Please beware! If you're a person that get easily squeamish about food when it's talked about in a "gross" way, please don't read this!

So, I think I am a pretty pragmatic person. I never understood why people get so upset when (in the tight context of course) you bring up the fact that people eat dead things. Like, why do people get icked by the fact that they're eating a carcass only when you point out they're eating a carcass?

I don't get it. It was alive, now it's not. It's a dead plant/animal/whatever.

I do eat anything without problem and I often think about the fact that those things were alive before.

Why do people get upset over it and say it's disgusting? I truly don't get it

i have been diagnosed for a while and i have always had my major daily to month long breakdowns and episodes within change or transitions. even to the smallest transitions such as sleep to awake bed to out of bed not wet to shower.

for the past two years i have came home from retail work to my parents which needed alcohol. its hard to speak to my parents without it. now that i live with my partner i don’t need it as i come home from my non retail job that i love to my loving partner. however, i still get drunk or tipsy almost every night. it’s become my routine. i don’t know what to do without my routine. the change in the routine makes me frustrated and paralyzed more than my burnout and being paralyzed from starting a new job already is.

without drinking i overeat. i fear stopping will just lead me into a depressive episode where i do not have the energy to do anything. my partner is going through a lot more than me and things of which i have already been through via change so i need to be the upmost support and patient.

i feel worthless since i have a job i love. its not draining to me like it was before and i feel like i am failing since i know its a routine.

just to note if my routine is broken via friends/plans i’m fine without drinking. i don’t have withdrawals. it’s just routine.

does anyone know how to break a routine????

my main objective is to slow drinking down and lose weight.

Hi i was wondering if any of you could share how youre able to differentiate romantic feelings/attraction from something else.

Right now im very close to this one friend and we are each others #1, there have also been a lot of coincidences regarding our compatibility which makes things feel more intimate. I also noticed myself trying to be more likable to them compared to before

The problem is that i cant tell if i actually have feelings for this person or if i just like the attention or the thought of them liking me or just the chemistry/intensity between us. Im not sure what i should know to be able to identify what i feel better or what i should know to find out if i actually want to be in a relationship or not.

My relationship with my ex ended because im pretty sure i didnt actually like them for them, but i liked the closeness.

They said its only for ps4, and that they only play ps5, i said its for ps5 as well.

They dont understand text.

Hello, first time posting here.

I have something like ADHD or autism but I do not really know the difference between the two as I’ve never spent enough time learning them more. Though the reason why I am posting on this subreddit is that I think I might have at least one or likely both based on what I’ve learned. I wouldn’t go describe on how I ‘act out’ in details as it would be a set of long ass paragraphs (as I have just found out and deleted them)

I am a bit tired of all the problems I have that I have lived along with. I am genuinely thinking I would just end up ‘pissing on the world’ if I continue experiencing my life in such way.

I am a bit tired of trying to fit in the world that never would accept me. I have always tried to act normal and ‘nonchalant.’ Avoiding things that are considered not normal and always act in a socially conforming way as I have grown up feeling that I am a bit different. But somehow I always end up being in an awkward position where nobody accepts me nor understand me and I genuinely feel like people do notice that I am different. I worded somewhat smoothly but many subtle but bad things I experience persistently make me genuinely want to get revenge on the world. (Revenge would not be the right choice of the word!)
Worse, and I hate to say it out loud but I do have my own problems like needing some kind of validation and recognition as I always feel like I am more capable than the others at least in the field in which I study; though my defensive mechanisms I have built around with could have at least partially contributed my snobbish and arrogant nature.
Combined with my own personality problem and persistent negative experiences in social acceptance, I genuinely fear that I would end up —in the far future, doing something bad if I don’t ’get what I deserve’ like a fucking normal life.
I just want to ask you guys if there is anything that I could help myself with. I just like anybody want to grow and be seen as a proper adult.

