Should you have an #Autistic spouse /child /parent who seems to be doing strangely “ok” amongst the #coronavirus changes please bear in mind we often have emotional processing delays .....

It’s quite easy to assume that due to our regular need of time alone that isolation will be easy for us ,it won’t be , many of us struggle to not be able to access the food we eat on a limited diet ,the sensory issues of more washing ,comfort of our routines being disrupted ...

...On top of this our struggles with needing predictive outcomes in a highly unpredictable time can be internally devastating for us , but we may look like we are coping ....

...we may in fact be VERY productive at this time ,thinking of ideas researching ways to help ? Setting up tech to aid communication, writing articles (and tweets !) to help others ...

..these coping mechanisms are almost inbuilt to many of us as we often immediately seek Logistics over our own needs ...

...however delayed our emotions (be they good or bad feelings?) they DO surface normally once the “coast is clear “ and we can switch from autopilot to safe mode ....

..sadly for many Autistic people I support their delayed emotions are seen by some mental health professionals as a unstable emotional state , a personality disorder, mania or depression, and medicated ... it’s often not ...

...it’s often just that our emotions (happy or sad ) don’t take place in “real time “ they take place when we feel safe , that could be immediately,2 weeks ,4 months a year ? ...

..so if you have an #Autistic loved one on your life , praise their out of the box views ,ideas and logistics now and recognise their feelings as natural and human , WAY after this Pandemic settles

And I’d like to make a well intended ,friendly plea for Mental Health professional seeing an Autistic client in the aftermath to acknowledge that our emotions can seem “out of the blue “ or so late it looks like a fixation,it’s not it’s as valid as your concerns, just later

...and for parents who have ever wondered why their Autistic child doesn’t looked thrilled opening Christmas gifts ...they likely are elated and grateful...just not yet ..

...my emotions (good and bad ) take about a year ,so my life hack is being ecstatic about last years gifts on Christmas Day