Autistic overloads

Autistics are often misunderstood. That can lead to verbal abuse and meltdown. 

Most of the time, we just want to be heard. Listening without judgement takes time and effort though it abates conflict.

I suffer for others and I am misunderstood for that.
People think I want to be always in control.
It’s my way of prioritizing, I am confident with it.

I don’t like acting on instinct, if I know that I can do something on a better time, I opt to postpone.

People would get mad at me. 
In turn, I get mad. 

I want to be left alone when panicking. 
People would scold at me more instead, thinking to help.

We want to protect you! 
Don’t counterattack and we ll cool in few minutes!
We understand when people are distressed.

That will only add insult, resulting in rocking, mourning and undue sedation.

Respect Autistic Boundaries.

Our boundaries are different. 
In fact, I wouldn’t talk of boundaries but triggers.

I’m an extremely calm, patient, sociable, altruistic person. 

Only a handful of triggers can cause me to dissociate, like impulsiveness, lack of planning, change in routine still, I can adjust in due time and understanding.



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Autistic Triggers

Triggers are the precursors of Anger.

Anger is the first reaction to disappointment.

Yesterday I was very disappointed.
However, I’m well aware of the uselessness of anger.
Why do we get angry?
Anger is a Sympathetic Nervous System’ s reaction to stress and Triggers.
Triggers-Stress-Sympathetic Nervous System.
The bad news is that the Sympathetic Nervous System is Autonomous, meaning we have no control over it. 
The good news is that Triggers can be avoided.

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Trust

Trust requires lots of commitment. We can only trust genuinely by ‘Entrusting’ our neighbor to God who will remove our doubts and misconceptions. By trusting God, we will trust fully our entrusted neighbor. God never lies.

Trust doesn’t come easy.
In fact, it’s not of human nature.

Friendship is our interpretation of Trust, although two different  concepts.
In theory, even our friends, family, can potentially betray us.
The infamous  “They were my best friends” saying, is often associated with betrayal.
When we put our trust in friends without entrusting them to God’s Word, we stand the chance.

I can be respectful of non-Christian friends by praying and eventually evangelizing them before asking/offering Help.
God will show me the right time and person.

In Psychology, Trust is a delusion, it is not in our human genes. Everytime we trust, we’re assailed by doubts and fear.
Real Trust is meant to be Unconditional.
We can only trust God and the people we pray over.

Another expression of Human Trust is ‘Give and Take’, hardly unconditional.
We shouldn’t expect anything in return when we help our neighbor.

I understand this article will be mindless and upsetting to non-religious readers, nor do I want to push my personal agendas online.
I just had the inspiration, a testimonial from an autistic Christian perspective.

I don’t expect anyone to agree or disagree with me.
I just expect Respect.
I welcome healthy debate.

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Cry for help

Attempted suicides are Cries for help. Perpetrators don’t want to die, they want to be heard. It is important to recognize the signs.

How many times we desperately reach-out to hotlines and charities for help.
Whether our desperate thoughts are taken into consideration or not, the sole reaching out to organizations outside the family, is the first sign that the family is not listening to our voices.
A Cry for Help.

Determined Suicides don’t reach-out.
We must reach-out to them.
A person experiencing severe life-events yet acting nonchalantly, indicates a loss of interest in life.

Mania is typically associated to Bipolar Disorder, whereas everybody can go into a manic state under pressure.

I have the utmost respect for hotlines and charity workers, although they don’t have any authority over institutions, they can only offer advice.
Callers want action, therefore these services can add more frustration than relief to severely distressed sufferers.

Hospitalization is the last option.
Unfortunately, this category of people is not fond of hospitals.
They frantically continue to reach-out to no avail.
This is a trait of Mania.
Delusion is the last stage before Self-harm as in Cry for Help.
People who overdose, typically call an ambulance when they start to drift off.
Not always, help arrives on time.


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Resilience in Autism

Distances are not easy to manage. If technology is not your forte, they can become even more triggering.

Sad day.

Brother’s birthday who lives far away.

I must arrange a Skype session in different time-zones.

I suffer for my neighbor.
I’m panicking right now.
A tornado is approaching to make things worse. 

I’m considering whether to call my wife at work or my local helpline.
I’m not very fond of helplines, though I respect the work they do.

My wife comes in an hour, I’ll opt for chronicling after all.
Journaling is very effective in confronting fears.
Oh, wife arrived soon!
We’re going to set Skype, I’m good at humanities while a tech-crook.
I get very emotional talking to my brother, he’s “low-functioning autistic” and institutionalized, though I despise that bigoted populist ideology.


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Homesickness

Medication is indispensable to me in the current circumstances.

I hate waiting.
It’s an almost imposed, consuming rule that we have little control over.
I always want to be in control of myself.
I’m waiting to go home, possibly the worst consuming wait.
I feel like in exile. A prisoner.

I took one Seroquel today to calm down, instead messed up with my ADHD medication.
My attention is all over the place. 

I’ll mention the bad interaction to my psychiatrist next month.
Even modifying meds is a major challenge to me.
I do very bad on antipsychotics.
Self-medicating is one of my compulsions, I m overly biological oriented and supportive of the ‘fast kick in’ largely compelled by ADHD.
I tried CBT to no avail.

I’m extremely territorial, the ideal location is medicinal to me. 
I’m resolute to go med-free at home. 

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An autistic’s letter

Living in an unfamiliar society is a big deal for autists.

Anger and resentment towards local population are common, although we don’t mean it. Sadly, we are often misunderstood as arrogant ‘Know-it-all’. We must control our emotions when we speak. The following is the unedited transcript I sent to my local community leader.

Dear Sir

Are you ready for Summer?!

Whilst Summer is generally the most beautiful season in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the hardest and most dangerous in Asia: the scorching humid air is the first cause of brain-stroke, typhoons cause floods and mudslides.

Global warming exacerbated these conditions on a yearly scale.

Cities become traps. 
Air-conditioners come with a full array of financial and health issues: the high costs of electricity and airways’ irritation.
Pollution reaches fatal levels.

Still, this technological nation has not come up with safer solutions!

In the Middle East, the hottest spot on earth, they are already using heat-dissipating materials in construction.
ACs are slowly disappearing.

It seems that this country is weary of change.
Most houses still not have Central-Heating…

I’m sure you are aware of these faults as senior citizens.
Seniority is paramount in Advocating for change in this conservative country.

Do your part!
Contact authorities, Government, Institutions.
Change this culture of silence and acceptance!

Don’t look impassively at the elderly found dead of heat-stroke in their homes every Summer!

We’re all in this together, young and old, although seniors have more power, be proud!
You’re in that stage where you have given all to society.
Society owes you!

Young people are submissive to authorities, they can’t afford repercussions on their careers.

You can make the real difference for all.
You’re the most influential category in this country.
Become ‘doers’, not ‘onlookers’.

And have all a safe, peaceful, productive Summer.

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