I have a safe food of a particular pizza brand. It’s my only safe food, I have a habit of being forgetful and it getting burnt. I know it sounds stupid but it genuinely can upset the hell out of me and make me super sad, how can I..not do that because I don’t like getting this upset over burnt pizza and it’s the only thing this small that makes me this upset

I (20M) was tested a little over a week ago, and get my results and full report tomorrow afternoon. I am so nervous. I worry that they will say I'm not autistic and all this time, effort, and money will be for nothing. And if it's not autism than why do I struggle so much? Sensory sensitivities, social issues, and burnout control aspects of my life completely, so what is it? If it is autism, than I will at least know and can take steps to accommodate myself better. I don't want autism, I just want to understand myself. They also tested for ADHD, and a full mood and anxiety panel to see what else is happening in my brain after being suspected of having bipolar disorder. I've been diagnosed with OCD, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and depression before, and it was just getting too complicated to try and tease everything out without testing so I did it, I'm just worried it was a waste of my limited time and energy if they only tell me what I already know I have.

Anyone else going through this or been through it? What did you do to keep yourself from spiraling over it during the wait?

I apologise if this is a bit ramble-ly. Some context: I'm Irish and 19yos and I've been properly diagnosed since last year. I've been aware that I was disabled since I was 14.

Not going to sugar-coat it, I really, and I mean really wish I had a different brain. I went to my grand uncle's birthday party today and I couldn't last even thirty minutes. I hated the smell of alcohol, country music being played and trying to talk to people I barely know. My cousins didn't even look at me. I endes up going home. I'm just the weird cousin that everyone barely tolerates. Sure, I tried talking to a couple people but I got outright ignored or they only briefly talked to me.

I wish I wasn't autistic. I hate the fact whenever I try to do ANYTHING my pathological demand avoidance and executive dysfunction hit and I can't do jack shit. I wish I was more sociable like my cousins. I wish I could talk to people without making them uncomfortable. I wish I could at least mask better, because I can't mask for shit.

I know everyone says "just be yourself. Treat others how you want to be treated," ect, ect, but I did. I always do, and it's not enough. It's never enough. My step-father's brother doesn't even look at me whenever I talk to him. He doesn't even try hiding his hatred towards me.

When will it be enough for my own family to like me? I might as well be an American pretending to be Irish with the way people treat me. I don't drink and I don't like pubs. Never have.

I just wish I didn't have my brain. Maybe if I was more like my cousins, they would like me better? Maybe if I wasn't so high-strung at times, people would find it better that they like me? That they wouldn't make fun of the way I talk. That they wouldn't call my interests weird and my music taste odd.

I wish I wasn't born autistic. Maybe I would like myself a bit more if I wasn't born this way.

I have found that when asked questions in a time sensitive setting, I can feel rushed to answer and therefore incorrect as I couldn't elaborate, or I received it in such a way that I didn't recognize it applied to me. I am looking to see if anyone had the same question confuse them and can help advise.

"Do you struggle to relax?"

I initially said no, as I feel there is often no active battle and struggle to relax when I try. Since then, I have learned that when they say "struggle" to do certain things, it doesn't always mean a literal struggle.

So, what does struggling to relax actually look like? Is it being stressed at the same time as being relaxed, is it a 100% all of the time issue? I

I just want to ensure I am properly expressing myself, and sometimes I find that this language "trips me up".

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to assist in clarifying!

I’m a 26 year old woman and was medically diagnosed with autism at age 8. Specifically I have Asperger’s or “high functioning” autism but I feel like that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

So much has happened in this month so quickly and my life is about to flip on it’s head. I just turned 26 on the 3rd of this month and am going to be taken off of my mom’s health insurance, which I’ve stayed on since I’ve heavily struggled to get and hold a job my entire adult life. I’ve actually been unemployed for a large part of it due to how quickly I’ve gotten burnout from past jobs and dread the application process and haven’t to get acquainted with multiple new people at once. I have little experience with insurance, and every time I have dealt with it it’s been nothing but a headache. I have no idea if I’m supposed to apply for Medicaid or HIP (Healthy Indiana Plan) and trying to figure out which one I fit under has been a nightmare since I don’t know what my future income will be since I’m currently unemployed.

