My favourite autism metaphors, a list - because contrary to popular belief we are not entirely unable to grasp the metaphorical - more likely we may just want to check you're not being literally - don't want to make an assumption.

1. Social interaction for many #autistic people is like driving a car on manual, with a particularly sticky gearbox. For non-autistic people everything is on automatic.

2. Changing tasks or focuses is like turning an ocean liner around, whilst for non-autistics it's more like doing a handbrake turn in a fiat 500.

3. Sensory issues can be like having someone hold you tightly by the arms and screeching loudly in your face whilst blowing hot air in your eyes and pouring water on your head.

4. Spending time on our focused interests after not having the opportunity is like finally breathing again after holding your breath for too long.

All of these are similes. I know.

5. Being #autistic can be like playing a particularly complex video game without playing the tutorial.

6. Being #autistic is like spending your guest Christmas round someone else's house.

7. Being autistic can be like trying to bake a soufflé when all you have is a book on birdwatching and a hammer.

8. Bring #autistic in a relationship with a neurotypical partner can be like trying to do a jigsaw without a picture, all the pieces are grey and half of them are missing or on fire.

9. Being #autistic can be like bring forced to wear nettles on a daily basis in a world where everyone else unaccountably seems to love wearing nettles.

10. Being #autistic in the workplace can be like being perpetually on your first day at secondary school and you still aren't entirely sure what all the rules are ten years later.

11. Being #autistic at a party is like being a parrot in a bag full of pinecones.

I'll let you try to make sense of that.

12. Sound sensitivity as an #autistic person can be like living in a movie that is just a relentless succession of jump scares but you never quote know just when the next one's coming.

13. Being #autistic dealing with authority figures can be anything from making a fool of yourself to getting yourself killed. No joke here - so many #AutisticWhileBlack people especially are hurt or even killed by authority figures.

14. Bring #autistic while female seems to be like trying to prove you've got brown eyes whilst everyone is intently staring at your brown eyes but declaring they must be blue because people can't have brown eyes.

Yes. It's that bloody ridiculous.

Big mood change there - sorry not sorry.

There's still too much crap with people not getting the support and compassion they should be gaining.