Tag: autistic experience

Celebs with Autism Part 4

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

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:

@leeryanmusic

Thank you @Duncan James and #gmb for sharing this piece #autismawareness #autism #bekind @Official Blue @blueitalia

♬ original sound – Lee Ryan

Abz Love

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 🤷‍♀️

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife

0

Autism in ‘Not Dead Yet’

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to talk about an autistic character in the ABC sitcom ‘Not Dead Yet‘ starring Gina Rodriguez of ‘Jane the Virgin‘ fame.

So what’s the series about?

In a nutshell, Nell is an out of work journalist trying to get back in the game after leaving her job 5 years ago to move to London with her then boyfriend. She returns to the States with her tail between her legs, taking a job writing obituaries for her former employers. Things start to get interesting however, when Nell starts to see the ghosts of her subjects!

You can check out a trailer for the series here:

So back to autism.

Nell’s room mate Edward is on the autistic spectrum, played by autistic actor Rick Glassman. A nerdy, brutally honest, passionate environmental lawyer, Edward needs strict routines like the majority of autists, but for the most part he is a “normal” functioning member of society.

You can see a clip here where he opens up to Nell about his diagnosis here:

@menasimagination

played by autistic actor Rick Glassman (Not Dead Yet S1E1) #fypシ#viral#actuallyautistic#notdeadyet#notdeadyetabc#edwardnotdeadyet#rickglassman#autisticrepresentation#autisticcharacters#asd

♬ original sound – Mena 🧠

One of the interesting things about the character of Edward is that the casting director sent out a casting call for neurodivergent or autistic actors. The character wasn’t necessarily written as autistic, but they were open to making Edward autistic as they wanted to get extra ideas of people who aren’t normally represented- a very positive move for the entertainment industry. The writers also hired autism consultant David Finch to ensure that they were accurately depicting the day to day nuances of living as an autistic adult, something that really comes across in the series.

The show is quite refreshing as Edward is used as comic relief but not in the way you would expect. So often the autist is the butt of the joke in comedic TV shows, but in ‘Not Dead Yet‘, Edward flips the script and makes fun of everyone else with his neurodivergent asides and unfiltered comments. One of the things that I really connected with however was how the writers handled masking. When Edward’s girlfriend is in town, he takes on a completely different persona. He hides his nerdy toys, pretends to be spontaneous and nonchalant- the complete antithesis of the Edward we had seen thus far. Thankfully, Nell, despite preferring many of his false traits, encourages him to drop his mask and be himself which you can see in the clip below:

It’s really heartening to see this scene as so often autists are encouraged to mask to fit in, often at the loss of self. I spent much of my teenage years masking, often suppressing my true interests and quirks to fit in with my peer group. I feigned interest in girly things like pop bands and trashy TV shows just to have things to talk about, when what I really wanted was to talk gaming and rock n’ roll! It was only after I went to college and began to embrace my quirks and just be me that I made true friends like Edward has in Nell.

I highly recommend watching this series (it’s currently available on Disney +) as it’s a quirky easy watch with a lot of heart.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

2

Autism-Headaches & Migraines

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to talk about something that isn’t normally discussed in relation to autism- headaches and migraines.

Anyone can get headaches or migraines, but it appears that there is a link between autism and their frequency , with one study even suggesting that autistic children are twice as likely to experience migraines when compared with neurotypicals. Further studies are required to confirm comorbidity, but the studies that do exist suggest a lot of overlap.

So have they any idea why there is a link?

One of the most popular theories suggests that issues in sensory processing may make autists more susceptible to headaches and migraines. For both autists and migraine sufferers, differences in sensory processing can impair how the brain registers and modulates responses to sensory stimuli like light and sound which can trigger migraines following a sensory overload. There are a lot of structural changes in the brains of both autists and migraine patients which could further explain this sensitivity.

Research has also reported that autists have altered pain sensitivity which can distort their perception of headaches, so, what might be an ignorable ache in a neurotypical individual may be much more severe for an autist.

