• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 34 subscribers
  • Views 1657 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Autistic Presentation

Raven_Forester

Hi everyone, 

Is there ever a time that anyone ever feels more autistic than normal? I guess a better way to phrase this is, is there ever a time when its harder to hide your autism? Like when you're tired or stressed or experiencing other high emotions. Such as attending a funeral while extremely sleep deprived which was exactly what happened today. Well, I guess all week I've felt that I've been acting "way more autistic" than usual. For instance, more stimming, more sensory sensitivity, social tolerance, worsened executive dysfunction, etc. Does anyone else get that? Just curious. 

Or it could be totally unrelated to autism. 

Parents

  • Since my Dad died my autism has been more noticeable. I found the Wake hard. It was good to see relatives but the social thing of it was very difficult. Then other things in my life added to that so when the first lockdown started I was off work with stress. I had some support with CBT, although that was stressful too, but my stress reduced because I could go for walks when it was much quieter. 

    As things opened up I found it more stressful, especially now that people have the choice re their behavior. I have recently had to go to appointments and tried going back to a place with more people. I have found this very difficult and even more stressed than usual. I have had several weeks where I can't catch up on my sleep, often waking early, even though I am tired. I have also found work, even from home harder. When I am tired my brain reaches a stage where I can look at problems at work and can't work things out I could on other days. I definitely find things much harder when I am tired and more tempted to not face things at all.

    All the recent stress and now the war as well has definitely made me more obviously autistic, as well as lack of sleep.

Reply

  • Since my Dad died my autism has been more noticeable. I found the Wake hard. It was good to see relatives but the social thing of it was very difficult. Then other things in my life added to that so when the first lockdown started I was off work with stress. I had some support with CBT, although that was stressful too, but my stress reduced because I could go for walks when it was much quieter. 

    As things opened up I found it more stressful, especially now that people have the choice re their behavior. I have recently had to go to appointments and tried going back to a place with more people. I have found this very difficult and even more stressed than usual. I have had several weeks where I can't catch up on my sleep, often waking early, even though I am tired. I have also found work, even from home harder. When I am tired my brain reaches a stage where I can look at problems at work and can't work things out I could on other days. I definitely find things much harder when I am tired and more tempted to not face things at all.

    All the recent stress and now the war as well has definitely made me more obviously autistic, as well as lack of sleep.

Children
  • in reply to Homebird

    I can relate to what you say about work.

    I think people only have so much short term brain capacity. I think because we process things differently (eg social interactions processed more by cognition than intuition) this also takes up brain power. Feeling tired adds to this.

  • in reply to Homebird

    I've found going back to busy places much harder since COVID.