Tag: mental health

The Wayfinding Centre Dublin

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Leading on from my previous post about Google’s ADC, this week I’d like to talk about a recent trip I took to the Wayfinding Centre in Dublin.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the centre, it’s an innovative facility set up to make public transport more accessible for people with disabilities. The first of it’s kind, the centre empowers people with disabilities to navigate public transport by providing hands on training and experience in a safe indoor environment. Upon entering the centre, you walk into a real world replica of the Irish public transport experience including:

  • Street lighting, traffic lights, signage and timetable boards
  • Common transport noises such as pedestrian crossing sounds
  • Hazards including pavements (with accessible textured paving slabs), bollards, benches, fencing, fake roads, and train platforms
  • Replica cycle lanes, bus stops and pedestrian crossings
  • Sample train and Luas carriages
  • A double decker city bus and single level inter-city bus
  • An Accessible taxi
  • An Air France plane with replica airport security and boarding experience

In addition, the centre is also host to the living lab providing a high-tech innovation and research space where they perform user testing and conduct pilot projects, working closely with transport providers to make existing and future public transport more accessible for all users.

You can see a video from the launch of the centre in January 2024 below.

As previously discussed, navigating public transport can be quite an overwhelming experience for an autist. Everything is noisy and crowded and timetables can be confusing to decipher, especially when transport often does not stick to routine. The Wayfinding centre offers autists a unique opportunity to prepare themselves to access public transport to take some of the unknowns out of the equation. Autists can go to the centre and experience what it’s like to step onto public transport free from the sensory issues and pressure of the real world, allowing them to get used to the experience in a safe and supportive environment.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the centre is the experience of preparing for airport travel. Autists can visit the centre to get ready for their first trip to an airport and practice using scanners, putting luggage on carousels, and physically walking down the tunnel and on to a real plane where you can take your seat and comfortably adjust to the cabin experience.

I was really impressed by my visit and completely unaware such an innovative initiative was a mere few hours up the road. I would really recommend a visit if you’re around Dublin to experience the tour or access the facility in preparation for your public transport experience.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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New diagnosis of Profound Autism?

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

There’s been a lot of talk in the news this week about potentially revising the autism diagnostic criteria to include a separate diagnosis of profound autism. The medical journal ‘The Lancet‘ recommended this diagnosis in 2022 to account for the estimated 24% of autists who:

  • Are 8 years and older
  • Have an IQ of less than 50
  • Have little to no language skills
  • Require 24/7 care

The diagnosis was proposed to help adequately support more severe cases of autism as the current 3 level structure is too broad and autists are often overlooked in research and services. As I discussed in my previous post on the subject, the spectrum is divided up into levels 1, 2 and 3 classified into requiring support, requiring substantial support and requiring very substantial support. As a result, the broad definition has made it difficult to classify adequate support services for profound autism where some autists meeting the criteria got lower support levels, and some who did not meet the criteria got the highest support.

Many people are welcoming the proposed revision, however, others are concerned that the age threshold will place additional burdens on families. 90% of autists are diagnosed before the age of 8, leading to repeat assessments to confirm a profound diagnosis when the autist reaches the age threshold. Moreover, families would be placed in limbo without the full support they need while they wait for an official confirmation.

In my view, this is a step in the right direction. For many years I have been lamenting the fact that the spectrum needs to be reclassified- but not with regard to the lower levels of the spectrum. I was initially diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome round the time of the reclassification and broadening of the spectrum. While once a separate diagnosis with distinctive characteristics, it was subsumed by autism level 1 in 2013 following revelations of Hans Asperger’s Nazi affiliations.

As a result of this broadening, it has effectively narrowed public perception of higher functioning autists abilities. Asperger’s once implied a certain level of functioning bringing to mind the “little professor” persona. However, the word “autism” conjures the image of someone with serious sensory issues, who requires ear defenders and stimming toys (just look at Barbie). While visibility is very important for autists, this kind of negative stereotype gives the public a bad perception of higher functioning autists, which can be damaging if a diagnosis is disclosed when seeking employment. I have met some other level 1 autists over the last while, and find it astounding that we are the same on paper. Our functional levels and support needs are so far apart there should be an autism level minus 1 to separate us.