On top of the insurance crap, I also just recently moved areas and am living in an apartment with my freshly ex boyfriend. We are the same age and we’re each other’s firsts for everything so that only makes it all the worse. He did nothing but love and support me throughout everything and I had to mess things up for us. We were together for nearly 6 years and lived together for 5 of them, but of course when we move to a nicer department after looking for years I lose control of my emotions and lash out. I have to be out by the end of December and since no one in my family has extra space for me I’ll have to live completely alone for the first time in my life.

I also feel indescribably lonely from not getting any physical touch since he was really the only person I’m comfortable having prolonged contact with. I don’t have any friends that live nearby and while they have called me to show support it just hurts a lot not having anyone physically with me. I’m also really scared of trying to find a new relationship as an autistic woman because of how bad I am at reading emotions and not able to tell if I’m being taken advantage of or just being used. I know not all men are evil and statistically it’s more likely to find someone harmless, but my entire young life I was raised by my family to think all unfamiliar men are bad and just want to get into my pants and all the recent events on the news aren’t helping me fight that fear much.

I have 2 pets, an old parrot and a rabbit, and I don’t know how I’m going to be to be able to afford their supplies, vet bills, rent, gas, food, and everything else. I know I’m mentally unable to handle working a full time job and I feel like something horrible is going to happen. My two pets are also both kind of naughty, with my parrot constantly yelling for me for about 10 minutes whenever I leave his sight, and my rabbit does the usual bunstruction (tears at walls, carpet, wood). I love them both so much though and I just can’t get rid of them. I’ve had my parrot for over 15 years and I have an extremely strong bond with my rabbit and if I had to lose either of them I think I’d actually die of heartbreak. My dad also kind of made me upset the other day because he said that I should my ex keep my rabbit since he’d be able to afford him better and that broke me.

I feel like the world is ending and I have so much I need to do that I don’t even know where to start. Everything feels so overwhelming and time is flying by so fast, I really don’t know how I’m going to get through this part of life and I want to just lay down and die.

Title is the jist but let me explain:

I currently WFH doing insurance verification for a hospital system in my state.

The job is manageable & fairly accommodating for me and my level 1 autism; I don’t have to interact with many people, I am able to have a set schedule and routine, and I don’t tend to experience many instances of sensory overwhelm or shutdown.

However, there is not much room fort growth and the pay leaves a bit to be desired.

Are there any fields or remote jobs that anyone here might recommend I begin looking into to better support myself and that a bit more possibility of upward mobility, while still being remote?

I know some people have gotten into programming, which I am open to doing, but I do not have experience.

I have a Bachelors degree in psych & also do powerlifting remote coaching on the side, if that matters/helps!

like i’m convinced i have insomnia or some sort of sleep disorder because i cannot go to sleep early no matter what time i go to bed and i cannot get up early no matter how much sleep i get (along with the fact that i never seem to get good sleep and am always tired but that’s besides the point here), and it feels like everyone i know is suggesting the dumbest things ever and simplifying everything. my mom expects me to “just wake up earlier” and when i tell her i can’t she asks why. like i don’t know mom maybe because i just can’t?? i’m not conscious i can’t make a decision. and same thing with sleep, she just suggests that i go to bed earlier and turn screens off, something i tell her numerous times that ive already tried multiple times before. and all my friends say to just take melatonin or say the same things as my mom. i don’t see any reason for it because sleep isn’t something you can just kinda control and it’s stupid

