chippity chop snip snap
chippity chop snip snap
aka wow you look great did you get a haircut? yes but I was on edge the whole time
Recently, I was talking to someone who works with a lot of neurodivergent people and I mentioned how, sometimes, I doubt myself and think ‘huh maybe I’m not autistic, maybe I’m kidding myself’ but then I go to the hairdressers and remember I definitely am. She told me this was such a common phenomenon, we joked it should be part of the diagnostic criteria.
I have low support needs, so I can live independently and a lot of people might not realise
I am autistic because I mask and hide it, like I’m a bedsheet ghost but the bedsheet is a neurotypical ~mirage~, but there are high costs to that for me personally - I get burnt out fairly often and stressed and anxious, let alone feeling exhausted from trying to make sure I am a “socially acceptable” version of myself. I wish there was catered living for adults! (Not just students and the elderly). Now I know more about myself and autism and ADHD, I’m able to work with my brain rather than against it - and things are getting better. I’d still love catered accommodation though, but a robot hoover and pasta pesto will have to suffice because those posh ready meals are expensivo!Since April is Autism Acceptance Month
, I made a comic giving some details as to why the experience of getting a haircut is an awkward and sometimes stressful part of life.While I have an ADHD brain too, the difficulties I have feel more related to my autistic traits.
Are you neurodivergent? What experiences stick out for you as particularly difficult? Leave a comment!
If this has made you curious and you live in the UK, I highly recommend these recent autism documentaries from the BBC;
Christine McGuiness: Unmasking my autism
Mainly about autism in women with low support needs, really eye opening
Inside Our Autistic Minds with Chris Packham
A variety of autistic people, and their families, with differing support needs, communicating the different aspects of their autistic lives to people through videos developed throughout the episodes.
Until next time neighbourino,
Josie P xoxo
More and more comedians, both the famous ones and a lot of my friends, are going public with their diagnoses as autistic and ADHD - people who you might assume would find social situations easy because they’re funny!
This is evident in the statistics that show that even autistics with above-average education are 5x as likely to be unemployed compared to the general population. We’re also more likely to be underpaid and underemployed, we’re much less likely to be managers or in senior roles - my guess is one of the reasons might be that we’re so tired we can’t take on more responsibilities.
During my masters I lived somewhere catered and cleaned for one term, and the result was incredible. I felt like I had my brain back! I could think and learn and I had energy! It’s terrible knowing ‘what could be’ , does anyone have any tips for this?