All in all, this is a positive move that this new diagnosis is being considered, but 13 years on, we need to revise the entire spectrum. Waiting lists are haemorrhaging, diagnoses are at unprecedented levels (they’re as high as 1 in 17 in Northern Ireland vs 1 in 83 in 2008), and supports are spread thin and often misallocated. A revision of the spectrum and classification of need is an important step forward.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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Autism and Synesthesia

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to discuss an unusual phenomenon that is experienced by approximately 19% of autists (compared with 4-7% of neurotypicals)- Synesthesia.

So what exactly is it?

Synesthesia is a rare neurological phenomenon where triggering one sense involuntarily stimulates another sense e.g., tasting colours, hearing shapes, perceiving words and numbers as colours etc.

Aoife, why do I feel like you’re starting to make up autistic conditions?

I know, it sounds wild but it’s a real thing! Famous synesthetes include numerous musicians such as Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder, Brendon Urie, Kanye West, Jimi Hendrix and Charli XCX, artist David Hockney and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

There are two main types of Synesthesia-sensory and cognitive/conceptual

  • Sensory Synesthesia– when one sense triggers another. Examples:
    • Auditory-tactile synesthesia– when sounds trigger touch-like sensations such as pain, pressure or temperature changes
    • Sound-color synesthesia– where you hear sounds as colours
    • Mirror-touch synesthesia– where you physically feel something that you see happen to someone else e.g., you see someone stub their toe and feel pain in your own toe
  • Cognitive/Conceptual Synesthesia- when senses get combined with semantic triggers, like numbers, letters, or time units. Examples:
    • Day-color synesthesia– where you associate days of the week with a particular colour
    • Time-space/spatial sequence synesthesia– where you visualize things in a very specific way, like seeing units of time in 3D shapes or colours e.g., 5+6= yellow

Some synesthetes have one form of synesthesia, while others will experience multiple forms.

In my own experience, I have some tendencies towards synesthesia. I associate some things like bands and people with colours- I always saw Muse as blue, Paramore as fuchsia, one of my colleagues as purple etc. I’ve also been known to describe tastes how something smells and vice versa. As discussed previously, I have an excellent sporadic eidetic memory. During my research for this blog, I’ve discovered that synesthetes also have excellent, vivid memories as their enhanced recall is tied to their heightened sensory perceptions and associations. Perhaps this explains why my memory works the way it does as I’ve always been able to recall very detailed memories by thinking of colours, outfits, smells, tastes, specific dates etc.

But why are neurodivergents more likely to experience synesthesia than neurotypicals?

As with many other co-morbid conditions, it appears that there may be a genetic overlap between the genes that cause autism and the genes that cause synesthesia. Moreover, the hyperconnectivity between different regions of the autistic brain (caused by a lack of synaptic pruning), can cause the heightened sensory sensitivity that leads to this blending of sensory stimuli.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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Autism and Intrusive Sleep

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

To kickstart 2026, this week I’m going to take a look at the issue of autism and intrusive sleep.

So what exactly is that when it’s at home?

As discussed in my previous post on sleep and autism, 40 to 80% of autists experience issues with sleep. Intrusive sleep (not to be confused with narcolepsy) occurs when you suddenly experience drowsiness or involuntarily lose consciousness, a phenomenon that is usually triggered by boredom/loss of interest in autists with co-morbid ADHD (aka AuDHD). Also known as theta wave intrusion, this phenomenon occurs when slow theta brain waves associated with relaxation, meditation and deep sleep are triggered by a boring task, causing the brain to abruptly disengage, and you to nod off. Essentially these theta waves act as bridges between consciousness and wakefulness.

So many college lectures drifting in and out of consciousness are starting to make sense!

For much of my adult life I’ve struggled with daytime sleepiness hitting me at the most unfortunate times- in the middle of lectures, in crowded theatres during a musical, and several times throughout the work day, especially when dealing with monotonous tasks. I always thought it was due to a lack of sleep the previous night (and as a night owl admittedly, it often is), but I’ve noticed it happening more and more despite having a decent nights sleep. One minute I’m working away, the next I get the sudden urge to take a nap. Conversely if I’m engaged and stimulated, I could be running on 3 hours of sleep and not feel in the least bit sleepy!

