EMBRACING NEURODIVERSITY & AUTISM: End of World Autism Month Recap + Thoughts

 

And that's a wrap on #worldautismmonth2025 !  I'm so proud to be autistic and to have ADHD! Is it hard?! Oh yeah!  Do I struggle with it?!  Everyday!  
However, with it being the FINAL day of April *cue *NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me song*, it is important that we keep on supporting autism and other neurodiversities as a whole.
How can we do this?  We can continue to stay informed on what autism is (a neurodevelopmental disability that can limit people in terms of socializing, communicating, and experiencing their surroundings) which can reduce stigma on many levels.  Below is ways we can take action in accepting autism.
Autism doesn't have a look.  Autism is different in each individual.  Each person with autism is like a puzzle piece.  I personally believe that with each person on the spectrum, we are all like puzzle pieces.  We all have a way of contributing to society.  It may look different depending on the limits, but with the right supports, anything is possible.
We should embrace neurodiversity, not fear it.  Neurodiversity is also a spectrum of disabilities.  People who are neurodivergent, experience the world differently.  
Think about it this way:  You spend all of middle/junior high and high school learning how to speak Spanish so that you can one day do a study abroad in college by learning what you can before you go to Spain.  You think you know everything.  The social norms, the language, everything!  The time comes to travel to the beautiful country of Spain.  You get there and people start talking fast to you and words that you don't really understand.  You thought you knew these words, but the way the natives are speaking, you are struggling to understand what they're saying.  You also find that you probably weren't as prepared as you thought.  Even after researching things about their culture.  THIS is what being neurodiverse is like, especially autism.  If you went your whole life learning how to fit into society, this is the autistic experience.  Finding out "oh, this isn't how I'm supposed to do this task" minutes after completing it.  Realizing you didn't fully communicate what you were trying to say in a conversation....THIS!  THIS is what it's like! 
Sometimes it takes a while for a person with autism to process all the information you give them.  If this is the case and they don't understand, SIMPLIFY!!! Simplify what you were saying.  If they are lost when you give them a task, break it down by giving them a task analysis on what needs to get done.  (i.e., "Brayden needs to clean the kitchen" can mean a lot of things.  Giving Brayden a list of what needs to get done with cleaning the kitchen.  "Brayden needs to clean the kitchen by making sure he knows where to find the cleaning supplies, making sure he knows what to do, sweeping the floors and emptying the dust pan into the trash, take out the trash if the trash bin looks full, mop the floors, clean off the surfaces by wiping them down with a clean rag and spraying the cleaner on the surfaces making sure everything looks clean, put away the dishes in the dishwasher by making sure there's nothing on the dishes, etc. ). By breaking down tasks step-by-step, people with autism can understand where you're coming from.  I'll add this too, but being patient with them in all of this.  Asking if they understand what you're asking them.  It's like someone in Spain asking if you understood that they want you to shake their hand instead of invading your personal space.  (NOTE: this is coming from an American Autistic). Sometimes all it takes is COMMUNICATION and PATIENCE!!
Lastly, autism isn't a disease.  If you believe RFK on this, PLEASE talk to me on this. This thinking and mindset is ableist regardless of the severity of the person with autism.  AUTISM IS A SPECTRUM!!! Some individuals experience autism by struggling more than someone who just struggles with communicating and speaking up.  Let's all come together and embrace differences.  Embrace each and every mind.
if you know someone who is struggling with accepting their autism and/or understanding it...maybe it's you, know that everybody's acceptance journey is different. THAT'S OKAY!! I'm no professional on autism, but I have it, I have friends who have it, I am and advocate...I can help you get to the place where you can feel like you belong in this world.  Feel free to message me on instagram @agirllivingwithaudhd or @lil_miss_lyss416 (this @ is for all of my accounts on social media).  

HAPPY END OF APRIL!! 
~See ya in May~






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