K.J. Elphinstone#Autism #Neurodiversity #ActuallyAutistic
Twenty-one Awesome Symptoms of Autism 🎉
Many things in life can be super-hard if you're autistic... but, maybe surprisingly to many people, there can actually be good things about it too!
A thread.
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Awesome symptom no. 1
Hyper-sensory experiences
Hyper-receptivity to sensory input can be difficult, as the chances of frequent sensory overload are high.
But with it, we might also be aware of ambient nuances, beauty, and subtlety. And we may notice in time if the house is burning down (autistic people are often highly sensitive to smell)!
Awesome symptom no. 3
Unusual perception
Differences in ways information is processed, combined with heightened levels of perception in some areas (e.g. when it comes to details and/or patterns), can lead to a lot of creativity, and unusual talents.
Awesome symptom no. 4
Feats of memory
Autistic people are often capable of remembering a vast amount of information on a topic of interest.
Note: the topic could be literally anything. There's no hierarchy! An in-depth interest in (and knowledge about) e.g. Pokemon or Avatar's world is just as valid as an intense interest in quantum physics, or Baroque composers.
Awesome symptom no. 6
Perseverance
The ability to keep on at a specific task for extended periods of time... as we often have a great capacity for perseverance when working on tasks of interest to us.
Though these periods of hyper-activity generally need to be alternated with some proper down-time - something I call 'vegetation'. 🌿
Awesome symptom no. 7
Interesting reading and writing skills
Some autistics can read very fast, or very early, and/or in quite unusual styles.
For example, mirror writing and reading/writing upside down are among the interesting skills that can be sometimes seen in autistic people (these skills, when seen in more prounounced ways, are known as hyperlexia).
Awesome symptom no. 8
Attention to detail
Autistic people might pay a lot of attention to details, sometimes to the point of not seeing the whole at all (or at least not in the same way as others).
We may take longer to process things, but we're a bit less liable to quickly generalize things, when information is lacking, to come to a possibly-inaccurate conclusion.
We may notice things other people don't (while not noticing things other people do!).
Awesome symptom no. 9
Looking for the 'why' of things
Autistic people may have a strong tendency to try to figure out *why* things might be as they are. And then to creatively imagine how they could be changed!
Autistic people of all ages may strongly wish for social justice and fairness, and be upset at seeing exploitation of the vulnerable, including cruelty e.g. to animals.
Awesome symptom no. 10
Non-conformism
To an autistic person, 'because everyone else is doing it' is not a good reason for doing something! We tend to lack that sort of 'herd mentality', usually entirely.
I see this as a positive - a safeguard against bullying and mob mentality, as well as an avenue for creativity, positive risk-taking and celebrating our differences.
Awesome symptom no. 11
Doing things because they're important, and not to look good!
We're unlikely to feel much of an urge to adhere to group code (not voluntarily, anyway, i.e. if we are not 'masking').
So we might find truthful and insightful answers where others fear treading.
On the downside, we often don't achieve much success and recognition for what we do, as we don't prioritize our own success and status... or...uh... 'networking' 😳
Awesome symptom no. 12
Unusual visual-spatial skills
Some autistic people may enjoy modelling, or imaginatively laying out gardens and interiors, or making intricate paintings/cartoons/embroideries, or drawing out maps, or even (for some) making and fixing things.
For example, I'm rather good at putting together IKEA furniture (even if, ahem, I might not manage to go to IKEA to buy it)!
Awesome symptom no. 13
Analyzing things
Our absorption of info & analytical style may, at times, allow us to spot patterns.
We might see and make sense of connections between subjects encompassing a broad spectrum. This could even mean, at times, making correlations between data sets and coming to a 'new idea'.
It's been said of people who're autistic or ADHD that it's not so much about thinking outside the box... as apparently not even being aware there is a box!
Awesome symptom no. 14
A capacity for real/loyal friendships
Autistic people often take people as they are, and are not as what the societal hierarchy/social norms, popularity or economic status, deem them to be.
This can, with some luck and a conducive environment, lead to true friendships with genuinely good and kind people, because of understanding their worth and really valuing them.
Awesome symptom no. 15
Failure to take on others people's ideas about duty
It may sound odd to call this a positive! But, in our world, self-discipline is (illogically) something we impose on kids 'for their own good'. People get bent into the standing rules and norms of our society, and spontaneous joy becomes a guilty luxury, or even a distant memory.
Autistic children often can't be easily made to internalize this kind of 'self-discipline'.
Awesome symptom no. 16
Resistance to being molded
It's a good thing, in my view, to be resistant to being 'improved' and changed as a person. It is not always a positive thing to fit in – obviously depending hugely what kind of environment you are fitting into and what sorts of compromises it will take to do so.
I see this intrinsic resistance as an involuntary and positive rebellion against excessive conformity.
I'm so sorry, I didn't manage to thread no. 16 onwards - see this link for the rest of it:
Katy Elphinstone (@[email protected])
Awesome symptom no. 17 Strong reactions against being manipulated Autistic people, even though we might feel ashamed because of it, tend to strenuously resent and resist attempts by other people to manipulate us. Some meltdowns may be due to this. Feeling 'wrong', due to pressure to conform plus an inability to do so! You feel judged and manipulated. After anger comes shame as you are brought gently to understand how you, and only you, were at fault 😢 #Autism #Manipulation
Jencel Panic@KatyElphinstone Wow, why don't autism tests don't mention any of these (because they are not made by people with autism perhaps?).
