AUTIST TO AUTSIT CHAT #2
AGAIN, NAME AND SUCH REDACTED/ANONYMIZED, WITH ME IN RED AND THE OTHER IN BLUE
SOME OF THE ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPT FROM THE DISCORD CHAT HAS BEEN EDITED FOR THE SAKE OF THIS BLOG POST
S: How's your day so far?
R(edacted): Good, good.
S: Same, just a slow day for me, Not a BLEEP thing going on for me...
That might actually be driving some of the issues that sparked the whole Autism blog i'm doing, btw...
R: It's been a slow day for me too. It's the weekend.
S: If there's anything good to report on, it's that the Olympics are almost over... meaning normal weeknight TV programming returning (Blogger's Note: this chat was done on the 10th of August, nearing the final weekend of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games)
Do you remember how long ago it's been since your Autism diagnosis?
R: I was diagnosed when I was 11, so roughly 23 years ago now... It was Asperger's at the time.
(BN: He volunteered his age without any coxing)
S: I forgot when it was for me, but the same thing was true for the Asperger's diagnosis.... at least 20 years ago...
R: Before that it was PDD-NOS. That was very early childhood, before i remember.
S: I had an ADHD diagnosis early on, before they figured out Autism/Asperger's.
Also, what's PDD-NOS?
R: Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified
S: Ah... so in other words... they didn't know.
R: I believe my brother had an ADHD diagnosis too, but I don't remember. 'm sure he's not autistic, though. And that's pretty much right (regarding PDD-NOS)
S: How do you manage your day-to-day live with your autistic mind?
R: Right now, I'm living by myself in an apartment with a cat. It's not cheap, though.
S: I can imagine.
Any medicine you have to take or anything of the sort?
R(answering previous Q): I'm not comfortable giving an exact salary, but I am a software developer who's been working at it for several years.
S: Ah
R: I used to take medicine, but not anymore.
I was prescribed Paxil and Risperdal, if I remember right (BN: Talk to your doctor before starting any prescribed medicine)
S: I've been taking medicine in various forms and dosages for just about all my life
R: I was taken off of those because I had a tendency to be suicidal if I missed a dose. Ironically, the most common way I'd try to kill my self would be to OD on medication.... My mom started keeping them locked up for that reason.
S, while the previous answer was being explained: There IS something I've noticed within the online gaming community (especially the game show subsection)...There's a lot of people who are autistic.
I wonder why that is?
R: I Don't know, but I did have an obsession in my childhood with Wheel of Fortune. Family story is that show is how I learned how to read, as a matter of fact.
S: A lot of families can say that, tbh...
As for me and the autistic game show fandom, i'd attribute it to the bright colors, the music played, and the blinking/chasing lights in the older shows I grew up with.
R: I didn't like the Feud much as a little kid, for a reason that would make sense when i talk about something about my Austism
S: Let me guess, the Strike buzzer?
R: FF was one of two game shows (The Price is Right being the other) that had a buzzer that I found right harsh-sounding. I have a noise sensitivity.
So... yea, you were right about it being the Strike buzzer.
S: IDK if it was Autism or just youngling jumpscares, but I was afraid of The Joker's Wild's Devil and the Tic Tac Dough Dragon (both in their 70s forms).
Also, even Dawson himself wanted the buzzer to be shortened near the end of the original run of the Feud.
Sidenote: I know we have OCD/Germaphobe game show hosts (Marc Summers and Howie Mandell comes to mind), but do we know of any Autistic ones?
And I'll admit, the blinking of the Big Board was my favorite part of the Press Your Luck experience, though the Whammy was a close 2nd
R: Talking about this makes me wonder how many autistic people are gambling addicts...
(He's referencing modern slot machines and such, btw)
S: One thing from my school days REALLY drove my noise sensitivity off the wall: Fire Drills.
R: I don't remember it clearly, but my mom said during my first few fire drills I'd hide under the desk...scared, instead of trying to get out.
S: How else has your condition affected your life, btw?
R: My social life, especially offline, is next to nonexistent.
S: I'M THE EXACTLY THE SAME WAY (and I'm trying to get help in that)
R: I feel it's less stressful for me if it's on my terms (or at least i can "predict" what the other people around me are likely to do)
Sometimes we get passionate on a subject, we can talk about it for a LONG time. We don't always pick up the social cue that people are getting bored hearing about it.
S: Wanna know something funny?
Some people sleep to lullabies, others use white noise or the sound of rain.
I find YouTube Poop I know doesn't do any earrape scenes and I end up falling asleep to THAT!
(The rest of that goes into various tangents, including Gen Z/Alpha, Love on the Spectrum *not the show* and playing cards *including differences between countries and their standard decks)
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