Since I'll be away on vacation on April 2: World Autism Awareness Day, my 2022 tribute to the occasion will be a week early.
Last year, I published a banner full of inspirational quotes. This year, I'll list some things I want people to understand about those on the autism spectrum. Many of these things are addressed in previous articles.
If our non-verbal communication is off, it is not done intentionally. We have a hard time communicating non-verbally. Generally speaking, it is best to pay attention to our words.
We want companionship as much as anyone else. Despite sometimes needing alone time, we still want a good support system.
If we interrupt you while talking, it is not intentional rudeness or arrogance. We have a hard time reading social cues with when to start talking. In other words, the timing can be off.
If we leave a social event early, do not take it personally. Sometimes we get drained out because socializing doesn't come as naturally to us.
We don't go on about our special interests to annoy you. We only want to find things we have in common with people. Also, be direct if you want to talk about something else.
The sounds of fire alarms, the sight of strobe lights, or a tap on a shoulder might seem natural to you, but it isn't always natural to us.
Social isolation isn't always a choice. It is genuinely hard to fit in with people even when we try to do so.
At best, many of us can maintain eye contact for a couple of seconds at the most.
If we forget to wish you a happy birthday, text you to tell you we had a good time, or if you don't hear from us for a long time, it's not that we don't care about you. Social etiquette isn't something we're experts at.
We don't engage in stimulatory behaviors or tics to annoy you, they help us cope with our environments.
Although we have many challenges in ways that make our lives difficult, we also have talents.
Not all of us are stereotypical highly intelligent math, science or computer nerds.
It can take us additional time to learn new skills, particularly if it's not something we're interested in.
If we're not smiling, it doesn't mean we're not happy to see you.
We often do better in one-on-one interactions compared to group interactions.
The least expected topics can sometimes fascinate us, but they are almost always harmless topics (Maps, types of trees, nutrition facts with fast food, and you name it).
If one or even many people with ASD do something despicable, do not use that thing to paint the entire autism spectrum.
We're often willing to learn and correct our mistakes when we know we have done something wrong.
We are generally concrete thinkers and struggle more with abstract concepts.
Autism is a spectrum. One person might be painfully shy, while another person may be extremely outgoing. One may have no trouble playing sports, while another will.
In conclusion, we're all different and unique. If we can accept people without passing judgments too quickly, the world would be a better place.
You may also like: Autism Masking: The Tough Reality
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