Mapping social cues continued – Autism 101

Social Skills

Social Skills is probably one of the most difficult things for people on the spectrum to master. I really enjoyed this article. It gives Neurotypical people a glimpse of what we are going through just to begin our day in public. It is exhausting to say the least.

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I have been aware of my Autism for just over a year now, my diagnosis helped me to put a name to the feeling I had that I did not fit in. I really like schooling myself on the differences between Neurodivergent and Neurotypical people. You see, for us there is no Finishing School. There isn’t even a Starter School, we just have to figure it out on our own.

It is interesting to me that we are born with way less control over our lives than we think:

• We did not choose our species.
• We did not choose our race.
• We did not choose our parents.
• We did not choose our gender.
• We did not choose our culture.
• We did not choose our height, weight or looks.
• We did not choose our IQ or talents or skills.
• We did not choose our religion.
• We did not choose our country, nation or town.
• We did not choose our language.
• We did not choose our Name.

Some of us, did not choose Autism.

So getting to understand the world and our place in it takes time, that’s why I believe society is set up in a way to fast track that awareness (supposedly). Well, set up for Normal people…

I see in this article they mention ‘basics’ of human interaction:

Impairment in social functioning is a central feature of ASD. Typical social skill deficits include: initiating interactions, responding to the initiations of others, maintaining eye contact, sharing enjoyment, reading the non-verbal cues of others, and taking another person’s perspective.

Indiana Resource Center for Autism

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Social Contract

Okay, so let’s take a look at how Normal People see interpersonal relationships and acceptable reciprocal behavior between each other:

Social contract, in political philosophy, an actual or hypothetical compact, or agreement, between the ruled and their rulers, defining the rights and duties of each. In primeval times, according to the theory, individuals were born into an anarchic state of nature, which was happy or unhappy according to the particular version. They then, by exercising natural reason, formed a society (and a government) by means of a contract among themselves.

Britannica

I am a very logical person and I reason very well, so to me in theory this is an amazing concept. Practically, society fails when it comes to us Neurodivergent folk, we just get left behind…

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Rage

I, however will not get left behind, in fact, I will not even travel with the group, I, my dear reader, go out in front like a scout and I will explore the unexplored and come back to tell those Normal people what I found…

Do not go gentle into that good night

Dylan Thomas – 1914-1953

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

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Autism

ADHD

OCPD

Autistic Burnout

Suicide and Autism