Interestingly, there may also be a link between headaches/migraines and our digestive health. The gut is innervated by a network of nerves known as the enteric nervous system, often nicknamed a second brain. Migraines are often co-morbid with gastrointestinal problems where issues in the second brain can influence changes in the main brain via the brain-gut axis. GI issues are frequently co-morbid with autism so this could be the most logical explanation for the link. I know I’ve certainly triggered migraines from eating things that didn’t agree with me, only to have the migraine immediately dissipate the minute my stomach hit the ejector button! 😂

Migraines have also been linked to low levels of serotonin in the brain. As previously discussed, serotonin levels are dysregulated in autists so this could also explain the link. This is particularly interesting as 95% of serotonin production occurs in the gut, so this further indicates a gut related link to headaches and migraines in autism.

Joint hypermobility could also be contributing to headaches. People with connective tissue disorders like Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS) frequently experience headaches. Weakness in supporting tissues like collagen can cause instability in the neck and spine which can pinch nerves, interrupting the flow of blood to the brain and triggering headaches and migraines. As joint hypermobility can be co-morbid with autism, this could further explain the link.

As with many aspects of the spectrum, susceptibility to headaches and migraines could also be genetic as there is an overlap in some genes linked to both autism and migraines.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife

2

Autism and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to talk about another co-morbid condition with autism and ADHD– rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD).

So what exactly is RSD?

RSD is an intense or overwhelming emotional sensitivity to rejection and criticism (both perceived and real). This can cause intense emotional pain that can be difficult to bear.

Looking back over my childhood, I really struggled with RSD. Whilst I am well versed in the art of rejection now that I’m in my thirties, growing up as an undiagnosed autist did not make for an easy ride. Even the slightest rejections could trigger meltdowns as my brain struggled to process the situation. Something as simple as someone not immediately having time for me, a passing comment in a raised tone, even constructive criticism could set me off. Once at a family event in a hotel I had a bad meltdown because my uncle was short with me for requesting a different flavour of ice-cream to the one that I had been given. Cue me hiding out in the toilets followed by 3 hours doodling in the back of the car instead of joining the party from my RSD over-reaction (I was 13 by the way! 🙈). I can’t even blame sensory issues for that over-reaction, I just didn’t feel like eating raspberry ripple that day! 😂

So is there any scientific reason for RSD?

RSD, like maladaptive daydreaming, is not a clinical diagnosis so it’s hard to underpin how it works. There isn’t exactly a scientific way to measure rejection. However, as it has been observed in patients with autism and ADHD, psychologists believe that it is caused by alterations in brain structure in the regions that regulate and process emotions such as the frontal lobe and the amygdala- both regions where structural changes have been linked to autistic symptoms.

As discussed previously, autists often have a warped sense of perception and logic so it can be very easy to misconstrue and over-react to rejection. The tendency towards perfectionism and black and white thinking in particular can make us far more susceptible to such negative reactions. For example, if someone told me that they didn’t like my shoes, even though it’s only one component of my outfit and just a passing comment, my younger self would have spiraled.

Life is often all or nothing for an autist, so if someone rejects one small thing, it may skew our entire perception of ourselves.

You don’t like my shoes = you don’t like me.

The shoes are wrong, I chose the shoes, the shoes are on my body, therefore, I’m wrong. The world is black and white so if I’m wearing the wrong shoes, everything else about me has to be wrong by extension- you’re either wrong or right, you can’t be both.

RSV can be pretty exhausting for an autist, so understanding of our responses to rejection is vital to supporting us. If you’re struggling with RSV, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you learn how to better process feelings of rejection, but medication such as ADHD drugs and anti-depressants can be useful for more severe cases.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife

1

Autism and Dyslexia

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to take a look at another neurological condition that can be co-morbid with autism- dyslexia.

First things first, what is dyslexia?

Dyslexia can be described as a specific type of learning disability that impacts a persons reading, writing and spelling abilities. Impacting approximately 10% of the population, dyslexia ranges from mild to severe characterized by cognitive difficulties with processing phonetics, working memory and speed of long term memory retrieval. Like autism, the exact neurological causes and mechanisms are unclear, but as dyslexia can run in families, genetic factors are largely thought to contribute.

