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What defines your autism?

Deleted user
over 1 year ago

There's another question that sprang to mind this morning.

What defines your autism?

I have noticed that most of the posts on the forum appear to be about our vulnerabilities.

So, is our autism defined by our vulnerabilities?

Certainly the sensitivities and communication difficulties can make us more vulnerable to stress and isolation.

Any positives anyone?

I'm still thinking about that one.

There is a lot of food for thought once we have obtained recognition either personally or professionally.

Parents
  • over 1 year ago

    Well, yes, I would say that it is my sensitivity.  And yes, that does make me vulnerable in certain situations.  However, I wouldn't say that I'd like to be free of it.  It's at the core of my personality and, like many qualities, comes with a positive side.  For me sensitivity has increased my ability to tune in and empathise with others, to work creatively and has also heightened my perception.  I don't think I'd want that dialling down again and I actually just wish that more people shared this sensitivity. 

    I'm not sure about communication difficulties, although certainly there can be a mismatch at times.  It's a two way street though - do non autistics not have a different set of comminication difficulties?  

    And vulnerablity, although it grows out of sensitivity and can lead to a whole lot of pain and suffering, isn't without an upside either.  Most of us will be vulnerable in some ways, after all, but I think we're encouraged to hide this part of ourselves, whether we're autistic or not, and that actually the world could be much improved if we felt more able to stop doing that.  It would mean, of course, creating safer environments from our earliest years onwards, feeling better about our vulnerability, sharing some of it and it being considered more acceptable to reciprocate.  Plus, I think, we'd be living richer lives with deeper relationships.  I could be being fanciful here, but here's one of my favourite poems:-



        

Reply
  • over 1 year ago

    Well, yes, I would say that it is my sensitivity.  And yes, that does make me vulnerable in certain situations.  However, I wouldn't say that I'd like to be free of it.  It's at the core of my personality and, like many qualities, comes with a positive side.  For me sensitivity has increased my ability to tune in and empathise with others, to work creatively and has also heightened my perception.  I don't think I'd want that dialling down again and I actually just wish that more people shared this sensitivity. 

    I'm not sure about communication difficulties, although certainly there can be a mismatch at times.  It's a two way street though - do non autistics not have a different set of comminication difficulties?  

    And vulnerablity, although it grows out of sensitivity and can lead to a whole lot of pain and suffering, isn't without an upside either.  Most of us will be vulnerable in some ways, after all, but I think we're encouraged to hide this part of ourselves, whether we're autistic or not, and that actually the world could be much improved if we felt more able to stop doing that.  It would mean, of course, creating safer environments from our earliest years onwards, feeling better about our vulnerability, sharing some of it and it being considered more acceptable to reciprocate.  Plus, I think, we'd be living richer lives with deeper relationships.  I could be being fanciful here, but here's one of my favourite poems:-



        

Children
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