Notes: Unmasking Autism

Author: Devon Price | Book Link

• Autism is a disability which cannot be cured
  • Autistic people have to accept it and live accordingly.
  • They should try to frame their life according to their disability. It could be the flexibility at their workplace, how their home is organized etc.
• People with Autism have diverse symptoms
  • Not comfortable in loud environments but some may need over stimulation.
  • Emotionally dissonant.
  • Not able to understand social cues.
  • Not able to make eye contact.
  • They are straightforward, outspoken and overtly analytical.
  • Called robotic by people.
• Normal people are able to gloss over details and see the big picture but autistic people are not able to ignore the details
  • This is sometimes a good thing, to be focused on details.
  • But sometimes they are fixated on small things which are better ignored because they might not be that important.
• How to help autistic people
  • Understand that the symptoms are not something which can be cured although autistic people usually mask them by appearing to be normal.
  • Give space for autistic people to be themselves and not require them to be seem normal.
  • Masking requires a lot of energy so if they don’t have to mask it then they can spend that energy elsewhere.
  • Some autistic people are high functioning and don’t required much support but some do.
  • High functioning Autism was known as Aspergers Syndrome.
• Some Autistic people representation on TV
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • Rain Man
  • Queens Gambit
  • Rick and Morty
  • Amelie