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Blog Posts & Ezine Articles

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Autistic Burnout: The Cost of Masking and Passing

Stimpunks

A resource defining and explaining autistic burnout as a state of pervasive exhaustion and diminished capacity resulting from continuous masking, coping, and living up to demands out of sync with autistic needs.

Throw Away the Master’s Tools: Liberating Ourselves from the Pathology Paradigm

Dr. Nick Walker

An essay arguing for a paradigm shift from the pathology model of neurodivergence (specifically Autism) to the neurodiversity paradigm for liberation and empowerment. It advocates for rejecting the concept of "normal" and the "master's tools".

Neuroqueer: An Introduction

Dr. Nick Walker

An essay defining and introducing the concept of neuroqueer and neuroqueering, exploring its origins, connection to Queer Theory, and its role in the Neurodiversity Paradigm.

Taking ownership of the label

Jorn Bettin

Advocacy for autistic people to take ownership of the 'autism' label, reject the pathology paradigm, and frame autism through the social model of disability and the neurodiversity movement to fight discrimination and claim civil rights.

Mast Cells and Autism - The Autism Community in Action

Dr. Theoharis Theoharides

Explores the strong association between mast cells, mast cell activation, and autism. The resource explains how immune system dysfunction can lead to neuroinflammation, affecting core autism symptoms, and outlines potential medical treatments.

Largest study to date confirms overlap between autism and gender diversity

Laura Dattaro

The largest study to date confirms that gender-diverse people are 3-6 times more likely to be autistic than cisgender people. The research found a significant overlap and higher rates of autistic traits.

Autistic Communication Differences & How to Adjust for Them

Leonardo Yeates

An article on the differences between autistic and allistic communication styles, offering tips for neurotypical people to adjust their style to better interact with autistic people and reduce misunderstanding.

The double empathy problem

Dr Damian Milton

An article by Dr. Damian Milton explaining the "double empathy problem" theory. It suggests communication issues between autistic and non-autistic people are mutual, stemming from a difference in world experience, challenging the 'deficit' model of autism.

What is Autism?

Dr. Nick Walker

A concise, evidence-based definition of autism that aligns with the neurodiversity paradigm, framing it as a genetically-based human neurological variant with high synaptic connectivity, leading to intense sensory and cognitive experiences.

Very Grand Emotions: How Autistics and Neurotypicals Experience Emotions Differently

Terra Vance

An article exploring the difference between autistic and neurotypical emotional experiences, highlighting "very grand emotions" (Justice, Truth, Passion) as core values for autistics and explaining inter-neurotype communication challenges.

PDA - Why it is important and where we are now

Dr Michelle S Garnett & Prof Tony Attwood

An article discussing Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) as a profile of autism, its history, why accurate diagnosis and distinct strategies are crucial, and the current clinical and research understanding.

Sensory Overload: When the World Turns the Volume to 11

Bipesh Adhikari

An exploration of the experience of sensory overload, where environmental input becomes overwhelming and distressing for a neurodivergent person.

Autistic Burnout

Lisa Macafee

An autistic counselor's personal vignette on burnout, detailing the stress of work and family life, leading to mental/physical exhaustion, loss of speech, and emotional repression.

The case of the fluctuating functioning levels

Rochelle Johnson-Vestjens

An article arguing against the “High/Low Functioning” labels for autistic people and highlighting the reality and seriousness of fluctuating functioning levels, which are heavily influenced by sensory and social environments.

AuDHD & camouflaging

Eden Arefaine HBSc - Embrace Autism

This article analyzes camouflaging in individuals with AuDHD (autism and ADHD co-occurrence), comparing its presentation to those with only autism or ADHD, and discusses strategies for unmasking and coping without camouflaging.

Autism and (trans)gender: dysphoria, and gender fluidity in ASD

Maureen Bennie

An article discussing the link between Autism Spectrum Disorder and increased rates of gender dysphoria, ambivalence, and fluidity, referencing research findings on gender non-conformity and sexual diversity in ASD individuals.

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