Autism is, for many, a whirlwind of anxiety. Everything I’ve already described to you adds to this maelstrom of nervousness – the constant sensory bombardment, the endless misinterpretation of others and their motives, the continuous issues with our executive function. Stress like this is not healthy, and it must contribute considerably to the sobering statistics around autistic people’s shorter life expectancy. Being able to combat this stress and manage it successfully is therefore absolutely paramount. However, I simply cannot relax.