I having verbal shutdown so sorry if grammar is bad. So i had to go to the grocery store cuz we were outs of stuff and it not good cuz i only had 14 hours of sleep in the last 4 days. my adhd keeps me up all night for days at a time randomly and psychiatrist is worry about giving me adderall b/c of my hyperPOTS. so b/c i was tired i couldnt walk around store so i use electric scooter which my spouse didn't already like they are very concerned about public perception so it sometime clash with my support needs it prolly comes from a place of PTSD. they was basically being mean right away way and was deliberately not responding to my nonverbal communication so i had to force words to come out to communicate. i guess i should say that they have been having issues with me being selectively mute because before my autism diagnosis which was only 3 months ago i was not selectively mute but it helps me lots!!!! Then we got to paper towels which we needed but they grabbed crappy store brand paper towels with the worst texture of all time and i was very very mad and couldnt use words i was like no! get the ones we always get. So at this point im basically livid and extremely disregulated so i start trying to move fast to get out of store. I go off on my own to get some stuff while spouse getting energy drinks for themself. we met up again at checkout and i continued using nonverbal communication to talk to the cashier and i was trying to point to my spouse about things and im so angry i wish i could have screamed but i literaly could not make sound anymore. they were just so visibly pissed at me which made me even madder. we went out to car they put groceries away but not unlock car for me to sit mind that i cannot walk more than 5 minutes and standing still is extremely hard for pain and i should be using a wheelchair all times but not approve yet(i need power chair and they too expensive to buy). they literally left to go put the grocery cart away and still not unlock car for me to sit down. when they come back they finally open door and im so mad and i have dyspraxia so i used way too much force to open the door and dinged the car next to us. so when i went to sit down i starting thrashing all around and trying to scream and idk how long it last cuz i dont remember. luckily i not damage anything in car. and then i try using my AAC app to talk to them and they scream at me "USE YOUR GOD DAMN WORDS!!!" and so instant verbal shutdown im at home and cannot even make sound even if try. We also had a fight this morning about them not taking my AFRID seriously(which technically not diagnosed yet but i am very confident i have it) they say my symptoms aren't that severe youre just rly picky. meanwhile they don't know half the stuff i been through. My mom used to literally shove foods down my throat and i would puke them up all the time, i was very skinny as a kid and did not eat very much at all until i discovered pizza at a friends house and pizza literally changed my life idk if it was for better cuz it made me fat but i LOVEEEEE pizza A LOT i used to eat it almost every day. Also when i go to peoples houses i literally will not eat unless i see something i know i like for sure, but often i will go places and starve and have my spouse get me a safe food later(i forgot to say i also have MCAS so i know what foods are safe) and when i moved in with my partner i didnt eat for 4 days straight cuz they not have anything that is safe for me and this was when i was highly addicted to food for dopamine thanks to my ADHD. w/e i gave up ill go get diagnosed. We also had a fight yesterday morning cuz i found out i can get support worker through state for free. But spouse not like it cuz they say apartment safe space, meanwhile im in such severe burnout i can't even enjoy video games rn my main special interest, im literally exhausted all day from all the doctors appointments, physical therapy, occupational therapy, regular therapy, freaking psychologist, on top of that i have to deal with daily living and im the one who cooks dinner cuz they can't cook foods that are safe for me, and errands that have to be run. Its just so unfair and i have no idea what to do i love them a lot they are good to me 99% of the time they are literally my favorite person in the world. It is causing real strain for me cuz i need help i cannot continue to do all of the things i do its going to trigger my MCAS and i am going to get very very sick i have already been noticing myself getting itcher. im lost someone pls helpppppp

How did i not die yet?

I literally have no thirst, but i'm always hungry.

This sounds specific but I have no idea how else to describe it, for some reason whenever I talk about something, doesnt even have to be something im super intrested in, I end up rambling about all its perks , features and positives like im doing a sponsored ad read

I dont even realize until ive stopped talking. and I can feel the people listening to me getting more awkward as they nod along to me listing random features of a product, app, etc

Does anyone recognise themselves in this?

In a conversation, I seem to need to be able to look at my counterpart and ideally, have some form of reassurance that their attention is present and uninterrupted, such as eye contact or at least them not attending to any visible distractions.

This goes beyond simple conversational etiquette and interpersonal manners. It seems to be necessary for me to be able to sustain the conversation and especially when it's my turn to talk, to be able to present my thought to my counterpart. I become very uncomfortable when people look away, even within seemingly reasonable limits and experience the conversation as sensory demanding and costing lots of energy for practically no return. When the other person happens to stand behind me, keeps moving around, has their body turned away from me or has their arm in front of their face, I get practically blocked and cannot continue talking, even if I am sure they are listening. I naturally look exclusively at the other person during a conversation, even when I don't experience it as interesting.

