#shut-down

How to Talk to Anyone on Edge Without Getting Pulled In | Jefferson Fisher

Dearest Veterans and families, we owe you forever! Thank you! 😉 Lovely people from everywhere: the US, France, Spain, Mexico, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Philippines, Romania, Albania, New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR China, Switzerland, Russia, Jordan, Germany, Netherlands, Philippines, Egypt, Belgium, Brazil, Norway, China, Japan, Thailand, Jersey, Turkey, Indonesia, the UK, Ghana, Vietnam, Greece,…

Got a gift yesterday, was half-informed of it the day before. Specifically asked for a color, without knowing I was being asked for one. Chose the one option I don't like as a color, because I didn't get the other three options were colors first and my brain immediately jumped to find-the-odd-one-out mode.

Anyways, minor freak-out after I put it together, that my pal wanted to make me a present and realizing, that actually all given options were colors, wherefore I assumed they specifically got me something in a color I don't like. So basically I'd have ruined that present for myself, if my assumption was true.

Come yesterday, when my friend gave me the present (a starter deck for a TCG I've been playing with my friends, but always had to borrow one, cause I so far didn't own my own deck), I just kinda shut down. Was basically whispering, immediately lost my appetite, couldn't even bring myself to touch them when I would have needed to remove them from the closed pizza carton my friend placed them on to try and resume eating.

And I'm not even really sure, why it turned out like that... Asking for a color was just relevant, because my friend got a bunch of card sleeves in multiple colora and even ended up giving me one in a color I prefer anyways (they were pretty keen on the color I unwittingly chose, so that's a good thing)

But man, why'd I have to freak out like that?

Because I don't see, why I'd be deserving of a present? Because I'm unsure, if I even really want to continue playing/be invested in the TCG? Because, if I got my own deck, I would have wanted it to be one completely chosen by me? Because I realized, how hysterical I was being about an assumption, that was only in my head? Because I'm not used to getting presents I have not in some way specified?

Going through airport security recently, I thanked the TSA employees for working. Other passengers did the same. It’s an odd thing to do. We expect employees to show up for work. We also expect their employers to pay them for their work. No one can expect employees to work without compensation.

New flag of the TSA unveiled at the TSA’s 2018 commemoration of the 9/11 attacks.

These TSA…

Text: I want you to know about... Autistic Shutdown

Autistic shutdown is like an internalized meltdown. While the person is experiencing a lot of emotions, they can’t express them outwardly.

It may look like this:

Zoning out

Exhaustion/falling asleep

Hiding/defensive position

How can allistic (non-autistic) folks help?

Safety first! Help them to a quiet space w minimal simuli

Be sensory sensible! Have a kit tailored to their need (eg ear defenders, stuffie or squishy and blanket)

Eliminate all expectations/demands. They are currently overloaded.

Reduce interaction, giving them time and space (shh..)

Remember:

Autistic shut-down is NOT stubborness, laziness or disrespect

Autistic shut-down IS involuntary, painful, exhausting Please be patient and compassionate.