But is there any reason the neurodivergent brain is susceptible to intrusive sleep?

People with autism and ADHD tend to have excess theta waves compared with neurotypicals particularly in the frontal cortex of the brain. Higher levels of theta are associated with lower levels of fast beta brainwaves which are needed for focus and alertness, making neurodivergent brains more prone to intrusive sleep and other sleep disturbances.

So don’t judge me too harshly the next time you see me struggling to stay awake in the middle of the day 🫠

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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Autism and Homelessness

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Leading on from my previous post about autism and employment, this week I’d like to discuss the link between autism and homelessness. I was shocked to learn recently that people with autism are at a higher risk of experiencing and remaining homeless than the general population. Research varies, but estimates of autism in the homeless range from 3%- 18.5%. This is a staggering statistic given that autism in the homed population is roughly 1-2%.

But why are autists more likely to experience homelessness?

As I’ve mentioned previously, 75-85% of autists are unable to find and maintain employment. Moreover, many autists struggle with co-morbid mental health issues and can be more likely to suffer from addiction issues- all of which can be contributing factors for homelessness. As a result of these struggles, autists do not have the same means that neurotypicals do to reduce their risk of homelessness and the ability to change their circumstances once homeless.

Autism is a condition that thrives on routine, stability and regulation of sensory environments which homelessness only serves to exacerbate. The sensory struggles with weather, the unfiltered noise of the city, the nasty smells from your surroundings can be completely overwhelming. Your mental health is on a knife edge and symptoms worsen without support and understanding. Most countries already struggle to provide adequate resources for housed autists and the general homeless population, making it even harder to properly support homeless autists. There is a serious lack of understanding of autism among workers in the homeless sector, especially with regard to the female experience. Surveys among workers in the homeless sector in the UK and Ireland have highlighted these gaps with over 90% of respondents noting the low levels of support for homeless autists and the need for autism specific training.

This is clearly a challenging issue that needs care and consideration to properly support the autistic community in both preventing and reversing homelessness.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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Virtual Autism

Greetings Earthlings!

This week I’d like to talk about a new type of autism that is emerging- virtual autism!

Em… what on earth is that?

No, it’s not some kind of futuristic disease or new computer virus. The reality of this condition is far more concerning.

Virtual autism is being used to describe a growing trend of developmental delays in children that mimic autism due to excessive digital device usage. In other words, screen usage is causing children to falsely present as autistic!

The term was first coined in 2018 by Romanian psychologist Marius Zamfir to describe behavioral abnormalities observed in children between the ages of 0 and 3 resulting from a lack of motor, sensory and social stimulation after spending >4 hours a day in a virtual environment. Symptoms observed  include communication issues, social withdrawal, lack of eye contact, attention problems, sleep issues, physical inactivity, and developmental delays which overlap with the early signs of classic autism. Similarly, other studies have backed up these observations by confirming the presence of autism like symptoms in toddlers that used electronic screens excessively.

Whilst the condition is too new to be recognized as a genuine diagnostic form of autism, experts are nonetheless warning parents about the risks and dangers of virtual autism. The good news is that unlike other forms of autism, virtual autism is easily preventable by monitoring and restricting screen usage. Similarly, virtual autism can be reversed and improved in most cases by reducing screen time, encouraging face to face interaction and playing with toys. The brain is highly adaptable, especially in childhood, so fear not if you think your child is showing signs of virtual autism. If you are unsure if your child is truly autistic or showing signs of virtual autism, cutting out excessive screen usage is a good first step to rule out virtual.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife

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Autism assessments for trans kids?

Greetings Earthlings!

Leading on from my previous post about gender identity and autism, this week I’d like to discuss NHS proposed guidelines in the UK where children who are referred to gender clinics will also be assessed for neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and ADHD.

But is this a good thing?

While some people believe that this is part of the growing anti-trans agenda in the UK, the majority feel that this is a positive step for the autistic community as experts estimate that trans patients could be 3-6 times more likely to be diagnosed as autistic. As such, it’s important that gender dysphoric patients are properly assessed so that they can be fully supported. This is especially important given the long term ramifications if a patient transitions but their dysphoria was a temporary product of their autism.

