I've heard much about Autism and I've even known some people with Autism. According to Wikipedia: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. I had never looked into it with very much detail until now. This is why I'm so happy that Rebekah has volunteered to be interviewed about what it's like to have it.
Let's welcome her!
Hi, my name is Rebekah, and I’m an eighteen-year-old
student from England, who also happens to be autistic. When I’m not studying
towards a health and social care qualification which will help with my dream to
work in the mental health sector, I enjoy writing fictional and non-fictional
works, reading blog posts and novels, binge watching TV shows or YouTube
videos, and researching psychological theories in some way.
How does your autism physically feel? How do you
think it compares to those who don’t have autism?
The way brains process senses is commonly different
between autistic people and those who aren’t autistic. These sensory processing
problems can often lead to autistic people feeling exposed, either
hyper-sensitive or hypo-sensitive to things going on around them. For example,
when someone touches me lightly, it feels like someone’s sticking pins into
where they touched. On the other hand, I’m hypo-sensitive to blood tests, so
they can be a relaxing experiencing as opposed to a painful one. It’s worth
mentioning that every autistic person experiences sensory processing a little
differently though, and my experiences may be completely different for someone
else.
How do you feel about autism?
I’m proud to be autistic. I used to be quite
frustrated and angry when I first received my diagnosis, but that was mostly
because of the challenges I’ve faced, and I’ve now realized that I wouldn’t be
the person I am today if I didn’t have this disability that meant my brain
formed in a different way compared to other people’s.
What challenges does autism pose?
Communication is one of the biggest challenges,
especially as most people seem to think it’s a simple case of being verbal or
non-verbal, when it’s not like that at all. I’m verbal, but I rely on social
scripts I’ve made before a conversation occurs on a regular basis, and often
stumble on my words when I haven’t prepared them. I also go non-verbal,
although for me, that’s very occasional and mostly happens after meltdowns or
when I’m in pain.
Social situations are difficult because I struggle
to transfer social rules from one environment to another, and tend to embarrass
myself on several occasions until I understand what’s going on and how I should
act.
Is there anything you like about being autistic?
I think the sensory side of being autistic can be a
good thing when it’s a good
sensation, because I can feel it more intensely than non-autistic people may be
able to. I’m also hypo-sensitive to other types of pain.
A lot of people seem to think autistic people are
less empathic than the general population, but a lot of us are actually hyper-empathic,
which means we feel things more intensely than most other people. This is great
considering I’m studying to go into healthcare at the moment, and my friends
seem to appreciate it, too.
Do you think your day differs from others because of
being autistic?
Yes, it definitely can do. I become exhausted after
doing less than a lot of people because I have a limited amount of energy, a
lot of which I spend on mimicking other people in order to be successful in
social situations. It also takes a lot more energy and effort for me to process
and respond in conversation, which becomes extremely difficult if I become
overstimulated, because my brain doesn’t consider verbal communication as one of its essential responsibilities. I have to rest a lot more than other people,
and if I forget to take time to recharge for a few days, it becomes really
obvious and the things I struggle with become so much harder to control.
Do you have any cultural differences between others who
are also autistic and those who are not?
Autistic people are as varied as non-autistic
people, but I think as a whole, the autistic community has a wide cultural
understanding of acceptance. It’s great, because even the community don’t agree
on something, they don’t judge someone else for it. We’re also accepting of
people’s limits, and don’t try to push them beyond that or judge them for
things they can’t do. I think the cultural differences that do occur are as a
result of misunderstandings more than anything, though, and with the right
support (if required), autistic people can exist within a wider culture without
problem.
What are some stereotypes about autism that irk you?
People who think all autistic people are
savants—aka, geniuses. That isn’t true. Just like non-autistic people, the
level of intelligence among autistic people varies greatly.
I’ve already mentioned it, but I hate the stereotype
that autistic people have no empathy. This couldn’t be less truthful; more
truthful is that a lot of us express it differently. Autistic people can’t make friends or have
meaningful relationships. This isn’t true; while some autistic people may
prefer their own company, there are lots of us that enjoy friendships with
other people. I have friendships with people, and I don’t think my autism makes
them any less real than a neurotypical friendship.
That autism is a male disorder, and girls with the
condition just so happen to have a ‘male brain.' This dates back to when the
condition was first discovered, but research has proved time and time again
that this isn’t the case.
Vaccines cause autism! I could go on for hours about
this, but to keep it short: they don’t. The doctor was discredited for his
claims, and research has proved time and time again that this isn’t the case.
What media portrays autism badly be it a movie, a
book, or a TV show?
Rainman. I haven’t watched this myself, but it has a
really bad reputation for showing a stereotypical, two-dimensional version of
what autism actually is in accordance with a neurotypical view of the
condition.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
This book/movie/theatre adaptation is, again, based on a stereotypical idea of
what autism is, and is written and explained by the father of an autistic
child. Many autistic people agree that we should be able to speak up for
ourselves, and having people speak up on our behalf is not the most helpful
thing.
What media portrays autism well be it a movie, a
book, or a TV show?
There aren’t many, and many that are thought to be
autistic by the autism community aren’t confirmed.
However, there is a book I recommend to anyone who
asks for one, which is On the Edge of Gone by Corrine Duyvis. The author of
this book is autistic, and the main character a 16 year old autistic girl, so
her reputation is very accurate. Unlike a lot of people, her disability wasn’t
erased when it was seen as an inconvenience, and she wasn’t cured in some
inspirational story, even though it would’ve been easier in the Dystopian
setting the story was set in.
Who are your top three favorite characters who also
are autistic in books, movies, or shows?
House
M.D. Okay, so House isn’t confirmed to be autistic, but
he shows a lot of traits, such as
disliking change, and being really
bad in social situations. Series 3 episode 5 of this show also has an autistic
character in it, and although a lot of the attitudes aren’t the greatest (the
parents practiced ABA, something frowned up in the autism community), House
seems to us his own understanding of the struggles he’s faced to empathize with
the boy.
Denise from On The Edge of
Gone, for obvious reasons. It’s such a good representation of autism,
especially if you’re looking for experiences from girls with the condition.
Thank you again, Rebekah! This is such a wealth of information! Thanks for reading!
Do
you have any characters with Autism? Did this inspire you to write an Autism
character? Do you have Autism and you have further input? Feel free to
share! Do you have any questions for Rebekah? Be sure to thank her!
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