂
As every year passes, I’m hearing about more and more celebrities that are on/suspected to be on the spectrum. So this week I’d like to continue on from my previous 3 posts on the subject and let you know about some more autistic celebs:
Bella Ramsey
The Last of Us non-binary actor Bella Ramsey has been in the news over the last few weeks disclosing their diagnosis after a crew member picked up on autistic traits. This person had a daughter with autism and assumed that Bella had also been diagnosed, sending them on their diagnosis journey, ultimately confirming what they had always wondered about.
Here’s a clip of Bella discussing how their diagnosis has made them a better actor:
Emma Langford
Irish singer-songwriter Emma Langford was diagnosed with autism at the age of 32. After getting involved in a fundraiser for autism charity As I Am during the pandemic, she started to do some research and noticed that she related to many of the experiences of autists. In retrospect after receiving her diagnosis, she noticed that all her songs were about the autistic experience as she used music to express the feelings that she couldn’t understand. The diagnosis has made her past clearer and the future brighter as she finally knows there is a place for her in the world, she just works a little differently.
Lee Ryan
Having recently watched the BBC documentary Boybands Forever, I did some ‘where are they now’ searching and discovered that Lee Ryan of Blue fame has been diagnosed with autism (Asperger’s syndrome) and ADHD in his forties. Of his diagnosis Lee wrote on Instagram:
‘I’ve struggled with various things since I was a child, but these things weren’t really known about back then or spoken about. What it means for me is that I have a high IQ but my brain works in a different way to others. For all the kids and adults out there who are going through the same thing, there’s nothing wrong with you. You might be very clever, highly creative – have highs and lows, but you might deal with social situations differently from others. You might react differently, particularly to sounds, sights, smells and even touch. People might think you’re being rude, difficult or chaotic. This is going to sound a bit weird but I’ve always hated the wind, the way it feels on my skin when it hits you. I’m particularly sensitive to touch, so when someone does that and I’m in a stressful situation then I might react quickly. There is so much I’m learning about myself and a lot is starting to make sense.‘
You can see a brief clip of him discussing his diagnosis below:
Sticking with British boybands, I again discovered post watching Boybands Forever that Abz Lov (Richard Abidin Breen) from the band Five was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome as an adult. Abz disclosed his diagnosis in 2013 after a stint on Celebrity Big Brother following encouragement from his CBB housemate Sophie Anderton. Of the diagnosis, Abz has said “It’s a personal thing but it makes it difficult for me in certain scenarios when people want the sparkly bright Abz all the time.” Abz struggled with addiction after Five first broke up and even went through a period where he paid people to be his friends 😢
Tylan Grant
Trans actor Tylan Grant (child of vocal coach Carrie Grant who I discussed in my previous post) was diagnosed with autism at the age of 7 and at age 16 made history becoming the first black actor to portray an autistic character in the British soap opera Hollyoaks.
You can see Tylan discuss his experience with autism in this interview:
Jess Kidd
London-Irish author Jess Kidd was diagnosed with autism in her late forties after one day her daughter asked “Mum, do you think you might be autistic?” She told her that she would look into it, likening the diagnosis process to the X-Factor where you keep getting through to the next round. She has embraced the diagnosis as a positive and advocates for awareness around the female experience of autism.
Josh Thomas
Australian comedian Josh Thomas was diagnosed with autism at 33 (and ADHD at 28), ironically after he had created the TV show ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Okay‘- a show that was celebrated for having a realistic autistic lead character played by Kayla Cromer who is herself on the spectrum. The diagnosis confirmed a nagging suspicion he had always had and described it as a positive experience that has helped him to better understand himself and for the people around him to do the same.
You can see an interview with him discussing his diagnosis in the video here:
Jacksepticeye
Irish Youtuber Sean McLoughlin (better known by his handle Jackscepticeye) was diagnosed with autism in 2024 having been previously diagnosed with ADHD. In the midst of his ADHD journey after medication didn’t work, he started to read about the overlap with autism and the penny started to drop, so he sought a diagnosis to satisfy his curiosity.
You can see him chatting about his diagnosis in the video below on his channel:
Tom Stoltman
The world’s strongest man Tom Stoltman was diagnosed with autism at the age of 8. He often felt very isolated as a young man and struggled in school with bullies and teachers who told him he wouldn’t go anywhere in this life. For him, autism initially felt like a burden often wondering why him? His attitude has since drastically changed, now viewing it as a superpower. Going to the gym completely changed his perspective, allowing him to see how useful his autistic traits like hyperfocus can be in his training regimen.
