What Helps Nervous System Regulation in Autism?
Autistic people are often told that they need to regulate their nervous system. The advice that follows may include breathing exercises, mindfulness, cold showers, vagus…
Category: Autism
Autism and Cold Sensitivity: Temperature, Sensory Processing & Regulation
For some autistic people, cold is not merely uncomfortable. A chilly room may make it impossible to think, cold wind may feel physically painful, and…
Autism and Motivation: Why “Lack of Motivation” May Be Something Else
An autistic person may know that something needs to happen. They may care about the outcome, understand the consequences and genuinely intend to act. Yet…
Autism Obsessions: Intense Interests, Repetition & Hyperfocus
An autistic person may spend hours researching one subject, return to the same story repeatedly, collect detailed information or bring almost every conversation back to…
Is Everyone on the Autism Spectrum? What “Spectrum” Means
Most people can relate to at least one experience associated with autism. We may dislike particular sounds, feel uncomfortable in some social situations, prefer predictable…
How Do Autistic People Show Love? Autism, Affection & Connection
Autistic people experience love, attachment and affection as deeply and diversely as anyone else. What may differ is how those feelings are expressed, communicated or…
Do Autistic People Know They’re Autistic? Self-Awareness & Late Recognition
Some autistic people know or strongly suspect they are autistic long before receiving a diagnosis. Others recognize that they experience the world differently but do…
Autism Decision Paralysis: Why Decisions Become Overwhelming
You have considered every option. You know a decision needs to be made. Yet the more you think, the less able you feel to choose.…
Autistic Procrastination: Why Starting Can Feel Impossible
You know what needs to be done. You may even want to do it. The task could be small, important, or genuinely enjoyable—and yet starting…
Low-Functioning Autism: What the Term Means & Why It Can Mislead
Low-functioning autism is an informal and increasingly outdated term historically used for autistic people perceived to have major disabilities or high support needs. It has…