I have read many stories over the years from families with undiagnosed autistic kids who identified with trans ideology as they did not feel like they fit in. These children then began the transitioning process, only to find that after an autism diagnosis, they no longer felt at odds with their birth gender. Statistics among de-transitioning patients are difficult to estimate, but studies have found that as many as 15-20% of these are autistic.

It’s actually quite common for neurodiverse children to temporarily disassociate from their bodies as they naturally approach puberty. In my own case, I often felt that life would be so much easier if I could just click a button around 9 years of age (after having the dress up experience of one’s first holy communion of course 😂🙈) to switch genders as being a man seemed so much better than the realities of womanhood. Other than these passing thoughts as an undiagnosed kid, I have never ever felt at odds with my gender. Despite being quite tomboyish in my younger days, my friends describe me as quite feminine in my 30s with a wardrobe that’s bursting with dresses. Were 9 year old Aoife to express such thoughts today, I would likely be landed in a gender clinic being assessed for gender dysphoria, when what I really needed was an autism assessment.

Whilst many autists may be genuinely transgender, we need to do due diligence in gender assessments to ensure that no decisions are rushed. In my opinion, this is an excellent plan from the NHS to ensure that autists and people with gender dysphoria are getting the best care possible.

On the other hand, this proposal begs the question as to why similar guidelines have not been recommended for other conditions that are often co-morbid with autism. Many people who are assessed for ADHD are receiving subsequent autism diagnoses. Overlap is estimated to be as high as 80%, yet an autism assessment is not always considered during ADHD assessment. Moreover, it’s thought that 23-32% of patients with eating disorders are also autistic, an issue that is quite common for undiagnosed women, yet autism assessments are not factored into treatment. These co-morbid issues impact an arguably higher number of autists than gender dysphoria, yet patients are generally not co-screened for autism.

A larger conversation is clearly needed around co-occurring mental health and neurodiversity if we want to properly support the autistic community.

Hope you enjoyed my post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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Do people with autism look younger?

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Leading on my from my previous post about autism and ageing, this week I’d like to discuss whether or not people with autism look younger.

Yep, apparently there appears to be a link between autism and looking younger!

In my own experience, it has been mentioned that I look far younger than my age. I’ve always had a youthful complexion, but I’d just chalked it down to good skincare, genes and the lack of a man to turn my hair grey 😂 Never in my wildest dreams did I think that my autism might be linked to my appearance!

So let’s explore why autists look younger.

As I’ve discussed in my previous post about autism and joint hypermobility, some autists have co-morbid hypermobility conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). This causes structural tissues like collagen to be weaker and more elastic which causes stretchy joints. However, this increased elasticity can result in a more youthful appearance as the skin is more resistant to damage, which can delay or even prevent the appearance of wrinkles🫨

Facial expressions may also contribute to a youthful visage, as autists tend to produce facial expressions less frequently and for shorter durations than neurotypicals. A less expressive face = less wrinkles.

It’s also possible that our youthful appearance may be more behavioural than biological. A lot of autists tend to be introverted and prefer indoorsy activities away from the elements, especially those with light sensitivity. As a result, lower UV exposure may be preserving our skin from the ageing impact of the sun. My nickname was ‘Dracula’ as a teenager as I would spend summers indoors reading, often returning from sun holidays with little to no tan🙈. On another level, our tendency towards naivety, more childish interests and behaviours can make us seem younger by association rather than looks.

However, while the evidence does seem to suggest autists do look younger, there equally is evidence that some autists look a lot older. As much as EDS increases skin elasticity, it can also lead to thin, fragile skin that can be more prone to bruising, resulting in premature ageing. One study even suggests that autists experience a faster rate of ageing and that they have an older facial age. This may however be correlated to poor self care, lifestyle and the higher levels of biological stress experienced by autists, buuuttt the same can largely be said for neurotypical ageing🤷‍♀️.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings! 🙂

Happy Easter!

Aoife

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Autism and Limerence

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

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! 😉

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife

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Autism and Overthinking

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

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

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife

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