You can see him discuss his experience of autism in the video below:
Neil Gaiman
Controversial English writer Neil Gaiman has lowkey discussed that he was diagnosed with autism in posts on Twitter and Tumblr describing his experience as “From my point of view, it’s both my super powers and it’s my kryptonite. Your mileage (as they say sensibly) may vary.” However, he is currently embroiled in legal proceedings regarding multiple sexual assaults, and some people are trying to use autism to excuse his behaviour…. Let’s move on!
Damien Haas
Actor and writer Damian Haas, best known for his work with Smosh Games on YouTube, has openly discussed being diagnosed with autism, ADHD and OCD. He has described his diagnosis as a characteristic part of who he is, emphasizing that it is not something to be fixed, it’s just the deck of card’s he’s dealing with.
You can see him discussing his AuDHD here:
Bobby Fischer
Chess prodigy and grandmaster Bobby Fischer has long been in the subject of debate as to whether or not he was on the spectrum. Psychologist Rueben Fine has said “Some of Bobby’s behavior is so strange, unpredictable, odd and bizarre that even his most ardent apologists have had a hard time explaining what makes him tick“. However, he could also have been schizophrenic or had paranoid personality disorder which can be co-morbidities with autism, so take from that what you will.
The Founding Fathers
While we cannot officially diagnose them, historical records about the Founding Fathers of America suggest that they may have all been neurodivergent in some way or another showing signs of ADHD and autism. Just have a quick look at this summary short and you’ll see what I mean:
Taylor Swift?
Okay, now this one maaaaay be a stretch, but some psychologists have speculated that based on her public demeanor, dating history, food habits, stimming behaviours and her music that Taylor Swift is likely autistic. A lot of fans have been debating whether or not this could be true, especially as her music resonates quite strongly with some autists. Then again most people resonate with her music so who knows 🤷♀️
Leading on from my previous posts about autism and love and sexuality, this week I’d like to discuss the psychological state of limerence and autism.
Who in the what now?
Yes it’s not a term I had heard of either, but it’s certainly something that I have experienced many times as an autist- I just never knew it was a thing!
Limerence is a strong feeling of infatuation with another person that may be confused for romantic feelings (though it can also happen in platonic relationships). We’re not just talking your regular crush, limerence can be an intense, intrusive, all consuming involuntary obsession, mirroring the experiences of addiction, withdrawal and OCD.
You’re completely consumed by your feelings for the other person whether you want to be or not. It can occur in a romantic relationship, with someone you barely know, or even someone you’ve never met like a celebrity. Unlike with real love however, the obsession is usually one sided, marked by uncertainty and driven by excitement, adrenaline, stress and confusion. It plays havoc with your mental health and in extreme cases can lead to compulsive behaviours like stalking and harassment. Autistic women are particularly susceptible to limerence as we have a tendency to make people our specialist interests.
So many times I thought I was in love in the past, but more and more since my diagnosis I felt that these incidences were passing infatuations. Limerence really hits the nail on the head. When I would fall for someone, I would fall hard out of nowhere for walking red flags, people that I did not want to be attracted to, but drawn I was. Lovesick is a good description of it as it’s like an illness. I would obsess over them, they would invade most of my thoughts, I’d say and do stupid things, getting high off the slightest interactions and becoming irrationally jealous when they would spend time with others. It’s not a want, it feels like a need, this compulsion t0 be with that person constantly.
On the surface it seems like a typical crush, but no crush is this destructive. Limerence wreaks complete havoc with your mental health. Like addiction, you can think of little else other than your next fix. You spend nights tossing and turning thinking of only them, feeling like you could burst or die if your feelings go unreciprocated for one more minute. You over-analyse every single interaction you’ve ever had, searching for the slightest shred of evidence that they feel the same, clinging on to the slightest scraps to keep the dream alive. Your thinking is so clouded you totally ignore every red flag or paint it green to keep the fantasy alive. Any time spent with them is marked by exhilaration, stress and anxiety all at once. There’s no calm like there is when love is truly there.
And when the bubble finally bursts it’s the worst feeling in the world as you grieve what never was. Well, maybe not always! Sometimes it’s a simple “thank you- next” depending on the severity of your limerence.
Is there any scientific reason why autists are prone to limerence?
As with many neurological aspects of the spectrum, it comes back to imbalances in neurotransmitters and hormones. Limerence triggers many of the same chemicals in the body that are released when in love, and given that so many autists have issues with alexithymia, it’s no wonder we can’t tell the difference. Autists often have dysregulated levels of key love hormones such as dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin which are involved in pleasure, reward, and attachment. So if these chemicals are out of whack, this can easily develop into limerence.