So how is it linked to autism?

The link between autism and dyslexia has not been scientifically established, but there are some commonalities. Interestingly, dyslexia overlaps with many autistic co-morbidities such as ADHD, dysgraphia, dyspraxia (an estimated 52-53% of dyslexics are also dyspraxic), and auditory processing disorders, which would suggest that these conditions likely operate through similar neurological mechanisms and pathways.

Scientists have found it difficult to establish a direct genetic link between the two conditions, however, recent research may implicate gene deletions in CNTNAP5 (a gene involved in connecting neurons)  and DOCK4 (a gene that regulates junctions between cells) in both dyslexia and autism. In addition to this, a 2015 study found that declarative memory (the type of memory that can be “declared” like names, facts, figures etc.) can be used to develop coping mechanisms for both autism and dyslexia, suggesting that perhaps there may be overlap in the brain regions associated with this type of memory formation. Other studies exploring the neural mechanisms of dyslexia indicate structural changes in such regions as the frontal lobe (memory and problem solving), cerebellum (the motor centre) and corpus callosum (the bundle of nerves that splits and connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain)- all areas that have also shown structural changes in studies of the autistic brain.

Most recently, a 2021 study exploring the co-occurrence of dyslexia and other neurodevelopmental disorders reported that many dyslexic patients in their dataset also had issues with sensory processing and other ASD traits, but concluded that the links between the two conditions are complex and hard to underpin, especially given that some autists are hyperlexic (guilty!) rather than dyslexic.

Whilst there is no definitive scientific link, the overlap cannot be denied.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

5

Autism in the Eurovision Song Contest

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to talk to you about one of my specialist interests- the Eurovision Song Contest, as this year one of the entrants is on the autistic spectrum! 😀

So, first things first, what exactly is the Eurovision Song Contest?

The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is an annual international songwriting contest organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that was first established in 1956 as a means of bringing divided European nations together through music in the wake of World War II. Originally, only 7 countries participated, but over the years musicians representing 52 countries have competed across Europe, Israel and Australia (don’t get me started on the logic for that one…)

Each participating country submits one original song under 3 minutes in length, and performs the song live on stage to the world, competing to win a trophy and the chance for their nation to host the contest the following year. There are two semi finals and one grand final, all held over one week, usually in May. The voting is a 50/50 split from audience televotes and panels of industry experts from each participating country.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Eurovision is very popular in Europe with an average annual audience of just under 200 million viewers. Over the years it has grown from a simple song contest to a huge spectacle with elaborate staging and often crazy performances from bread baking Russian grannies, to metal monsters, dancing drag queens, to flapping puppets (sorry again for that one Europe!), to powerful songs that unite us and capture the hearts of an entire continent.

Eurovision has also brought many acts to worldwide fame such as ABBA (Sweden 1974), Daði Freyr (Iceland 2020/2021), Riverdance (Eurovision 1994’s interval act), Céline Dion (Switzerland 1988) and most recently Måneskin representing Italy in 2021. A host of other established acts have represented their countries (or failed to do so) over the years, including Cliff Richard (UK 1968/1973), Julio Iglesias (Spain 1970), Enya (Irish song selection 1973), Olivia Newton John (UK 1974), Katrina & the Waves (UK 1997), Bonnie Tyler (UK 2013), Cascada (Germany 2013), Darude (Finland 2019), The Rasmus (Finland 2022) and even Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote a failed song for Lulu in 1969 (who won with a different song that year) for the UK national selection! My native Ireland retains the title of most all time Eurovision wins (7 in total, including 3 years undefeated between 1991-1994), so naturally Eurovision was a big deal when I was growing up 🙂

We get it, you love Eurovision Aoife, so where’s the autism link?

