What helps YOU?

[Nellie]

Listening to audiobooks, colouring, playing my piano, singing, video games, meds, my dog, logic puzzles, texting with my friends, researching about anything!!!

 

[kay]

ear plugs, learning my limits, not comparing myself to others and having my own standards and goals (that is something I need lots of practice with, not easy), weighted blanket, sometimes meds help a bit here and there except when they don't, milk shakes on occasion, gardening, bunnies, sleep(easier said than done sometimes), vitamin Bs, white noise, Epsom salt baths, hiking when possible, getting organized, comfort foods, music.

 

[Crossbreed]

THIS SHIFT in paradigm. It is the first of many, but too hard to encapsulate in a single paragraph.

 

[SimplyWandering]

I carry a slinky around with me... Not that cheap plastic one , the metal ones thay leave you exhilarated as you slink it back and forth while in church or during any other seated activity.

My fidget cube... 6 sides of awesomeness!

 

[DissolvedGirl]

Expressing myself through varied means has been a way of coping with the world ever since I was little. It began with writing, then I discovered film photography. About five years ago I also started drawing, just going with the flow, it's very relaxing, something magical happens when I just let my hand move for me and try not to think my next move.
I recently discovered clay, it's an amazing means of expression, it's something else entirely. The tactile aspect is so satisfying, all the little caresses and touches that transform a lump of clay into something physical, 3D, the ways pressure changes the material, it's a whole different world. I had no technique whatsoever, I just went with the flow and ended up with some really interesting organic sculptures and a few ashtrays

Nature is a lifesaver. It's the only place where I can consistently feel at peace and relaxed, where my mind finally slows down and tunes into the environment. Alone time in the forest, a few times a week, is my way of recharging, recalibrating, reseting. I take my camera and just wander along the paths I know well, letting small details catch my attention, talking to the plants/place/rocks, feeling like a little kid who is just discovering the beauty of natural life.
A proper diet is essential. Taking supplements (magnesium, the B's cause I'm a veggie). Getting enough sleep. The Special Interests. Reading. Bicycle rides.
And then there's the constant inner management systems that keep my mind from going under. They don't always work, but usually I manage to keep myself going and I try to give that positive voice as much power as possible, so when I see I'm slipping in a negative spiral, the voice will begin to reason with me and convince me to get outta there, with good reasons.

Another important thing: cutting myself some slack. I've always had the tendency to be extra hard on myself, to compare myself to others, I've had really low self-esteem and struggled with the impostor syndrome. As an adult, not knowing I'm an aspie, I would literally feel mentally handicapped in times of great pressure, when everyone around would seem to handle it well and I would feel like I will crumble under all the weight. Recently I've been trying to accept my limitations and leave some of the harsh criticism behind.

And, at the end of the day, friends help a lot. I don't have many close friends and we don't see each other that often, but the quality of the interaction is always high and recharging instead of consuming, they give me a lot of confidence and hope, being accepted and appreciated for all my weird quirks that for them aren't negative, but something to be cherished.
So last but not least, this forum! It's been tremendously helpful to read so many personal experiences and to be able to share in a safe space where everyone is so nice and willing to help. It has a big positive influence and it really helps to connect certain dots and figure out the how's and why's of my experience. Thank you!

 

[Sabrina]

——-LOTS OF TIME BY MYSELF——-

 

[Trailblazer24]

Nature is a lifesaver. It's the only place where I can consistently feel at peace and relaxed, where my mind finally slows down and tunes into the environment. Alone time in the forest, a few times a week, is my way of recharging, recalibrating, reseting. I take my camera and just wander along the paths I know well, letting small details catch my attention, talking to the plants/place/rocks, feeling like a little kid who is just discovering the beauty of natural life.

I don't think I could have said it better myself. Nature provides me an escape that I used to fill with video games, and I can say for certain that this change was the best thing I have done for myself. I'm a more social person because now I can hike, ride my bike, swim and do all sorts of outdoor activities with other people. I can't get a fulfilling experience like this by staring at a character on a screen.

I also find that combining outdoor exercise with music prepares me for social situations. I tend to think more positively and my inhibitions are under control. I would recommend this to anyone that has a tendency to get really quiet in social settings.

 

[Kyran Gough]

Some things that help me is music, and stimms. One of my stimms I won't do in public, though it does help me a lot. Basically makes me go stiff and my fingers start to move fast while lightly tapping my nose. Really awkward and weird, which is why I don't do it in public, but it helps. I'm not sure how, but I've learned to control that one stim. Other stimms which help me are constantly making noise or moving or touching something. I like fidget cube a lot, I am always holding my phone and banging it on the table in a circular motion, and taping my feet really helps a lot.

The biggest thing that helps, for me, though is music. My music isn't necessarily good, and may be quite odd for certain occasions, but it helps me calm down and less tense. I can't go outside without my shoulders tensing up. It's so tiring, but I can't loosen myself. Sometimes I do when I'm with friends, but music helps a lot more. Whenever I'm depressed, or feel really down, depressing and sad music helps me get out of that mood and feel happy or even better within about 10 15 minutes. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic, Alessia Cara and Khalid and Beautiful but HUNTAR really helps. Other times Troye Sivan, Shawn Mendes, Imagine Dragons, James Arthur and with Lower are my go to for my regular daily music.

I have OCD, Anxiety, Depression, Hypersensitivity to touch and noise, and Autism. With some people, bad handwriting is a symptom of autism. Unfortunately, some people also have OCD with handwriting too. I don't know how to handle that yet. I've broken pens, ripped whole pages of paper, scribbled on paper out of stress and anger and I've had full mental beakdowns over messy handwriting and work. I have no reliever for this, as music just stresses me out more at this point, trying to calm myself works until I go back to it, which actually makes it easier to trigge

 

[WereBear]

So, in some weird way I have to appreciate the sucky meds, but I want so badly to deal with things on my terms, and not depend on some chemical to help me navigate what others just see as nothing. It makes me feel weak, or less than others to have to have them. : (

I don’t feel that way about the nine supplements I take daily to get back some of my function. Side effects I would understand...

 

[Larsieanne]

Lots of reading of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's books help me humanize myself and teach me how to explain to others why they should humanize autistic people and everyone, and how we're all equal fundamentally.

 

[Mr Allen]

Volunteering, I've literally been doing voluntary work for about 24 years. Also, Xbox. I play Xbox games loads, especially when I'm feeling rage against the world, it's better to play a fighting game and beat the stuffing out of virtual people than go out and beat up real people.

I listen to a lot of music as well, particularly 80's Pop, although the scene changed after about 1988 to that crappy "Euro Dance" nonsense that dominated the early to mid 90's.

 

[JB2018]

Ballroom dance training. Really! Can't get there very often, but one particular Pro is trained to work with autistic children and adults, and for PTSD military, so has an insight like no other NT I've ever encountered.
One example is that he orients an amateur to a Pro-Am competition floor, describing it in terms of the dance studio where the training happens. Unbelievable how helpful this has been. For a few minutes, it's all about the dance and everyone he works with almost literally lights up whenever we're on the floor.
Been into dance for about 10 years, and whenever I'm out in public, I self-talk things like: stand like a dancer, walk easily like a dancer, etc.
Impossible to describe what a difference that kind of training has made in my life. And also for others who have been to hell and back!