Neurodiversity

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Over 75 million people in the world are Autistic, yet information about the experiences of and support for Autistic adults is limited.

We have a picture in our minds of what autism “looks” like, but that is only a stereotypical external presentation. Autism Spectrum Conditions are largely misunderstood because much of the autism experience is internal and invisible. Autistic individuals have a different way of seeing, interacting with, and processing the world. They often have multiple sensitivities—physical, emotional, and sensory—and can find the world to be an overwhelming place.

In people who do not identify as a young white male, diagnosis is difficult.* Due to the high rates of masking (hiding or suppressing Autistic traits) in women and other minority communities, there is a great deal of misdiagnosis or no diagnosis at all, leading to further mental health challenges.

*Note on self-diagnosis: An Autism Spectrum Condition diagnosis is a privilege for many individuals, women in particular, as there are many barriers to obtaining a clinical diagnosis. Some of these barriers include stigma, assessment tools that were developed for wealthy, white, gender-conforming boys in mind, a lack of specialists who are qualified to assess and diagnose autism in adults, an inability to afford the assessment, and a difference in the presentation of autistic traits in women (Price, 2022; Talcer et al., 2021). 

 

Parenting & Autism

Becoming a parent put my nervous system into constant hyper-arousal. I can see now that my strategies for self-regulation (which I wasn’t aware of at the time) became unavailable once I had a living child. After reading Moyna Talcer’s article A Qualitative Exploration into the Sensory Experiences of Autistic Mothers, I became very focused on exploring why parenting presents extra challenges to Autistic parents. In my role as a professor, I worked with a team of students to further understand this topic.

Autism, Pregnancy Loss, and Grief

For those who know me, I appear stoic and don’t usually express emotions outwardly (which I can now attribute to alexithymia). My internal experience, however, is completely different, as I am highly empathetic and feel deeply. I became curious to understand how my response to my stillbirth could be viewed through an autism lens.

From the time that I found out Norbert’s heart had stopped beating and through the birthing process, I became suddenly overwhelmed and unable to process anything. This sensory processing failure led to shutdown. I was in shock, numb, and dissociated. I did not cry. I also judged myself because I did not grieve in the “expected” way.

It’s important for us to understand that the appearance and needs of Autistic people differ from the typical grieving person.

In a split second, I experienced the loss of my assumptive world. I needed facts, information, a plan, guidance (from providers), which I did not receive. With this tremendous uncertainty, my fear and anxiety skyrocketed. With Return to Zero: HOPE, I created what was missing in my own life experiences surrounding the stillbirth of my son in order to help other people navigating this experience. 

Neurodiversity Resources

General

Podcasts

Autism in Women

ADHD, Autism, and Hormones

Autism and Parenting

Co-Occurring Health Conditions