This year, the Australian delegation (we’ll let the geographical issues slide for a few paragraphs) are sending autistic singer Sheldon Riley to the contest in Turin, Italy with his song ‘Not The Same‘ where he talks about his struggles in life, and particularly his struggles growing up with Asperger’s Syndrome. You can check out the song here:

Diagnosed at 6 years old, Sheldon was told that he would never be “normal”, that he would never achieve his dreams, never have a job, friends or a romantic partner. Instead, he has defied the odds and went on to compete in several song competitions in Australia in addition to America’s Got Talent. As part of his stage persona, Sheldon incorporates elaborate crystal masks into his performances to hide his face to allow him to focus on his singing as he often feels judged for his appearance, a shield to allow him to perform, taking autistic masking to a new level. With his participation in Eurovision however, Sheldon finally feels confident to start ditching his mask to embrace who he really is. You can also hear Sheldon talking about his experiences of autism to BBC in the video below:

Sheldon isn’t however the first autist to take to the Eurovision stage. In 2015, Finland sent the rock band Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät comprised of disabled musicians with Down Syndrome and Autism. To this day it holds the record for the shortest ever song performed at Eurovision:

On another level, Greta Thunberg’s mother, Malena Ernman, who is an outspoken advocate for autism awareness, represented her native Sweden in the Eurovision in 2009!

Whilst these are the only confirmed examples of autists competing in the Eurovision, it’s quite possible that other past artists may also have been on the spectrum (knowingly or otherwise) but they have not revealed their diagnosis.

Fun Fact– yours truly contributed to last years 4th place Icelandic entry as part of an online virtual choir of 1000 fans, so you could say that one other autist has appeared on the Eurovision stage (in a roundabout way 😛 )

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the competition tomorrow night if you’re watching!

Aoife

2

Autism on Stage: ‘What I (Don’t) Know About Autism’

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to shake things up a bit and talk to you about a unique play about autism called ‘What I (Don’t) Know About Autism‘ based on the best selling book by Jody O’Neill.

What I (Don't) Know About Autism by Jody O'Neill

So what’s the play about?

The play takes you on a journey through autism with each scene exploring a different aspect of life on the spectrum such as education, interventions and treatments, socializing, getting a diagnosis etc. told through a combination of song, dance and narrative, with built in question times for the audience to ask their own questions from the cast- a mix of both autistic and neurotypical actors. The play is a celebration of autistic identity, whilst also giving non-autistic audiences a deeper insight into the autistic experience.

Here’s a clip of Jody discussing her story and the play:

The play is unique in that it is a “relaxed” performance so to be more autism friendly. This means that the audience lights will remain on, warnings will be given ahead of loud noises (to allow for earplug insertion), audience members are allowed to come and go as they need and if they need to make noise or move around, this is also permitted. The performance is also captioned and the scenes are labelled and crossed out on a white board when they are completed so that the audience can keep track of the 80 minute run time. Here’s a quick video about the relaxed structure:

So what did I make of it?

The play is a unique and entertaining insight into the autistic experience and I thoroughly enjoyed my online viewing. It was so real and relatable without the overt Hollywood dramatics that one often finds when seeing autistic stories played out in a theatrical setting. There were no tricks, just reality to help us all understand autism a little better, and to appreciate and embrace neurodiversity. Myths were debunked, questions were answered and the play did not shy away from some of the difficult realities of autism, giving a well rounded, heartfelt and educational play about the autistic experience.

What I (Don't) Know About Autism: An Autistic Review - AsIAm.ie

It’s hard to give any further details without spoiling the show for you, so if you think you might like to see it, you can catch the recording online through the Abbey Theatre website until the 20th of November on demand.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife

0

Travelling on the Autistic Spectrum- When Things Go Wrong

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Leading on from my previous post about managing autism while travelling, after a recent mishap with a suitcase in the airport on my way to Italy, this week I’d like to talk about when things go wrong.