The object of your limerence is usually filling a gap in an attempy to balance the chemicals that your brain is desperately craving, so it’s kind of like a twisted form of self regulation- your brain creates these attachments to get it’s fix. Certainly some of my more serious attachments were formed during particularly tumultuous periods in my life with my brain forging these highs to counteract the lack of stimulation I was getting. Paramore’s song Brick by Boring Brick sums this up nicely- “You built up a world of magic, because your real life was tragic!”. 🫠🙈
Much better to find a healthier specialist interest like crafting or music- something that will stimulate the same chemicals with none of the side effects! 😉
This week I’d like to discuss a topic that many autists struggle with- boredom. We all know the feeling, that mental itch that makes you want to jump out of your skin, but for autists boredom can be so much worse.
Many autists, especially those with co-morbid ADHD, crave constant stimulation. As a result, boredom occurs more easily than neurotypicals. A simple lack of interest in a topic, if a task is too easy, or feeling overwhelmed can trigger boredom and autists will tune out fast. When this happens, it can lead to negative behaviours where an autist will act out and be destructive and disruptive, it might even trigger a meltdown in chronic scenarios (I have had this happen in work following months of tedious tasks🙈).
Boredom has always been a challenge for me. I constantly need to be working on something. In school I often got in trouble for reading/drawing/writing during class as I would get ahead of my work and need to keep my hands busy while waiting for the lesson to move forward. If anything they should have encouraged my habit for productivity in my downtime! 🤷♀️
But what does the science have to say?
As I’ve discussed previously, autists have higher levels of stimulating neurotransmitters and lower levels of calming neurotransmitters, so their neurons are firing excessively in the brain. When they aren’t able to channel this excess stimulation into something, boredom takes over which can lead to negative behaviours that cause problems. Autists also have dysregulated levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine- the chemical involved in motivation, pleasure and reward systems. When dopamine levels are low, motivation is low, so when an activity is not enjoyable, autists won’t have the brain power to engage and boredom will set in.
On another level, there have been reports from doctors claiming that FMRI scans of ADHD brains show that areas of the brain associated with pain light up when they experience boredom, suggesting that boredom might actually be a painful experience for neurodivergents. However, other neuroscientists have refuted this claim as the human pain response largely remains a mystery, so making this assumption from the data is a bit of a stretch.
You can imagine my surprise this week to discover that I have never written a post about overthinking and autism!
Before I was diagnosed, overthinking was probably one of my strongest autistic traits. My brain was often compared to a washing machine set on high spin going round and round and out of control. I analyzed every single detail of my life, rehearsed potential conversations and social scenarios (usually catastrophizing them), and mentally abused myself daily with self critique. I would spend hours on the pillow staring into space unable to sleep as my mind raced out of control. My brain would be going so fast my head would be on fire on the pillow with all the heat generated from my neural activity!
Granted, I still have a tendency to rehearse and think through scenarios from multiple angles, but I find it much easier to rein in the horses before they start to race. Knowing why my mind works the way it does was a huge help, enabling me to be much kinder to myself, but also firmly stop the thoughts when needed.
But are there any scientific explanations for why we overthink?
There are a number of potential reasons why autists overthink. Sensory sensitivities and social anxiety may trigger overactive thoughts as an autist tries to process overwhelming stimuli and social interactions. As autists can be quite detail oriented and rigid in their thinking, it can also be hard to pivot from certain thoughts leading to overthinking. On another level, overthinking could have a physical cause in the way our brains are wired. As I’ve discussed previously, autists have too many synapses (connections between neurons where information is exchanged) so the brain is over-connected. With so many extra connections and ways information can travel, perhaps over-connectivity could be contributing to the issue of over-thinking.
So is there anything that can be done to manage it?
Here are some of my top tips for reining in your racing thoughts:
Weighted blanket or a weighted plushie– weighted blankets have been a game changer in helping me to sleep at night. They are scientifically designed to dampen the chemicals that stimulate your brain so less stimulation means less racing thoughts
Keep your hands busy– diverting all your nervous energy from your brain to your hands is great to slow your thoughts. I took knitting back up in college to try to slow my mind and found it immensely therapeutic. I was so busy concentrating on what my hands were doing that my brain didn’t have any capacity to think about anything else. Similarly, I’ve found sculpture and cake decorating have the same effect, so get your hands stuck into a project!
