Autism Posts (From a Late Diagnosed Female)

#GoneViral: This is what auras look like from someone with projective synesthesia
I struggle a lot with how to describe synesthesia (specifically projection synesthesia). I have a lot of “versions” of it, and also experience “versions” of associative synesthesia (more on that in a sec). What I can say about synesthesia is that when I experience it, it is just “known.”

#UnmaskYourSelfie: 20 Lesser Known Autistic Traits
I’ve really struggled a lot with anger over such a late diagnosis (for both autism and synesthesia). I was angry for six months last year processing how much time and money I’ve spent in various therapists offices SHOUTING. AT. THE. TOP. OF. MY. LUNGS. “I am different, I am different, I am different. How am I different? Why am I different?”

#UnmaskYourSelfie: Autism and getting out of bed
Getting out of bed may be easy for you, but for those on the spectrum it can be one of the more difficult tasks we are faced with daily.

#Unmasking: Anyone else practice speaking in front of a mirror before they went out?
My first Reel series has reached 3.8 million people. I am so happy to now understand “why I am so different.” Apparently a lot of other people are too!! So that begs the question, “what does ‘being different’ really mean?

#RealDeal: I didn’t know struggling with eye contact was an autistic trait
My journey to my autism diagnosis has been as hilarious as the rest of my life. It started with a Human Lie Detector (who was a crock of cracker in a barrel), sidestepped to a diagnosis of Synesthesia, and while my psychologist agreed with my self diagnosis of Autism, she was not qualified (I discovered) to do a “full assessment.”

#NerdsUnite: The time a square walked into a bar (and not the kind of square you’re thinking)
After that night, I recognized a pattern of me going somewhere, and 10 or so minutes later, the same “off body language” person would show up. Not the same person, a person with the same “off body language.”

#ActuallyAutistic: What Are Signs of Disrespect in a Relationship?
I had a lot of trouble in my 20s understanding certain social cues. (I wasn’t diagnosed as having autism until earlier this year.) I would give people the benefit of the doubt or lean on “my feelings” to justify the actions of others.

Hi, my name is Jen Friel and I just found out I have Synesthesia. Do you have it too?
After I was diagnosed in February, I worked with an animator who also has synesthesia to describe what I see. I’ve spent the last nine months trying to explain it to myself. See all syntesthetes (what we are called) experience synesthesia differently. To some people Monday may have a color, or the number six may have its own personality. The details oddly aren’t important, what is important is the hyper-connectivity and processing in our brains that act as LEGIT super powers.

#OpenLetter: Dear Grandma & Grandpa – you guys sucked (and you weren’t even the Hoar in this scenario)
I’m shocked and need a minute … but also took a moment to realize HOW BIG OF A DEAL IT IS to have finally merged Talk Nerdy To Me, Lover and Talk Nerdy To Me™.

#Autism: Subconscious Signs a Man Likes You (That You’re Probably Not Aware Of)
Is he being friendly because he likes you, or is he just being friendly because he’s a nice guy?