Celebrating Autistic Culture for My Birthday
Read now (2 mins) | A Culture not a problem
March 24, 2023
I made my 49th year all about celebrating Autism as a CULTURE instead of a MEDICAL DEATH SENTENCE.
Why? Because in the fall of 2020, I experience Autistic Burnout (different than neurotypical burnout) that very nearly lead to my own suicide. I tried talk therapy. I tried pharmaceuticals. I tried prayer (with Marianne Williamson...like in her living room not just reading a book). I tried rest. I tried nutritional changes. I tried journaling.
What worked? Ultimately, just two things:
The first was sleeping with my blinds open and waking up with sunrise every morning. Weird. I know. It made a HUGE difference.
The second, was beginning to view Autism as a CULTURE and not through the medical model I had always accepted.
I switched my thinking to "Hey, I have this disadvantage that I have to overcome." to "I am part of a vibrant culture with a heritage I can be proud. I can stop trying to fix myself and find my people."
I put DOWN the Simon Baron Cohen books about how I had no theory of mind and I picked up the Damian Milton books on how EMPATHY is a 2-way street and not something Autistic people need to “fix.”
Burnout and suicidal ideation took a backseat, and I found my way back to creativity. First, by working on a one woman show through testing messaging on Facebook and second through a new podcast that is "tip and trick free." Nothing to fix. No advice given. Just a party you are welcome to attend—one and all!
If my work with The Autistic Culture Podcast, my Unmasking Autism Diary, or any of my other posts about my late-in-life Autism diagnosis has helped you, please celebrate my birthday by donating to ASAN (Autistic Self-Advocacy Network).
Self-advocacy saves Autistic lives.
What does your self-advocacy look like? Tell me about it in the comments!
*Background note: Most people only have a vague (often, highly stereotyped) version of autism in their minds and believe that autistic children need (traumatic) ABA therapy to "overcome" their disability and appear "normal." After receiving an autism diagnosis in her thirties, Dr. Angela Lauria realized that she too had been mostly unaware of what it means to be Autistic. Like so many people, she started her journey by first gathering information and resources from the omnipresent (and problematic) Autism Speaks, but eventually moved away from the 'autism community' in favor of the 'Autistic community,' where she found kinship with other Autistic individuals and learned to let go of pathologizing language like 'autism spectrum disorder' and 'Asperger's Syndrome.' This autism blog (and her autism podcast, "The Autistic Culture Podcast") is meant to share her lived-experience insights to support others on a similar journey of diagnosis, understanding, and community. Embrace Autism--differences are not deficits.