Exercise– is there anything a good walk can’t cure? Exercise can be great to help manage overthinking. I find that spin classes are great to switch off as you have to concentrate so completely on the task you don’t have any space in your head for anything else
Talk it out– discuss some of your thoughts with a friend or family member. A problem shared is a problem halved. I buried so many negative thoughts for so long my mental health suffered greatly, but things got so much easier once I started to talk through my problems. You don’t need to shoulder your struggles alone
Write it out– similarly, writing out your thoughts can be very therapeutic. I’ve often found that the simple act of getting my thoughts on paper was enough to get them to leave my head
This week I’d like to discuss autism in one of my favourite teenage book series ‘The Princess Diaries‘ (we won’t go into the films- they deviated too much from the books and Anne Hathaway comes across more adorably awkward than autistic).
So what are the books about?
The books focus on American teenager Mia Thermopolis and her discovery that she is secretly a princess to the small European principality of Genovia. Mia keeps a diary to help process her feelings in the wake of this massive revelation, whilst also navigating the ups and downs of school life, teenage crushes, bullies, self image and self-discovery. Two later books geared at the adults who grew up with Mia document her royal wedding and experiences of quarantine life during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But what about autism?
Now here’s where things get interesting. Reading these books was probably the first time that I had ever heard of Asperger’s syndrome (the original series was written pre-2013 when Asperger’s was still a separate diagnosis). Mia is assigned to do a report on the condition in psychology class in book 5 ‘Princess in Pink‘ (or ‘Give Me Five ‘ as I knew it), quickly identifying with many traits, and subsequently diagnosing herself and everyone in her social circle. However, her mother reminds her that she thought she had Tourette’s syndrome during her previous assignment, brushing away her fears and never mentioning autism again. Her mom does suggest that Mia’s best friend Lily might have Aspergers- which is likely, but in my opinion Lily tends to veer more towards narcissism than spectrum.
Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot
So is Mia really autistic?
Despite being brushed off by her family, I (and many other autistic readers) believe that ironically Mia is quite likely on the spectrum. I always identified with Mia and saw a lot of myself in her. Tomboyish and nerdy, she always marched to her own beat (in spite of her bullies), but struggled to fit in outside her close knit friend group. She’s a highly sensitive over-thinker with a tendency to catastrophize and create scenarios in her head out of nothing. She obsesses over the minutia of how the world perceives her and the social pressures and expectations of society (she spends several books overthinking about her readiness for physical intimacy and what is expected of her), often describing herself as a ‘freak’ who wants to be normal. An avid writer, Mia journals everything in detail, her thoughts often resonating with ADHD thinking. Moreover, she is quite drawn to smells like her brothers head and her boyfriend’s neck, feeling calmer after she has sniffed these- something that many autists can relate to. She also tends to look to romantic comedies and romance novels for how relationships should play out- something that many experts have noted autistic women do.
One moment in particular stands out to me with the hindsight of my diagnosis. In the 6th book Princess in Training (Sixsational in the UK/Ireland), Mia completely cracks under the pressure of her princess duties, running for student council, her first ever B in English, and her paranoia that her boyfriend will break up with her as she’s not ready for sex. After seeing her grandmother handing out pens in school for her presidential campaign, she freaks out, starts throwing the pens and completely breaks down crying and is hauled off to the nurses office, an incident the nurse described as “a crying jag”. This seems far more like a classic meltdown to me. Moreover, there are many more instances of things like this where when things go wrong, Mia goes into flight mode running off with her diary to her fire escape, the school roof, abandoned stairwells and spends an awful lot of time in bathroom stalls mirroring my own responses to upsetting situations as a teenager.
Some readers however were not happy about Mia’s assumption that everyone she knows has Asperger’s. Meg Cabot has apologised on her blog for any pain caused by this as she was trying to portray how Asperger’s can be so diverse in it’s symptoms and how we all have traits, but was mainly trying to show the phenomenon of thinking you have the disease you’re reading about. On another level, I think this is really interesting how Mia keeps seeing it in her friend group as quite often neurodivergents tend to gravitate towards each other (a number of my friends have sought autism/ADHD diagnoses as adults), so it’s fair to say her friends likely do have many autistic traits.
Not much was widely known about the female experience of autism back when these books were written, but it’s a pretty accurate depiction, however unintentional.
This week we’re really going through the looking glass to discuss the notion that nonverbal autistic people have telepathic abilities- a supernatural superpower.
Give me strength!
