But You Don’t Look Autistic at All (Bianca Toeps’ Books)

by Bianca Toeps

I learnt through trial and error: when I just started out, there were times I needed to find dinner for myself in a strange city while I was already completely overstimulated.

“I have a list in my phone of things I could do one day, like buying a new pot for one of our plants.”

constantly having stress hormones run rampant through your body isn’t all too great for your gut flora either.

People with autism care less about other people’s perceptions and adhering to the norm. I think this is an example of flattened priors, a theory by researcher Liz Pellicano. The theory describes how people with autism put less value on “priors”, past experiences. They have a better view of what’s really going on, rather than making assumptions. It’s the same characteristic that tends to make autistics good at analytical work, but also the characteristic that overwhelms them because of the abundance of stimuli that are processed as new information every time.”

“Autistics are able to look at themselves more clearly and are less inclined to adjust to society’s norm.

Let me put it this way: if you don’t automatically pick up on how I’m doing and don’t actively check either, and if you only act when you see me cry – that’s too late. Way too late.