Ordinarily, travelling on my own through an airport is no great hassle for me. I’ve done it loads of times before with no issue, however, with all the disruptions to travel since the start of the pandemic, flying has become a little bit more stressful. Due to reduced capacities on public transport, I started out my journey on the wrong foot by driving the 2 hours to Dublin up a very busy motorway on a Friday afternoon- not the most calming of scenarios given some of the issues autists can have driving. Arriving in the terminal after a lengthy search for a free parking space (despite pre-booking), I made my way directly to bag drop off to relieve myself of the ginormous suitcase I was carrying, laden with goodies from home for an overseas relative.

That’s when things started to go awry…

The suitcase wobbled and rolled off of the self service scales as it was recording the weight, so the label the machine printed off displayed an incorrect value. I proceeded to put the bag on the drop off conveyor… buuuttt it wouldn’t take my suitcase! Now as we are in Covid times, there were crowds of people round me travelling, but not a lot of staff to ask for help from at these desks in order to reduce interactions. So I tried to re-weigh and reprint my tag a second time to find that my bag was 0.8 kg over the limit, leading me to frantically kneel down in the middle of the floor, pulling out shoes and baked goods to shove them in my carry on. I was enduring this stress while still wearing my coat and a face mask, so the heat from the situation was rising, not to mention I was still coming down from the stressful drive, was tired, hungry, and in need of the bathroom- so my sanity was hanging on by a thread! Once I had reduced my weight sufficiently, the machine then refused to print another label for my luggage, and tried to charge me €60 for the pleasure! 🙈

Sooo I frantically searched for a an attendant to advise me, who did not have a solution only that I join the massive queue at the ticket desk…aannnnd then the meltdown hit! Thankfully it wasn’t more than a few tears, and once I communicated that I was autistic to the attendant, she was very nice and supportive 🙂

But the saga wasn’t quite over yet! As I proceeded towards the ticket desk for assistance, another attendant saw me and asked where I was going with my suitcase (as the desk was in the opposite direction to the drop off). I communicated my issue and this no-nonsense lady firmly told me to stop crying! Believe me, I wouldn’t be crying in my thirties over something so stupid as an overweight suitcase if I had the choice 😛 She eventually steered me direct to the drop off and fired the suitcase on the conveyor with a final parting order to stop crying. Five minutes later, I was sitting calmly in McDonald’s, my crisis was over and the mortification set in 😳

Granted, this experience was resolved quickly and could have been a lot worse (I’ve had a 24 hour delay on a previous family holiday), but it was still an extremely stressful few minutes!

Based on this mortifying experience, here are some modified tips for dealing with autism while travelling when it’s too late for prevention:

Take a moment to collect yourself– if you feel like a meltdown could be coming on, take a step back. My stress over increased airport traffic with international travel opening up pushed me to keep going, but I should have paused to take off my coat, grab a snack from my bag, and try the suitcase again.

Take a break in a sensory friendly room (if available)– Irish airports have pioneered sensory friendly rooms for travelling autists to enable you to take some chill time to come down from stressful scenarios. If a space like this is available, take some time out.

Approach a member of staff for help– if you feel that you are struggling and are in a position to communicate your struggles, reach out to a member of airport staff and they should be able to help make your journey a little easier. Dublin Airport, among others, has a special lanyard that you can get to alert staff that you are autistic if you are in need of assistance, so the training is there for staff to help you in your time of need.

Take a break from your face mask– face masks can be quite problematic for a lot of autists, but are a requirement for travel at present. If you’re getting overwhelmed from wearing the mask for too long, go to the bathroom for a few minutes to pull down your mask and take some deep breaths privately. Pro tip– spend as long as you can in the food court as you will not be required to wear your mask in this area.

Bonus tip– If you’re using a self service scale, place your bag on it’s side, not on it’s wheels- learn from my mistakes 😛 😉

Perhaps the best tip I can offer is to make use of autism assistance programs where available. I have not previously used this service as I have not needed it, and also because other airports like Shannon Airport advocate the use of bright orange hats to quickly identify an autist, which as an adult, this concept would make me feel like a bit of a sore thumb 😛 Check out if the airport you are going to has an assistance program for autists that you can avail of so that in the event that something does go wrong, you will be taken care of. Once I was able to communicate that I was autistic, the staff were happy to help, but other autists may not be able to communicate this mid-meltdown, so make sure to check out assistance programs ahead of time to ensure that the help is available to you in the event that things go wrong 🙂

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

0

Autism and Personal Space

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Sorry I’ve been away for so long- you wouldn’t believe how hectic these past few weeks have been!

