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4 Conversation techniques to add to your social script
Posted: 12 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:
The dangers of hyposensitivity
Posted: June 10, 2016
Hypo (under) sensitivity means being under sensitive to the environment (for example, sound, touch and light, etc.). If you are under sensitive to something, that means your brain is not responding to the stimulus - even if your physical body is. Some people with ASD experience hyposensitivity - although from what I've read, it appears that hyper (over) sensitivity may be more common. Only after really thinking about this subject did I realise that hyposensitivity can be very dangerous. This article looks at why, gives some examples, and suggests some helpful strategies to deal with hyposensitivity.10 personal strategies for dealing with anxiety
Posted: May 28, 2016
The 10 bits of advice listed below have changed my life. These are the things I personally do every single day/throughout the day. As a result - generally - my anxiety day to day is under control and I am able to live the way I want to and do the things I want to do. There is a lot of advice already available about dealing with anxiety, but much of that won't be overly helpful for people on the autism spectrum. I wanted to share my personal strategies with you because I hope they may be useful to you too. 1. Finding out lots of information so I know what to expect I need to know what is going on pretty much all of the time. In situations that I don't have a lot of control over (for example, when I'm out of the house, shopping, at work, at a social gathering...), I prefer to know as much as possible about "who-what-where-why-when-how." When I have this information, I can use it to decide whether or not I will participate. If it sounds manageable, I'll be more inclined to participate and enjoy it. If it doesn't sound manageable, I'll decline and probably end up avoiding the likely outcome which would be a meltdown/shutdown. Knowledge is power, as they say. Having lots of information about something before I agree or disagree to participate makes me feel like I have a bit of control. That sense of control is very important.Meltdowns in public – what to do?
Posted: May 1, 2016
Meltdowns are quite common for people with autism. They are not exclusive to children, even adults can have meltdowns. Depending on coping mechanisms and the individual themselves, a meltdown for one person will look different to another. A meltdown can include: hitting, crying, shouting, being verbally aggressive… etc. Recognising a meltdown in public isn’t always… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only t…
Theories about the sensory system in ASD
Posted: April 22, 2016
Although sensory challenges were not considered to be an aspect of ASD until the most recent diagnostic criteria (DSM-5), I am yet to come across anyone who has a diagnosis who does not have sensory challenges. In fact, many individuals with ASD believe that the challenges they have with their sensory systems are the most debilitating aspect of their disorder. Some individuals also say that most of their daily life struggles do in fact stem from their sensory challenges.What does a ‘routine’ look like in ASD?
Posted: April 6, 2016
I find it interesting that some people with ASD have no daily routine (in fact, it astounds me as I cannot ever personally imagine living a life without a very rigid structure). But routines can manifest in different ways. It is often said that people on the autistic spectrum like routines. There might be some… 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 artic…
The difference between masking and coping
Posted: March 26, 2016
Someone in the audience at one of our recent workshops asked a fantastic question. She said, "What is the difference between masking and coping?" Here is my answer.