When it comes to autism, there are so many things that go inside our heads. We have so many ideas and so many things we want to do and sometimes, we just have to get creative on how to process those thoughts and ideas. Some autistic people have developed deep expertise in topics that interest them, which some people call special interests. There is a huge variety in these topics, which can range from astrophysics to vintage clothing and everything in between. Being able to ex

Self-determination refers to the ability or power of a person or group to make their own decisions and choices, especially regarding their own future and governance, without external coercion or control. Being able to be self-determine, you have to be able to choose what you want and need for yourself, being able to not feel influenced by other people in making your own decisions and to be the driver of your life and not be the passenger. Being able to control your life and

Grief is different for everyone. People express themselves in different ways. Some people will remain quiet and other people want to talk about it. It’s their way of going through the motions of the grieving process. When you have autism, showing emotion is a challenge. Just because we don’t show or share what we’re feeling, it doesn’t mean we’re not grieving. We have our own way of expressing ourselves. We have our own coping strategy. There are going to be times where someo

When I was a kid, my brother and I were besties. I couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything or go anywhere without him. I couldn’t be away from him. In the early days of elementary school, if I didn’t see him on the playground at recess and lunch, I would get anxious and I would start to panic. I would start to tear up and race around the school yard until I saw him. I needed to see him to prove that he didn’t leave me alone. The first instance of separation anxiety was when I was ki

When it comes to socializing, it’s a challenge with someone with autism. We try to make friends, we want to make friends, but we don’t know how to approach people. We don’t know when it’s a good time to go up to someone and talk to them. When we do get the chance, we don’t know what to say or how to say it. We don’t know if the person we’re talking to is listening just to be nice or if they feel like they have to listen because they know its rude to walk away. We feel like no

The beginning of a new year is always exciting, but it can also be a time where people look back on the past year and wonder where the time went and wonder if there’s a way to slow it down. As we get older and look over the past, we tell ourselves if we can make the new year our best year yet. No two years are the same. We go in with an open mind, but as the days and months go on, life throws us a curveball, something we don’t expect. People take the new year as a challenge t

ADHD means Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and it can look a lot like Autism. When someone has one or the other, they can have difficulty focusing, they can also be impulsive and have a hard time communicating. Both ADHD and Autism are two different conditions. Autism is related to developmental disorders. Language skills, behavior, socializing and the ability to learn are affected. People with autism have a hard time connecting with people and making friends, wherea

You would think that Halloween is a rough time of year for someone who is on the autism spectrum, but depending on the person, Halloween can be the person’s favorite holiday. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, even if I don’t do anything to celebrate it. I don’t do much in the month of October. I would love to be able to do all things Halloween, but there’s nothing much you can do when you spend a lot of time by yourself. I’ve been going trick or treating just to

Moving is hard just by itself, but the real challenge is deciding if moving out of town is the right move. Starting over is scary for anyone, even for the most confident person. I’ve been wanting to move for a while. After spending some time living in an apartment, I’ve decided that I want to get out of apartment living. At first, an apartment was the right choice. Since I’m by myself, single, I hardly, if ever socialize or have people over, living in an apartment felt right

Everyone has a way to recharge their batteries. Some people like going out with friends, others like to go home after work, put on their pajamas and watch their favourite shows. I’m the type of person who likes being alone and not talking to people after having to deal with the public all day. Being around other people and dealing with all sorts of different personalities for more than a couple hours makes me overwhelmed and anxious. There are so many types of people in the