A social enterprise helping people on the autistic spectrum and the people around them.
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4 Conversation techniques to add to your social script
Posted: 10 months ago
Many autistic people create for themselves a 'social script' to help them know how to interact in social situations. A social script is a guide for planning what to do and say inside a social setting.
The Girl With The Curly Hair uses a social script whenever she meets up with her friends. Specifically, she uses 4 conversation techniques:
What can we learn from dogs about sensory overstimulation?
Posted: August 5, 2018
I have learned a lot about sensory overstimulation from learning about my dog. I think that we can learn about ASD from dogs.
The freeze response to anxiety in ASD
Posted: July 27, 2018
I've been thinking about the Freeze response to anxiety. A lot of people know a bit about Fight and Flight and less people think to remember Freeze. Let's consider Freeze and how and why it might happen to people with ASD.
How could the challenges of autism be seen as strengths instead?
Posted: July 18, 2018
I have a bit of a problem looking at a lot of the literature and listening to people talk about “the positive traits of autism”. Whenever I hear or read these lists I usually largely disagree with them, because I feel that what is being listed is actually more to do with an individual’s personality rather than… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only to members of our community. If you would like to conti…
How to stop saying things you don’t mean
Posted: July 11, 2018
Saying things we don't mean is a part of masking. 'Masking' is what lots of autistic people (especially females) do in social situations. Arguably the worst consequence of masking - which isn't always talked about - is that it has the potential to destroy relationships. If you are not being your true self when around others, then how can you expect to have meaningful relationships? Let's look at some ways we can learn to stop saying things we don't mean.A Trip Out – Short Clip
Posted: July 8, 2018
See more of our animations… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only to members of our community. If you would like to continue to read this article, along with receiving access to our exclusive animations, podcasts and special offers – please click the Subscribe today button. If you are already a member, please log in. SubscribeToday Why supportCHP? Free Autism Alert Card! When you subscribe to The Curly Hair Pr…
What is hyperfocus and how to achieve it
Posted: June 30, 2018
'Hyperfocus' a skill commonly said to be had by lots of people with ASD (or, interestingly, ADHD). It can be the most amazing ability and means a person has enormous potential! Let's look at what hyperfocus is, some positives and negatives of it, and how to successfully obtain hyperfocus!
How to support autistic people through change
Posted: June 22, 2018
I’ve learned a lot through running my businesses. An idea I’ve come across is The Kubler-Ross Change Curve* (this is actually the same idea as the 5 stages of grief, which I’ve talked about before but in a different way). The Change Curve is used to understand how people might respond to and move through… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only to members of our community. If you would like to continue to r…
Why am I so critical and how to manage it
Posted: June 13, 2018
The most common definition of to criticise is: "to express disapproval of the perceived faults or mistakes of someone or something." People on the autistic spectrum are often described by other people, as being too critical. Someone who is too critical can be a difficult sort of person to be around. I know that I have a tendency to annoy people by pointing out their mistakes all the time, and that I can ruin other people's enjoyment or experiences if we are out somewhere or doing something and all I do is find faults with the situation...
5 unfounded things people say about autism and how to respond
Posted: June 4, 2018
It seems very common that, when an autistic person tells someone else that they are autistic, the other - neurotypical - person is likely to say one or some of the comments listed below. In this article, I'm going to look at why a neurotypical person might say these things and how I personally might respond to them in order to achieve the 'best' outcome.
Compartmentalised relationships
Posted: May 25, 2018
I have noticed that other people are much more integrated to their surroundings and their relationships. They can mix their family and their friends (and often involve their family and friends in their work and hobbies). They can mix friends with other friends. This is in contrast to me, in which the different aspects of my life are kept separated. I've noticed that in particular it is easier for me if my relationships are kept separate from each other. I've learned that neurotypical people can feel quite excited by the prospect of meeting new people and introducing them to their social networks and vice versa. Surely this is exactly why people enjoy parties and social gatherings, because of all that "mingling"! I have had quite unusual relationships. I once dated someone for about 2 years and in that time I never met this person's friends or got involved in his social life. I remember my friend thinking this was weird. This was long before I knew I had ASD. It might be a bit weird but it makes sense now why it was this way!