In the short term, mentally detaching works great. It frees up a lot of energy and attention, so we can focus on activities we’re good at, or think only about the ideas that capture our interest. But in the long term, retreating inward alienates us from our needs even more. Some research suggests that Autistic people have a diminished sense of agency; in other words, we feel less in control of ourselves and our bodies than non-Autistic people do.29 A lifetime of being corrected for incompetence and childishness affects our self-concept, and makes it hard for us to develop basic skills of
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