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Andrea

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The Unexpected Autistic Life

The “Gifted Kid” to “Disabled Adult” Pipeline that Swallowed My Twenties

If you grew up being told that you could achieve anything yet you struggled to achieve anything at all, this article is for you.

Jun 20, 2024

Piece of art representing a roller coaster. The roller coaster starts as colorful under a sunny sky and with happy people on it on the left, but in the right side of the drawing the sky is more somber and the roller coaster is empty, suggesting the duality of day and night.

Jun 20, 2024

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

The Alphabet of Autism: A is for…Anxiety (and Some Tips to Help It)

This article is the first in a series of autism-related explorations, following the alphabet. What better topic to start than…anxiety?

May 14

May 14

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

5 Clues That You May Have Sensory Sensitivities Without Knowing It

It’s not always as obvious as it seems.

Mar 17

Picture of a dark skinned woman with voluminous curly hair sitting on the wooden floor of a beige room, with her eyes closed and her index and thumb touching.

Mar 17

Published in

Age of Awareness

Autism, ADHD, and the 5 Big Personality Traits: Know Your Reward Systems

5 ways in which we get our motivation and energy.

Mar 4

Fantasy colorful image on black background showing the silhouette of a person. The brain inside the person’s head is orange, yello and blue, resembles clouds and contains a rainbow river that cascades into the neck.

Mar 4

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

“I am not shy, I’m autistic” — When Your Autism is Mistaken for Your Personality

Autism and shyness are not the same thing, even when they look similar. Gender affects how we are perceived.

Feb 20

Picture of a light skinned girl around 13 years old, wearing a yellow t shirt against white background. The girl is looking at the viewer and is making a “sshh” gesture with her finger on her mouth. She has an uncommon hairstyle with one hair bun on each side of the head.

Feb 20

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

Walking the Line — For Struggling Autistic People

‘poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence. Poetry is the way we help give name to the nameless so it can be…

Jan 22

Walking the Line — For Struggling Autistic People

Jan 22

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

Alexithymia: How Emotional Blindness Can Affect Every Aspect of Your Life

How alexithymia feels and manifests, and what can be done about it.

Dec 3, 2024

Alexithymia: How Emotional Blindness Can Affect Every Aspect of Your Life

Dec 3, 2024

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

I Am Autistic, and I Want A “Cure”

In my personal experience, autism is a very painful condition that I would gladly have treated.

Nov 22, 2024

Artificially generated image that looks like a realistic depiction of a big empty beach, the sea and a blue sky with some white clouds. On the beach is a big glass jar closed with a lid, and a woman with long hair, a tank top and shorts is sitting inside. She is looking up at the sky.

Nov 22, 2024

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

Autistic People Are Dying From Suicide. Does Anyone Care?

September is suicide prevention month. How can the suicide of autistic people be prevented?

Sep 8, 2024

Image saying “September is suicide prevention awareness month” in white writing onto a horizontally divided purple and blue background (with purple on the upper half). On the right side, there is a blue and purple ribbon.

Sep 8, 2024

Published in

The Unexpected Autistic Life

Society’s Taboo With Silence Is Destroying My Autistic Brain

Neurotypical society has a real phobia of silence, and autistic people pay a price for it.

Sep 5, 2024

Drawing of two people in black ink against white background. One is telling the other “Why are you so quiet?” The other’s face shows frustration at the question.

Sep 5, 2024

Andrea

Andrea

they

Reflections on the neurodivergent experience and social justice. May contain occasional madness and astral metaphors.

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