This week I’d like to ease back in by talking about the topic of autism and space!

No- not that kind of space (we’ll leave that one to the billionaires); personal space!

Personal space is an interesting subject for autists. As we’ve discussed at length, social norms can be difficult to navigate, so our sense of personal space in company can be a little unusual. Some may stand on the sidelines away from the crowd, whereas other autists can be right in your personal bubble, and perhaps even a little too close for comfort. Sometimes you just don’t know how to judge how close is too close! From a meltdown perspective, most autists tend to seek out small, enclosed spaces away from crowds when the flight response is triggered.

For me personally, I do have a tendency to seek out smaller spaces when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I have lingered for many hours in many bathrooms and stalls across Ireland during my lifetime. The comfort of the enclosed and locked space is soothing, kind of like my environment is giving me a socially distanced hug. On the other hand, I’ve equally embraced wide open spaces when my flight response get’s triggered during a meltdown. Sometimes the best thing is to just sit down in the middle of a wide open field to help you can breathe again.

So is there any research behind personal space and autism?

An interesting study from 2015 found that autists have a tendency towards shorter distances in personal space compared with neurotypicals, not just between people, but also a shorter personal space between themselves and objects. In other words, most autists may be inches from your face and will not become uncomfortable! It’s thought that this occurs due to alterations in the regulator of personal space- the amygdala in the brain, a structure that has been implicated in many autistic symptoms.

In addition to this, it’s thought that personal space is related to our propricoceptive system- the neurological feedback system in our muscles responsible for our sense of space and pressure detection. As discussed in previous posts, alterations in this neural system can lead to dysfunction and difficulties in spacial awareness. The interesting thing about this system however, is that many autists stimulate it for relief of sensory issues through stimming and deep pressure. As pressure and space are both detected through this system, it’s thought that autists may seek out enclosed spaces as a means of stimulating it for sensory relief.

So while we might seem a little bit odd hiding under the table, there is method in the madness! 😉

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Enjoy the weekend!

Aoife

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Autism and Tics

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to talk about a topic that’s not discussed very often in conversations about autism- tics and tic syndromes.

So what exactly is a tic?

A tic is a sudden, repetitive muscle movement that can cause unexpected and often uncontrollable body movements or sounds. Affecting approximately 10-25% of autists, tics differ from stimming and other repetitive behaviours in that they are generally involuntary in nature such as abnormal blinking, head jerking, sniffing, throat clearing, or repeating phrases. Like autism, there is a spectrum of tic disorder’s, with Tourette Syndrome being the most common of these. Tic frequency and severity varies depending on activity levels, stress, boredom and even high energy emotions.

Thankfully my own experience of tics has not been severe, however, in times of serious stress I have been known to develop a bad eye twitch in my left eye. It was first brought on by the stress of my final school exams at 18, and has resurfaced a small handful of times since during particularly stressful work periods. Amazingly, no one has noticed this tic as it’s so mild, but it is a very odd sensation on the inside to feel your eyelid fluttering of it’s own accord. I was initially quite freaked out when it first started, but now I know that it just means I need to step back and manage my stress levels 🙂

But why are tics so common for autists?

Although they are often comorbid, as with many aspects of the spectrum, the research into this phenomenon is once again limited. Recent genetic research has shown that there may be an overlap where genes thought to contribute to autism can also cause Tourette syndrome which could explain why they often appear together. At the biochemical level, tics have been linked to imbalances in dopamine and other neurotransmitters, imbalances that have also been linked to autistic behaviours.

So are there any treatment options?

As the frequency and severity can vary with life’s changes, learning what your triggers are and how to manage or avoid them is one of the best approaches. Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics or CBIT (a form of CBT) is the favoured interventional approach, however, in some severe cases, medications can be used to help control tics.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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