Why are people nasty, cruel, dismissive or ignorant when your mind thinks differently to theirs? People just don't see the struggles and the hardships because they see only that which are on the exterior.
I find that often my emotional state is like a violin string and when I become more stressed this violin string can become tighter. More importantly when I am stressed my need for routine and predictability is required more. When I was traveling through Europe, especially Ireland I wondered if I was pushing the envelope. I remember thinking while in Galway am I doing too much in the limited time I had in Ireland to drive down as far as Waterford? This distance was just over 140km. I also wondered if I would complete the task of crossing Ireland in the 5 days I had with the least amount of anxiety. On my last night in Galway I felt anxiety starting to come on. I felt it starting to control me and my mobility become affected as a result. What if I experience anxiety and unable to drive the car etc? I took a bath and also was more aware than ever of not slipping on the bathroom floor like I did previously. When I am also stressed I start to become really hard on myself. I doubt my abilities and start to think negatively of myself. I dismiss ignorance as dislike and sense people cannot be trusted. I talk to myself to reassure me that people cannot be changed. I just have to accept who I am and try my best. I feel often like I am pushing an envelope and with little support and understanding, something may happen to me. However, after crossing Ireland and controlling my anxiety I looked at my achievements and said to myself "I have done what I set out to do?". Why is there also the evil ingredient of envy in people who should more so praise more so than criticize?
In Ireland I was comforted to have met two Aspies. Stephen in Belfast and David in Dublin. Stephen helped me around Belfast when I arrived at the airport and David showed me a sensory free restaurant in Dublin. Like with most Aspies I meet, I feel a sense of comfort straight away as like me they to have their own struggles and challenges. Of all the Aspies I met, we all think differently to others around us and people get us wrong in thinking that we want to be better than them etc This is not the case. We just communicate differently and often our minds cannot help the way we think. People need to give us a chance and not judge us too quickly. We have mind blindness and struggle with some aspects which you may find easy.
I am working very hard to connect more adults in Australia and around the world together. Some unfortunately on the Autism Spectrum may not always agree with what I am doing but I just see how the Autism effects them and I try to be patient. I believe that adults are starting to slowly connect but it is taking time. What I hope to see is some kind of global meeting where adults from around the world can come together and talk about their experiences. This is but one way to overcome social isolation and loneliness. I have worked hard to further reduce some of the barriers concerning adults on the Autism Spectrum but there is still a long way to go. I am trying my best. I have friends now who are Aspie and it is a real privilege to know all about cameras, and other special interests. Some Aspies are just survivors and work really hard just to hold down a single job. The working day involves processing information, trying to understand people, and also deal with large amounts of mental energy in order to carry out such tasks.
Aspies are not after glory or prestige but from personal experience I think we just want people to understand us better and to not dismiss us as we have something to say. We cannot help our mindsets and we just ask you to be tolerant and to give us a chance.
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