Imagine being at a rave and the first thing you notice isn’t the music, but the sound system’s quality. Or planning a casual convo at work, but blurting out a completely random thought instead. Welcome to my autistic brain.
In this week’s episode of Mind Over Meltdown, I break down 8 subtle ways autism shows up in my life—from struggling with routines to being unintentionally hilarious.
👀 Ever felt weird about small talk?
😵💫 Avoid hugs even with close friends?
💡 Hyperfixate on things to the point of exhaustion?
If this sounds oddly familiar, maybe it’s time to learn more about neurodiversity. Listen to the full episode to hear my experiences and see if any of this resonates with you.
Two Tools for Understanding Your Autistic Brain
Tool 1: Take the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Test
Think of this as a Buzzfeed quiz, but instead of telling you what kind of bread you are, it helps identify autism traits. It takes about 10-15 minutes and is recognised by both the NIH and NHS.
Pros:
Internationally recognised and research-backed.
Cons:
Written like autism only exists in white cis boys.
🚨 If the test says you’re not autistic, don’t panic. You might still be neurodivergent in another way! And if it suggests you are, you get to decide what to do next, pursue a diagnosis or just start living in a way that honours your brain.
Tool 2: Journaling for Self-Discovery
Journaling sounds like one of those "self-care" things people swear by, but let’s be real, most advice is way too vague for your autistic brain. So here’s a method that actually works:
📅 Step 1: Set a Routine – Daily, weekly, or whenever you remember. Just make it consistent.
📖 Step 2: Track Your Emotions – Each entry, note:
One feeling from the day (e.g., "Today I felt anxious, 8/10")
What triggered it
Any physical sensations ("Had stomach pains in the meeting")
🔍 Step 3: Spot the Patterns – After 10+ entries, look for trends:
Are Mondays always terrible?
Do social events leave you drained?
What consistently makes you feel good?
🔄 Step 4: Make Changes – Now that you have the data, decide: "Now what?" What tweaks can you make to better support yourself?
No pressure, no productivity guilt, just tools to help you understand yourself better.
Try one or both, and let me know how it goes!
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