Imagine not being able to eat rice or oatmeal because the texture bother you, or swimming in the pool with your friends when you are kid because you do not want your head wet, or the most annoying sound in your world is something most people do not even hear.
This were a few of the sensory issues I went through as kid. Yes, I actually went through a phase where my parents could not get me to eat rice. I always I am reminded about that fact because it is stable in my diet. I still have issues with oatmeal, I can eat chewy oatmeal but no mushy foods for me. The swimming pool was something I hate for the first 10 years of my life, to point I am pretty sure I scared a couple of instructor I had including a high schooler when I was about 4-5 years old. Luckily for me, I got lucky with the last instructor we found I feel in love with swim and now enjoy it. Turn out this common with people who have sensory issues that they do not like their head get wet, learning how to wash my hair was adventure for many years but is no longer issue. I still have issue with annoying sound one but that is because fluorescent lights hum and a lot of people do not hear it. These are sensory issues are the annoying part of Autism.
The reason I brought these sensory issues up as I was spending quality time with my mother in the last couple of days. I still have sensory issues in situations that different from my everyday life. We talking big changes coming in the next year. Changes are scared for anyone but someone on the spectrum, it is even scared. These changes I have been talk and thinking about for months and most of you know what is going on and when I know it is actually happening the rest of world will know. Those on the spectrum do a little better with change when it is something either they are ready for them or they know what the place is like. This why we went to place where the biggest change is going to happen so I could figure out the area so it is not so scary.
Unlike most Autistic, I actually enjoy traveling for the most part. But I am aware that it takes about 3-5 days after a trip for my senses to go back to normal after traveling. Traveling and change kind of go hand and hand. When you travel your schedule is complete changed which for the most time I can roll with them. A lot of my traveling was done where I know where we were going or I even did a couple trips by myself to visit my extended family. So I know what was going to happen and the other trips we had a schedule so I know what we going to do for the most part. But the thing with traveling whether it is by car or plane, I am basically on for the most trip. The first night, I sleep like crap because I can relax enough to get sleep. But when I get home from any trip, I crash that night and off for the next couple days as my sensory go back to normal.
I think we always try figure out to avoid the uncomfortable part of life. But the uncomfortable parts of life are parts that make us grow most. Now give me a couple days to get back to normal and I will be back to myself again.
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Autism, From Someone Who Is On The Spectrum
Non-FictionAutism from the perspective of a woman on the spectrum
