885572 - .

I never know when to look away

I feel like life was very black and white as a kid. There were straightforward rules everywhere; posted signs and adults telling us to do this, don't do that, say this, respond this way in this situation. But the older i get the grayer life gets. Situations are complex and have good and bad mixed. Right and wrong is subjective. No one taught me how to live in between points on a spectrum.

No…no! I’m sorry!

Can you talk about the difference between autistic and non-autistic “insistence on sameness”?

I wear slight variations of the same clothes every day, I eat the same things over and over, I never want to watch new movies or tv shows or read new books, as a child my parents Could Not get me to try new foods outside of my specific preferred foods… my mum says I was “just never open to new things”.

But I can handle change/the new, even if I don’t like it. If I had to wear different clothes tomorrow I wouldn’t like it but I could function. New foods are harder than that but as long as they’re not lumpy/slimy I can try them now…

What do you think?

Each autistic experience of "sameness" is different because it highly depends on the why. Some routines or sameness are because of sensory issues, others may be due to anxieties or mental safety.

NT sameness may be because it's easier, comfortable or just enjoyable. Autistics can also experience this.

Major key difference is that autistics can experience great distress if things are changed without notice or not enough time given.

Examples:

Eating the same food: autistic may do so because it's the only foods that are safe for their sensory needs. A NT just likes that food.

Travelling the same route home: autistic may do this because it's a guaranteed way home with no surprises. They will struggle with detours. A NT just knows it takes them home. Why change?

Wearing the same clothing: an autistic may do this because of sensory issues or difficulties understanding fashionable trends. These clothes help them survive day to day. An NT may do it because "is their fashion".

And depending on your level of sensitivity in that area, you may be able to handle changes more easily than an autistic who struggles.

I have low oral/taste sensitivity. So I samefood, but will have no to low distress if I had to eat something slightly different (as long as it's on my safe food list).

But, I have high sound sensitivity, so going to a new shop and finding out I don't have my noise cancelling headphones may put me into shutdown.

Another autistic may struggle with the opposites to me.

yoshitoshi ABe’s an omnipresence in the wired || 安倍吉俊の『an omnipresence in the wired』

chiho saitou’s revolutionary girl utena || さいとうちほの『少女革命ウテナ』