Stock Phrases

It’s much easier to say something if you’ve practiced it beforehand, and that’s never truer than when you’re struggling with overload. I’m posting my favourite stock-phrases below. Use these, or think up your own, but I encourage you to have a handful of responses to standard situations, you can use when you can’t think of … Read more Stock Phrases


Define Happiness

Many autistic people are said to have difficulty understanding, labelling, and describing their feelings, but I’ve always considered myself to be quite lucky in this respect – I’ve always thought I could describe how I felt, most of the time at least. So when Joanna (the my co-admin on this site) asked me yesterday, “How … Read more Define Happiness


The Boy in the Coffee Shop

Last weekend I watched a boy, aged about six, standing on the chair in my local coffee shop (Costa, if you’re wondering): his parents just let him stand there, calling out, and clearly disturbing other customers. Some people stared with open disapproval and muttered to their companions. Others – in true British style – pretended … Read more The Boy in the Coffee Shop


Bullying, Abuse, and Autism: a survey

» Bullying & Abuse: Introduction » About being Bullied, by Anon THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you very much to everyone who took part. Ad hoc results are being tweeted @spectrum_life, and full results will be published in due course. If you would like to take part in future research, please subscribe to our … Read more Bullying, Abuse, and Autism: a survey


Autism & Counselling Poll – Results

Huge thanks to everyone who took part in the Autism & Counselling straw poll (it’s still open if you haven’t voted!). I initially had the idea whilst preparing an essay on research methods (and I wanted to how the results of such a poll varied with sample size), and chose ‘autism and counselling’ as it … Read more Autism & Counselling Poll – Results


Autism & Counselling: a straw poll

In an effort to get some idea of whether autistic people access (either private or publicly funded) counselling or not, please take a moment to answer the question in the sidebar to the right. Thank you! (I plan to use the numbers produced by this poll to demonstrate the accuracy, or otherwise, of sample sizes, … Read more Autism & Counselling: a straw poll


Autism Awareness Day – collected tweets

I speak autism. Even if you don’t want to learn my language, please understand I’m not always able to speak yours. #AutismAwarenessDay — Leigh Forbes (@spectrum_life) April 2, 2013 Having autism is all about being plagued by light, sounds, smells, tastes, textures, words you don’t understand, and people who don’t care. — Leigh Forbes (@spectrum_life) … Read more Autism Awareness Day – collected tweets


The Aspie Guide to Surviving a Family Christmas

Christmas is an intense time, even for neurotypical people, and it can be so much harder for autistic people, especially if you are undiagnosed or your family do not accept your diagnosis. There is more social pressure at Christmas than at any other time of year, to “do the right thing”, and you might feel … Read more The Aspie Guide to Surviving a Family Christmas


Assaulted by the Detail

I was sitting in a meeting, on the first floor of one of a local autism-charity’s support centres, considering that particular room’s suitability for people with sensory difficulties, when my aspie colleague observed how bright the glare from the window was. I couldn’t help adding that the sun’s reflections off passing traffic sent sequential flashes … Read more Assaulted by the Detail


What’s Wrong with Labels?

People can’t help but label other people. Our fundamental labels of “friend” or “foe” are essential to basic survival, and the rest lead on from there. Subconsiously, we are asking ourselves “is this person going to hurt me?” or “is this person someone I want to become acquainted with?” or “is this person a potential … Read more What’s Wrong with Labels?