Unpologetically AUDHD

This includes those who:

Are too cognitively disabled to understand politics

Find that politics triggers serious mental health issues that interfere with daily life

Have had their carers/therapists/support workers tell them that politics is bad for them and they need to not read about it

Political participation is hard and not everyone can handle it.

Some people feel guilt or shame about not being able to help more. Cognitive and/or mental health limitations don't make you less of a person. And if you care about helping others, it's okay to find ways to do that that don't cause you great distress.

I have had both a caregiver (my dad) and my therapist strongly advise me not to read about politics because I get way too upset. Listening to their advice is not a sin. I can make a difference in my own way.

Being too disabled to handle politics doesn't make you bad. It's not a privilege. It's okay to focus on things that don't hurt you.

I def did but guess what!!!

IM MARRIED!!!! Yippee we’ve been together for five years and married for a year and a half. We both still live with my parents because of the support I need. He takes such good care of me and is super understanding of my needs. We’ve been talking about getting a care taker when we move out for me.

I was just telling my partner it feels like it takes 110% of my energy to do what should, I feel, only take 60%.

Like it takes a good chunk of my mental and emotional energy to get to the level of “functionality” that, for allistics, is their baseline.

Like I’m starting a few flights of stairs down from the ground floor every day. Except nobody seems to know how to fix it aside from “run faster,” or “get up earlier.”

(Note: I know the term “functional” is erroneous and largely driven by capitalism. I use the word to describe what seems to be needed to participate, even while I know it’s bullshit)

And the thing is, I can’t always pinpoint what exactly is draining me so!

The article uses proper terminology and actually defines stimming, masking, and many other words that neurotypical people may or may not know (re autism)

The data that the article is based off of includes first hand accounts from autistic people who have gone through ABA. The researchers even used ASAN (autism self advocacy) as a resource! Actual autistic people shared their stories!!! And they believed us!!!!!

It explains WHY autistic people have a hard time with ABA, which is incredible. Not just the fact that it's akin to training a dog, but the psychology of it, and how it's overstimulating and degrading

There's a part that does quote from Auti$m $peaks spokespeople, BUT it's because they're leading into how neurotypical parents see ABA most often as a "saving grace" to get a "normal child" and then goes on to tell more about how autistic children perceive ABA, both during and after treatment

One family's story tells of how a mother noticed her autistic son would actually hide when she went to turn the computer on for ABA therapy (this was during COVID lockdown) and how she realized something was off because of that. She canceled ABA and found an alternative (called Floor Time) where the child actually directs the play, and the therapist/teacher goes along with what the kid wants/does!

There's a really cool bit on why ABA is usually the only thing available to parents, and the answer is Shitty American Healthcare/Insurance Companies!

It notes that ABA therapists don't really have strict training requirements. You can do a quick online course and become an ABA therapist. It does not require a college degree. That should horrify you.

There's another parallel study with its own data coming out in 2025

Honestly, this whole article is a gem. Remember, while "water is wet" studies seem trivial, we need them in order to get our side of the story taken seriously. Research with credible data that backs up what we've been saying is important!

TL; DR?

i’m not sure where to start and i don’t even know what questions to ask that would help me understand any of this

i want to ask you but i’m deathly afraid that you will hate my guts and resent me forever

i feel stupid and embarrassed for not knowing/understanding this

i wasn’t paying attention/i zoned out/you were talking too fast while going over this

“oh my god are you serious? it’s obvious, weren’t you paying any attention?” thanks for confirming i’m as stupid as i feel, appreciate it

i forgot about this deadline and i should’ve done it sooner but now it’s too late and awkward to say anything

your criticism will cast me into despair

i have no idea how to articulate my concerns so i will sit here silently until i can

i feel horrible about not doing it and not asking you initially and so i’m avoiding talking about it in the hopes that i will miraculously and suddenly understand it instead of doing the walk of shame to your office and risking the chance that i’ll piss you off and ruin your night

i’m working up the confidence to ask you

i’m formulating in my head a way to ask that doesn’t make me sound like i didn’t care enough to do it sooner, and that i actually have the willingness to do it, and that doesn’t place any blame on anyone except maybe me

"I dunno, this guy is nominally in the program. He goes to class, but he like, never goes to social events."

thats not true for me. i have trouble socializing with other autistic people as well. 2 of my natural social deficit traits are disinterest in peers/friendship and difficulty not taking over the conversation when i DO talk and both of those are still there even when i'm talking to other autistic people. plus i also have social anxiety from being bullied for my autism and that doesn't go away in autistic-to-autistic conversations either

MOST people i talk to are neurotypical. MOST people i talk to are not going to be easy at all to socialize with. it's almost like.... for convenience's sake... you could say... i have social deficits.