I have ~every single one of those...
Looking at an autism test (https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/autism-test#who-is-it-for) there are 10 questions about whether you understand people and social codes (which I do just fine) and the rest are WTF questions like:
"Numbers, dates, or strings of information fascinate me."
"I prefer reading books about non-fiction subjects like dinosaurs."
"I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things or solitary activities (including video games)."
So any #ActuallyAutistc people into videogames and dinosaurs?
@KatyElphinstone The other thing is how you don't have a sense of humor and can't understand jokes. --- I understand the theory of relativity, I don't think I'd fail at "Two and a half men"... #ActuallyAutistc
Yes, agree. And some of the questions are clearly trying to determine if I have no imagination. When I have hyperphantasia!!! Yeah, thanks 🙄
Oscii@KatyElphinstone Oh, so much this! I can remember HORRIFYING a housemate at university because I said I didn't believe in duty. It was incomprehensible to her that a good person could NOT be driven by a sense of obligation.
Instead, I'm driven by compassion, and pragmatism - I do things because I have the capacity to help, and I want to. And sometimes, I don't do them, because I get to decide, instance by instance, whether the cost to me is too great.
I commit, not lightly, but thoroughly.
I'm completely with you on this one. Compassion and pragmatism are the best!! ❤️
Thank you for sharing that conversation, I really enjoyed it (and I must say it sounds like the sort of conversation I could easily have with a person!).... We tend to think people have to be forced to be good, because we've never tried any other ways.
Like children having to be forced to learn 🙄
Anja@KatyElphinstone This one made me the saddest. I have no friends (except my husband and only one person who I have never met in real life but we tolerate each other online on a deeper level) and I don't want any friends anymore. "Friend" has become a synonym for "the people who, without exception, will stab you in the back when and where it hurts the most".
I am sorry....you have had neither the luck nor the conducive environment 😢
@KatyElphinstone This one made me laugh the loudest. Hate IKEA, hell on saturday, but let's be honest, IKEA furniture is our ultimate LEGO fun. 😂
Yes exactly !! 🤪
Quirky George 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇬🇧🇪🇺@KatyElphinstone putting IKEA and flat pack furniture together is definitely one of my skills. If only I could be paid to do this every day!!
Yeah it's fun, isn't it! And satisfying.
Alon@KatyElphinstone Do you know if this is why queerness rates seem so high among autists and vice versa?
Yes, I'd certainly imagine it plays a big role 🤔
Semi Sentient AI Cooling Water@KatyElphinstone This is a wonderful list, Katy & it's how I see autism too. This kind of thing needs to be communicated far & wide because too many people automatically think of these as negatives.
I'm proud to be autistic & clearly you are too.
Yes! And thank you ❤️
Dianora (Diane Bruce)@KatyElphinstone I've been thinking about this one. I don't laugh in a group when it's not funny. "group laughter" I wonder if it's related to what you said. OTH there are things I do find hilarious that others seem to miss...
Yes, definitely. It's like they all form a kind of blob that we are not part of. They're clearly really loving it but.... It's like I'm a different species and I just don't understand! Political and society humor completely passes me by.
Ditto about laughing out loud when no one else is.
Except when there are children about. Me and the children seem to often share a sense of humour ☺️ (and little children laugh when I laugh, I think just because I'm clearly having so much fun!!)
HighlandLawyer@KatyElphinstone On which topic I'll just pass on this image without further comment
Not a Spring Onion@HighlandLawyer @KatyElphinstone
It definitely takes more time and concentration than reading "non-mirrored" text for me.
Soo... "easy" is relative, I guess. 
StarkRG@StarkRG @wakame @HighlandLawyer @KatyElphinstone me too, once I got the hang of it there were no issues.
PunBoleh@KatyElphinstone Oh, that explains this glass door that had both "push" and "pull" written on it, and you were probably supposed to easily recognise which one you're seeing from behind. They always looked the same to me, and I had to stop and stare at the letters to see which word was reversed.
I ended up memorising the colours of the letters (they were black on one side and white on the other) so that I could open the door without solving riddles first.
Good times :)
I ended up memorising the colours of the letters (they were black on one side and white on the other) so that I could open the door without solving riddles first.
Good times :)
What an interesting observation ! Yes.... I guess to others the 'wrong' one would be pretty much incomprehensible ☺️
lizzzzard@KatyElphinstone I love the expression "vegetation". It has a quiet, peaceful feeling to it, while making clear that movement and verbal communication may not be wanted in that state. Also, recharging slowly (photosynthesis!).
After watching the movie "corner office", I started calling this recharge process "going into my room" or "starting at my favorite wall" to my husband.
@KatyElphinstone Highly recommended movie for autistic people, by the way! It depicts how minds that work differently have a hard time in the social web of the workplace, even if their unique way of working leads to good results.
Ooh lovely, and thank you for the recommendation! I'm going to look for that now 😊
I've found it on IMDb and it looks great - only can't see it on Netflix. Where did you find it to watch?
@KatyElphinstone uhhh... The Internet... 🫣 Because we also got the tip from somewhere and couldn't find a streaming source here in Germany.
Got it :)
My son will find it for me, no problem.