Autistic Hedgehog
Month
I’ve mentioned before that I wanted to write science fiction starring an autistic character. I’ve written the first manuscript, though it still needs work. As a plot out the series and more ideas come to mind, there’s research I need to do. In this case, a question I need to ask my fellow autistics.
I’d like to repurpose the term ‘quiet hands,’ filled with so much negativity to so many of us, and use it for something else. In my sci fi universe there are a group of neurodivergent people who hide, sometimes in plain sight, to protect themselves from those who would want to erase them. Starting with autistics who pass very successfully (hence the use of Quiet Hands) they formed a group that works to protect other neuroatypicals from erasure. They work within the neurotypical population, finding others like them, giving them a home, ensuring that their needs are met. Throughout the history of my universe they’ve grown as a group, encompassing other neurodivergences and other disabilities.
I like the double meaning of calling them the Quiet Hands, but I wanted to know what other autistics thought about the idea. Is it too much? Would it bother you, or do you think it works?
Maybe? I don’t know. I mean, if there’s something I’m not good at, but I really want to be, I’ll focused a lot of energy and determination into getting good at it, but I don’t know if that’s an autistic trait, or if I’d be like that anyway.
I do think sometimes we can feel pressured by society to be good at things so people won’t act like we’re worthless, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re a bit more prone to putting effort into things we’re not very good at. Beyond that, I’m not sure. Anyone else have thoughts/experiences on this?
One’s place on the spectrum can change from day to day, sometimes even from hour to hour. It’s not at all a static thing.
Many things affect our coping abilities. It may be that the past year has been more stressful for you in some way that is depriving you of coping skills, thus requiring you to stim more, causing more meltdowns and making you more sensitive to sensory stimulation. Speaking as someone whose been under a lot of stress this year, I’ve had a number of problems including such raised sensitivity to sensory stimulation that there have been foods I can’t eat.
Spending time passing can also lower your ability to cope. Really, anything too stress, too traumatic, too painful—all these things can potentially cause heightened symptoms. It can help to find ways to combat the overstimulation: Carry something to stim with if you have any sort of tactile stims (I keep a satin ribbon with me); use an iPod or sound-dampening headphones to cut down on noises that bother you and stress you out; choose clothing that you’re as comfortable as possible in; eat foods with textures that comfort you. (If any of my hedgehogs have any other useful coping methods, hit up my inbox.)
I wouldn’t worry about whether this is some other disorder at this point. It’s perfectly within the nature of autism and we all go through up and down phases when it comes to dealing with everything life throws at us.
Well, I can only speak for myself, but not only do my interests tend to shift, they come in different levels. Like, I get very surface fixations, and then I’ll want stuff to do with that fixation, and that can be as simple as buying a bunch of things in a color I’m fixated on. Other things run much deeper, and I’ll continue learning about them and being interested in them my whole life.
Like, for example, there was a period where I was fixated on owls, and wanted to collect lots of owl stuff. That waned. But I’ve been interested in history and archaeology for a long time, and though sometimes I don’t spend a lot of time on it, it always comes back. (I also have a very special place in my heart for maritime disasters.)
Very few of my interests go away, but the intensity of them changes. I’ve heard of other autistics who, for example, learn everything they can about a special interest and then aren’t interested anymore. Based on what I know about my followers, my guess is that there are a lot of different (and perfectly normal) ways that we interact with our special interests. So I’d guess that your experience is no more unusual than any of ours.
No problem! :)
I said I’d do it, and I did. Still got my cold, sadly. I’m in bed with my laptop, my favorite Faith Erin Hicks comics, and some tea.
As I mentioned before, I’ll be closing the inbox if/when it reaches a point where there’s more than I can handle and will then reopen it when it’s cleared out. Hopefully that should make things easier.
He’s literally using the petition email system itself to defame, harass and threaten one of our own with sexual violence.
So please don’t spread that petition around anymore. Wait for a new one to be made that isn’t in the hands of a misogynist piece of shit who preys on more vulnerable members of the autistic community.
I am, in fact, alive. And I’m finally, slowly, beginning to recover.
Back in April I was hit very suddenly by a depression, and a damn bad one, too. So bad that I found myself crawling back into bed and sleeping for hours on end. Medication helped, but slowly, and in the meantime I was going through a pretty stressful situation.
Just when I was getting on my feet again, I was hit with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I’m still coming to terms with this and learning to deal with it, but in the grand scheme of things I’m feeling much better and I have more good days than bad now. My stress levels are still somewhat high, and I’ll be fairly busy at times, but things have cleared up enough for me to reopen AH.
Starting Monday, I’ll be opening the inbox again. However, instead of keeping it open constantly, I’ll close it once it builds up to a certain point to give myself time to answer without more coming in. I’ll also go back to posting submissions, so feel free to send any Hedgehogs you might have.
Guess you can’t keep a good hedgie down. :)
- Kaia
Kelli Stapleton attempted premediated murder of her Autistic Child by locking her child in a van with the windows up and lighting two charcoal grills inside the van. The police foiled the attempt however Issy likely suffered brain damage. We ask that the United States Department of Justice prosecute this under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 as the crime clearly targeted Issy due to her disability.
Sign this petition to get justice for Issy!