So where has this notion come from Aoife?
Over the last few months, a podcast called ‘The Telepathy Tapes‘ has been getting a lot of online attention claiming to showcase scientific evidence that nonverbal autists are telepathic. Experiments based on the theories of former psychiatrist Diane Hennacy Powell were conducted where parents and children were separated and shown images, numbers, words etc. and the child used tools to communicate what was shown to their parent, supposedly with 95% accuracy. The podcast also claims that autists can predict the future, see dead people, heal people and meet others in some sort of subconscious plane called ‘The Hill’ (buuutt I’d be here all night if I was to delve into those claims🙈).
But are autists really telepathic?
Whilst I haven’t personally listened to the podcast (as one does not have 10 spare hours to indulge this notion 😛), the feedback from the scientific community has condemned the experiments as pseudoscience. Experts have looked at the videos shown in the podcast (which are conventiently hidden behind a paywall) and it seems that the pseudoscientific rapid prompting method (which I have discussed previously) was used to help the children communicate. This method requires the facilitator to hold a letter board and ask the subject to spell out the answer to a question, but the results can be easily manipulated (either consciously or unconsciously) by directing the board in a certain way or prompting the child to give the answer in other ways.
In the video clips some researchers noticed the parents visibly prompting their children to give the right answers. In one case a child gave the right answer when tested with her mother (who showed signs of prompting behaviours) but they could not replicate this result when tested with her father. This is really reminiscent of an episode of the Simpson’s where they thought Maggie was a genius, but Lisa was subconsciously giving her answers.
From another perspective, these results could also be explained by some autists excellent pattern recognition skills, observational skills and neurodivergent ways of thinking that allow them to make conclusions that may appear like extrasensory perception (ESP). Many of us autists may appear to have somewhat of a sixth sense for predicting the outcome of a TV show, finishing sentences or guessing quiz answers- but it’s all educated guesswork. Even premonitions can be explained by our tendency towards overthinking and imagining all possible scenarios in a situation. I once had a premonition that I might sit on a pile of caramel squares that were setting on a chair in my kitchen while I cleaned. It seemed like a mad notion when I thought it, but of course I did end up sitting on them in the end while distracted 🙈. No superpower about it, I’m just really good at predicting potential pandemonium from years of analyzing my mistakes 😜
The credentials of anti-vaxxer Diane Hennacy Powell are also a little bit sketchy. She claims her medical license was suspended in response to her research and reinstated based on the results, buuuttt the truth was actually related to her medical practices including poor paperwork, boundaries, medication management and response to serious patient symptoms. In light of this, one would seriously question how reliable her research practices are. The field of parapsychology research (i.e., the study of psychic and paranormal phenomena) is a very dubious discipline with results that are difficult to replicate. Flaws and weaknesses have been found in every single study that has every been conducted in this field over the last 200 years. You can read more about the telepathy tapes and how unreliable parapsychology experiments are here https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-pseudoscience/telepathy-tapes-prove-we-all-want-believe.
While there are many things we cannot explain in this life, it seems fairly clear that autists are not telepathic.
Happy new year! 😀 As I am snowed in this week, I thought I would take some time to discuss this weather phenomenon and how it can have a ‘polarizing’ impact on autists❄️.
As I’ve discussed in previous posts, autists can be sensitive to temperature and changes in weather, so snowy conditions can be particularly triggering. Extreme cold temperatures and the added glare and brightness from our snow covered environment can be a real sensory challenge. Textural changes in our surroundings can also bring added challenges with new crunching sounds and the feeling of snow against the skin, not to mention the sensory impact of wearing many constrictive layers to combat the cold. There are also additional challenges for those of us who have coordination issues on slippery surfaces (I may have taken a tumble on walk with my dog the other day as a car was coming up the road straight at us🙈) as well as stressful routine disruption due to snow related travel restrictions.
On the other hand, many autists find snowy conditions to be a rather positive experience. They relish the peaceful silence that accompanies snowfall, muffling the often overwhelming noises of the world. Moreover, they view the time out from the hustle and bustle of every day life to be soothing. With dangerous impassable roads (especially in rural Ireland where we are not prepared for heavy snowfall), school, work and social plans are often cancelled, allowing autists to take some socially acceptable time out to retreat from the world. Having had an especially busy and socially heavy Christmas period, I have been particularly grateful for the weather this week as it has allowed me much needed time to recharge my batteries 🙃
Snow can also be a rich source of sensory stimulation for some autists. The simple tactile sensations of running in the snow, making snow angels, rolling snowballs and building snowmen can be soothing, with the added benefit of building your coordination, and spatial awareness skills.