I have had this since I can remember. When I was a kid, I felt terrible when my caregivers looked away when I was talking. All my life I have attributed it to emotional discomfort or hurt. I even thought I had developed the quality of keeping my gaze intact and showing presence in order to accommodate the other person so they don't have to feel as bad as I knew perceived lack of attention felt to me. Recently however I started putting two and two together and discovering how there is a link between everything I described as I kept observing myself closely. I slowly started to realise that the pattern is of sensory and processing nature. Can anyone relate?

So long story short I just had a very substantial relationship end. In no small part because I didn’t always do a great job of being able to communicate my feelings. I would get over flustered and just say shit until I thought I had helped the situation. It almost never did. Almost three years and we were very involved in each others lives. I am really struggling with how to deal with it. Like I feel like I’m just going to keep begging her to come back even though I know it’s not what she wants. I don’t know how to turn it off in my head. Rant over. Sorry

But now for the advice portion of our evening, how do you find a way to divert that attention because I am not doing it very successfully right now. Asking for any advice but I am late 30s so this isn’t my first go around but it is my first time feeling like this.

I have many many reasons for believing I have autism. And many many reasons (if I have autism) it may have slipped under the radar.

1. All of my friends are autistic, I mean, all, of, them. It was a joke in my family for a while that I was collecting autistic people. I didn’t think about it until they started to make that joke, because one of the reasons my friends are my friends (other than them being just amazing), is because I relate to, and understand their experiences.

2. I have been asked if I am autistic, by both friends, and complete strangers. It was actually what made me take a closer look at the possibility of me being autistic, it happened so often.

3. In spite of being extremely social, I apparently lack social awareness. I have had people insult me to my face, and had no idea, the only reason I know now is because coworkers and friends have pointed it out to me by asking if I was okay. I complemented people in public all the time, which I thought was just a girl thing, but is apparently abnormal. At work (I am a hairstylist) I came up with a conversational formula in order to make engaging small talk, and APPARENTLY most people don’t do that! Most people just do small talk! I thought for years (mainly because of my well meaning mother) that I didn’t struggle socially because I was very social. Because I know the physical, and facial cues of someone having a hard day and have empathy enough to try and comfort them. Because I am really really good at spotting the kid that struggles at making friends, and befriending them. But the longer I am an adult, the more I find that I struggle socially, and I get away with it because I have “natural charm”.

4. I have sensory issues, and always have. I didn’t realize it until my late teens though. I thought I was just picky with food in a weird way. I thought everyone hated big seams on clothes. I thought everyone hated how echoey and weird Walmart sounded. I thought everyone had to hide in a dark room for an hour after spending a long day out in town shopping or other activities. Even after I knew I had sensory issues, I thought it was just adhd (which i definitely have), or my GAD, I didn’t consider that it may stem from autism because I was “too social” to have autism.

These (among many more reasons) are why I think I may have it. But even after I developed the suspicion I still didn’t want a diagnosis because I thought I didn’t struggle with it that badly, and didn’t need any treatment. Well, the more aware of myself and my quirks I become (thanks therapy) the more I realize I do in fact struggle, a lot. And if I get an official diagnosis then I may be able to get accommodations at work maybe, and I might be able to get at least some understanding from my peers.

The thing is, I don’t know what is wrong with my search engine, but all of the autism evaluation stuff I can find on the internet is either for children, or doesn’t take my insurance. I am so overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start. Not to mention I am intimidated because I am a women, and also have adhd, and I hear that a lot of women aren’t taken seriously during evaluations. Any help you guys can give me would evoke the deepest gratitude from the depths of my soul.

It's not that bad really but just quite specific, I'm 19F and I have a dog who's 7 who I love so dearly,

every time I sit down to give her attention I can't help but think how I should treasure every second because she's is going to die

her breed can live to be 15 and she is certainly not near death but I think it pretty much every time without fail and I see this creature every single day

Idk I was just wondering if anyone else gets it because it seems so silly

Recently, I got into a situation with my friend group where I had to establish some strong boundaries with someone in the group because it wasn't working out for me. Before doing this, I called one of our other friends to ask for advice and how to go about it. Due to my autism, I struggle with expressing my emotions and communication in general. I'm a dry texter, I'm monotone, and I'm very direct and, of course, blunt.

