Autistic and Living the Dream

Tag: Mental Health

  • Autistic Burnout: What is it, and why does it happen?

    Autistic Burnout: What is it, and why does it happen?

    Autistic burnout is a heightened state of stress, affecting energy, emotions, and sensory management. It’s often triggered by social and work-related factors, leading to emotional dysregulation, sensory overload, and brain fog. This can result in a sense of isolation, frustration, and an overwhelming feeling of responsibilities without the energy to address them.

  • The ARC is at it again

    The ARC is at it again

    CW: suicide, ableism, Simon Baron-Cohen Another study suggested by Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre (ARC) has been paused. The new study by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen planned to read and pick apart the diaries of CSL*, a young Autistic girl who killed herself. The intention was that researchers could use her diaries to improve their understanding of…

  • No road map for trauma recovery

    No road map for trauma recovery

    Trauma recovery is heavy but for me it has become lighter over time. Every day I feel lighter, a bit more myself, closer to actualisation. Then the doom comes. There’s not always a trigger, or a warning. There isn’t necessarily a road map from ‘good’ to ‘bad.’ It just comes. The anger. The sadness. The…

  • “I’m a little OCD” and other nonsense

    “I’m a little OCD” and other nonsense

    Content warning: Intrusive thoughts, mention of HIV / AIDS, Sexual assault, death. I have often heard people say “I’m a little OCD” as in they like to keep things tidy, and that it bothers them if items aren’t where they’re supposed to be. It’s one of those microaggressions people don’t realise is harmful. It seriously…

  • It’s not ok to not be ok

    It’s not ok to not be ok

    I shall be joining the online campaign ‘It’s Not Ok To Not Be Ok’ by Autistic Inclusive Meets CIC. Too often we are told that it is ‘ok to not be ok’. This is used to destigmatise mental health issues, which is validating in some ways but also puts the onus on the individual to…

  • I won’t be unbiased in the face of violence

    I won’t be unbiased in the face of violence

    It’s not the job of the oppressed to meet our oppressors ‘half way’. There is no half way. There is no half violence, half stigma, or half isolation. I don’t need to engage with people who are harmful to me and the people I love, and that absolutely goes for ABA practitioners. I don’t want…

  • Mental health crisis: Reaching out and checking in

    Mental health crisis: Reaching out and checking in

    Content warning: mental health struggles, mention of incarceration, death and estrangement. It is consistently suggested that people who are in mental health crisis need to ‘reach out’ for support. This is problematic as the onus of support and help is put on the person who is struggling, this individual must be able to have the…

  • Learning to regulate my emotions

    Learning to regulate my emotions

    I’m only just learning about my emotions and how to regulate them. I’m 33. I spent a long time with no role models to show me how to do this: What to do before I get angry and do or say something I regret. How to know when I need time to process. When and…

  • OCD in one word

    OCD in one word

    I’ve been trying to write some poetry around the words you all gave myself and Autistic Realms about your experiences of OCD. My rewording couldn’t do justice to the powerful words you shared with us, so I created this instead. The other work in the Autistic Dream Realms project can be found here and here.…

  • Autistic parenthood: Living with mum guilt

    Autistic parenthood: Living with mum guilt

    Content note: transphobia, death, grief, mentions of assault and murder, trauma. I’ve been struggling with a lot of things lately and it all centres around being a mum and not feeling good enough for the job. My feelings of mum guilt is massive. I feel I’m not doing enough for Little Man. I feel guilty…