This week I’d like to take a lighthearted look on whether or not our favourite bearded man may in fact by autistic- yep, I’m talking about Santa Claus!🎅
I know it seems crazy but hear me out, as many people have observed Santa’s autistic traits:
Restrictive diet– Santa’s diet is known for being very fatty and restrictive, mainly consisting of milk, cookies and other holiday treats like mince pies. Many autists can relate to this tendency towards beige foods
Christmas is his specialist interest– For us mere mortals Christmas comes but once a year. Santa’s entire life however, revolves around this single calendar day and his efforts to make it the best day possible for children all over the world
Tendency towards sameness and routine– Santa wears the same clothes day in day out which are loose fitting and comfy (which could be indicative of sensory issues). Moreover, his choice of red clothing is interesting as red is a colour often dismissed by autists, meaning he could have diminished sensitivity to the colour red making it an ideal colour choice for someone with colour sensitivity. Santa also works on the 25th of December every year without fail, completing the same working routine in children’s homes across the world
Black and white thinking/rule orientated– Naughty and nice list, need I say more?
Repetitive behaviours– Lining up and naming out his reindeer over and over, repeatedly saying Ho Ho Ho, and checking the list twice are all classic repetitive behaviours
Avoids social interactions/unaware of social rules– He slips into our homes in the dead of the night, but never engages with us, just get’s the job done and moves on to the next house. Similarly, he is completely oblivious to how casually breaking into someone’s home to deliver presents in the middle of the night isn’t exactly a socially acceptable behaviour 😂
Santa is an introvert– Santa prefers to live in his own space in the North Pole far away from the prying eyes of the world with only Mrs Claus and the elves for company
Creative thinker- When the whole world bullied Rudolph for his nose, Santa found a way for him to be useful, highlighting neurodivergent creative thinking at it’s finest
So there you have it Earthlings- do you agree that Santa might be one of the most famous autists in the world? 🤔
Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas and every blessing for 2025!
Leading on from my previous posts about autism and animals, alpacas, and assistance dogs, this week I’d like to discuss a concept that has been floating around the neurodiversity reels on social media- “animal whisperer autism”.
There have been a number of reels floating around where autists claim to have “animal whisperer autism” and not “good at maths autism”, and I have to admit this sums me up in a nutshell 😂 I have always had a love and affinity with animals that has become increasingly apparent in recent years. It’s gotten to the stage lately where random dogs have pulled their owners towards me for snuggles walking down the street! 🙈
It’s not just dogs, all kinds of animals just tend to gravitate towards me- when I’m out walking my dog the local horses, cows and sheep all come up to the gate or follow along beside us in the field as we go. Once I was pulled out of bed to herd some cows that had escaped into our field (I’ve never herded cows in my life), I just walked up to them and they all randomly formed a line in front of me 😂🐄
But is there any explanation for our animal magnetism?
The evidence for this phenomenon is mainly anecdotal, so it’s not an easy one to explain. As I’ve discussed previously, animals have a calming influence on autists, so it’s possible that animals are responding to that calm- like a mutually shared vibe. In addition, studies have shown that some autists have an altered fear response wherein they show less fear than neurotypicals in a scary situation, so where many people might feel nervous around animals, an autist might not have that same fear.
Other explanations could be linked to our intuition and keen observational skills. Temple Grandin, one of the most famous autism advocates, is a leading livestock expert with particular expertise in the area of animal handling. Her observations on animal behaviour and their interactions with their environment have revolutionized humane animal treatment- the ultimate animal whisperer. With animals, there are no confusing social rules or games, so it’s easier for an autist to understand them.
Another wild explanation could be linked to body odour as different smells can control social behaviours. Studies have linked body odour to imitating behaviours in autists where an autist imitates the behaviour of their family in response to smell. If we were to apply this observation to animals, perhaps autists are becoming animal whisperer’s through imitation behaviours where we are subconsciously learning how to socially interact with animals through smell. In other words, the animals could be teaching us how to communicate with them!
However, some autists impaired perception of body odours causes them to misread social cues, so maybe this one is a long shot (or this group are not of the animal whisperer autism persuasion 🤷🏻♀️).
Maybe one day researchers will investigate this phenomenon properly. Who knows, maybe there’s a genetic mutation that makes us smell better to animals or some other random biological phenomenon that makes us irresistible to our feathered and furry friends? 🙃
A Is For Aoife Not Autism 