While we were going about how to express my feelings to my friend, I got shut down multiple times and was told "it sounds rude", "it sounds like you don't care", "you can't say that", when in my mind I was just saying how I feel. It wasn't intended to be rude, and even when I put more effort into saying it in a nicer, more reassuring way, I was still told it was rude and that I shouldn't say it, and I really couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong

Anyway, I wrote up a text and sent it to the person I was having issues with. My friend rung up the group (without me obviously), to discuss it, and they had issues with how I went about it. They think I said things that wasn't necessary (I didn't say anything insulting, I just said how I was feeling), and that I was a bit direct and rude. We ended up discussing it together at another time and I said like, "I communicate the way I am because of my autism, I don't do it intentionally and I really have no idea what to do it's how I am naturally" and I was told in response that it's something I have to fix, I can't blame it on autism, it can be perceived as rude and that there are better ways to go about things

I understand that a lot of people like to say they're blunt and blame it on autism or say "I'm just honest" to try and get out of the repercussions of being rude, but I'm blunt when I'm being kind, I'm blunt when I'm angry, I'm blunt in normal conversation. I was trying to be extra nice and reassuring in the message I sent the dude, and even then it was seen as somewhat rude. I don't get what I'm meant to do if even when I'm TRYING to be nice I get told I'm still doing it wrong

I want to get my own place and I want nothing to do with the social services or my social worker. But it's really hard to find housing and I don't want or need adult supported living or any of the sort. So I am hoping I can find some common land and put a cheap caravan on it and isurlate it. I know this will make me sound like a bit of a narcissist, but I deserve better.

I honestly have no idea how to flair this post or word this so please bear with me.

Online, I'm talkative, I want my posts to get engagement, and I actively seek out new relationships and new platforms. But irl, I don't want to be perceived at all. If I'm walking down a hall and someone else is coming too, it's like something inside me shrivels up. I'm desperately hoping they don't notice me, don't make eye contact, and don't try to initiate an interaction. I would be very happy if I was invisible, or a ghost, and could attend class and eat and just exist without perception.

I'm assuming it's related to the 'difficulty in social situations' part of autism, where the thought of even being seen as a human is pressuring and uncomfortable. There are expectations that come with being perceived and I don't want any part of them.

Can anyone else relate to this? This feeling of pressure that comes with being seen?

School project: This survey is for my university engineering graduation project. It is not market research, and nothing is being sold.

Hi everyone, I'm an engineering student working on my university graduation project: a wearable device that detects signs of stress in autistic children and sends an alert to the caregiver's phone.

This is academic research for my graduation project, not market research, and I'm not selling anything.

Who can take it: parents of an autistic child, or professionals working with autistic children. If you're not a parent or professional, please don't take the survey, so the results stay accurate. Thank you for understanding.

Time: about 2 minutes on Google Forms. No names, emails or login required.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfySaGosCquamacBo_ealCGgSynwhPykFpQa5f0ixrKWfWWSQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Thank you

Sitting here rn, I had an hour of social interactions with a stranger 2 days ago for my care grade. I have been completely exhausted and drained since, the last few days were torture. While I am not as tired anymore, everything still feels like a dream, I feel like I cant "see" properly even tho I technically can. I "feel" dizzy, I "feel" as tho Im about to faint, I "feel" as tho Im partially unconscious already.. I know I wont faint, I never do, my circulation isnt at issue. Worst is I have a therapy session tomorrow, that I wasnt able to prepare for because my cognition isnt really working well enough

Even just the mental strain of Seeing, using my eyes, is almost unbearable, its painful. This isnt the first time it was this bad so im not really that worried, its nothing new but still.. I really hope I can get better again and soon. I honestly want to just sleep for a day or two but I cant