Me: I Don't Know Which Of These Things Is My Favorite.

I don’t think that a lot of people know what ABA/masking “therapy” actually does to autistic children.

(ANALOGY) If you’re taking a pan out of a hot oven and it hurts your hand, you’ll scrunch your face up and go “ow!” But then someone else comes along and tells you to be quiet, and then force you to keep taking out and putting back in the pan, until you don’t react when you do it. It still hurts, of course, but you’ve been conditioned to not react whenever you are burned by the pan. You could’ve used an oven mitt or had someone else get the pan for you, or maybe just not have done it at all, but you were told for years what the “right way” to take the pan out was. And now you’ve built up callouses, and take the pan out the exact way you were trained to, unconsciously ignoring your pain. It still hurts, but you’re not supposed to do it another painless way, and instead continue to hurt, because it’s all you were taught to do.

ABA doesn’t make autistic kids’ lives easier, it makes the parents’ lives easier, because now they won’t have to listen to their child telling them that they’re in pain. Your child is upset and hurting, but it’s too “hard/stressful” for you to acknowledge and help them.

WE ARE NOT AN ANNOYANCE OR A BURDEN. WE ARE YOUR CHILDREN. WE ARE NOT A BROKEN PUZZLE THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT BACK TOGETHER.

We are people, we have thoughts and feelings, and we feel pain. But we keep it bottled up inside because showing love and care for your child is apparently too “difficult” for you.

(EDIT)

Holy shit this post blew up real quickly

I actually used my AAC in public today for the first time. I know this might not sound like much to some people, but when I have speaking issues and end up nonverbal or having a verbal communication issue (I don’t know what to call it without people getting mad at me) I normally just stop talking all together and isolate myself. This AAC really helped me so much today and I don’t feel so drained physically and mentally from work. I’m really happy so now I don’t have to go home and sleep the rest of my afternoon away, I can play a game or read!!

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Also, I don’t know what you’d call it that I have. I was nonverbal for well over 7 years and have on and off verbal issues where I can talk some days but most days I’m completely silent. Recently I’m having an episode that’s seeming to last about 4 days.

Clarice Lispector, A Breath of Life

04,08,2024

counting helps

Disablity aids are super cool.

You, and your aids look awesome, pretty/handsome/pleasant, and super rad.

I often feel embarrassed for wearing ear defenders, or for having a tablet harnessed around me but like?? That isnt what it is!! It is a disability aid. It is an AAC device. It is how I communicate, and there is no reason to he embarrassed by that.

My headaches have lasted since November 29th and it’s currently January 26th😞. It feels as if it has never stopped once and I honestly don’t remember what it’s like to not be in pain because of my head. I’ve had blood work and a ct scan done and everything comes back fine. Sometimes I feel like the doctors might think I’m faking my pain, but honestly why would someone do that for so long. I feel like my life is crumbling apart around me and no one in my family or friend group understands the pain I’m going through. Everyone tells me to get better soon but it hasn’t ever felt better and I’m getting annoyed at that sometimes. I know people just care and want to put in some motivation or what not but it just reminds me that I feel like I’ll never be the same again. I’m just praying for a diagnosis and to finally understand how to live my life again... but if anyone ever needs anyone to talk to about chronic pain or anything I’m always here for everyone. It’s hard and sometimes you just want a shoulder to cry on and I’ll be that shoulder if you ever need anyone 🥰💕

I like how the diagnosis thing for chronic migraines is like “15 headache days a month, each lasting more than 4 hours” like.

I don’t even have separate headaches it just. Doesn’t stop. It’s unending. Constant headache.

I’m up and active today? Doesn’t matter I’ve still got a headache. I’m talking and laughing and participating in my life? Still got a headache. It doesn’t stop. Sometimes it’s not as bad but it’s always there.

Lots of people (my mom included) don’t seem to understand that it literally never ends.

I don’t remember the last time I wasn’t in pain.

Genuinely.

I can’t remember.

Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that once you get even the most shy, introverted history major talking about their favorite area of history they will talk for hours if you let them. 

Most of the history majors that I know have one or two periods/families/people that they are intensely interested in. If you attempt to tell them that it’s boring or doesn’t matter they will fight you and proceed to inform you of how it provides context for such and such historical event, power dynamic, movement, or invention. Even just imagining someone telling me that history is irrelevant makes me want to argue about why it’s useful, relevant, and important and what skills you can learn from studying it.

I think that this is also  true for most people that are interested in a history related field. 

I hate that chronic illnesses come with other chronic illnesses it’s like a buy one get one deal from hell

Reblogging this because I needed to hear it

Let the Following be Understood

No one is entitled to your body, except you.

No one is entitled to your time, except you.

No one is entitled to your abilities, except you.

No one is entitled to an explanation of your craft, justifications or to your craft as a whole, except you.

Your personal existence is yours. Feel free to share it but if someone makes you uncomfortable or demands something, understand that it is yours and your personal expression and you are not obligated by any means to need to justify or give parts of yourself to someone who wouldn't give you the same luxury. Don't let entitled people steal your soul, your heart, your being.

Like, I really need people who are against self diagnosis, the majority of whom had the privilege of being diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, to understand how racist, classist, and ableist this viewpoint is.

So many people of color go undiagnosed. Their adhd/autism is chalked up to behavioral problems and no one bothers to look into it further.

So many poor people don’t have the money to be able to afford getting a formal evaluation. That shit is expensive.

So many people get misdiagnosed. Afab adults in particular are more likely to get diagnosed with BPD when they actually have adhd or autism. People with a trauma history have their symptoms chalked up to trauma and all adhd/autism specific symptoms are ignored.

If you were diagnosed as a child or teen you have absolutely no right to dismiss people (especially adults, afab people, and people of color) and act like self diagnosis is harmful. Most people who self-dx do so after extensive research and they know themselves better than you. Self-dx doesn’t take anything away from people with a formal diagnosis; it helps the individual find an understanding community and coping skills that make their lives easier. If you’re bothered by that, that says a lot about your character.