The “negatives” of being autistic…

There are some key things to help you understand why, for instance, it’s difficult to start things that need doing (why we procrastinate, as linked to autistic inertia), such as what UNDERSTANDING AUTISTICS calls “initiation error“.

UNDERSTANDING AUTISTICS also discusses the autistic need for sufficient information to make decisions: don’t tell us you need us to buy you “snacks”, that’s just vague and cruel! We like specificity.

Spoon theory – or why you don’t have enough energy to do small tasks:

“The spoon theory is a disability metaphor and neologism used to explain the reduced amount of energy available for activities of living and productive tasks that may result from disability or chronic illness. “Spoons” are a visual representation used as a unit of measure in order to quantify how much energy a person has throughout a given day. Each activity requires a given number of spoons, which will only be replaced as the person “recharges” through rest. A person who runs out of spoons has no choice but to rest until their spoons are replenished.

This metaphor is used to describe the planning that many people have to do to conserve and ration their energy reserves to accomplish their activities of daily living.[1] The planning and rationing of energy-consuming tasks has been described as being a major concern of those with chronic and fatigue-related diseases, illness, or conditions. The theory explains the difference between those who don’t seem to have energy limits and those that do. The theory is used to facilitate discussions between those with limited energy reserves and those without.[2][3] Because healthy people typically are not concerned with the energy expended during ordinary tasks such as bathing and getting dressed, the theory helps healthy people realize the amount of energy expended by chronically ill or disabled people to get through the day.[4]” – Wikipedia

Head to the original blog for more on: