Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello,
Last week, I was diagnosed with ASD and obviously this is a massive adjustment to try to process. I struggle in busy, overwhelming environments and I'm wondering how I can make this process a bit easier for myself. I wear noise cancelling headphones which help me massively as well as using fidget toys, but I still don't feel like people around me understand or can tell that I'm visibly struggling.
Is it worth me getting something like a lanyard? Or does this draw too much attention to myself for no reason?
I hope that someone can point me in a good direction, I feel so lost since the diagnosis and have no idea how to move forward.
In point of the lanyard, I find my sunflower lanyard really helpful for a couple of big reasons.
1. is that it reminds people of their manners. I sometimes take a bit longer to do things, especially when I'm fighting sensory overwhelm. Without lanyards this can lead to people getting snappish or suspicious of me. With the lanyard they just move on.
2. Is that it allows people a specific reason for my slightly odd behaviours so they don't come up with their own. If you appear distressed on a train station platform (which I generally am due to the Noise and People) you can end up with a few more people coming up with an explanation that means they think they should talk to you, whereas I'd really rather not. But with the lanyard, bam, obvious explanation right there, no conversation needs to be had.
3. This is one that I haven't noticed as much but a friend who has just started using sunflower lanyards has. People literally give you more space. This is quite possibly more to do with 'oo different person scary' than actual consideration, but it is still a bonus, and why fight a bonus.