“The Suffering Autistic”
There’s this idea that kids and adults with autism are suffering from some kind of debilitating disease, like a cancer eating away at them, causing them pain every second of the day. This is often the argument used by parents to try to get sympathy, or to act like they’re the biggest heroes on the planet. Here’s the thing.
Autism isn’t suffering. Sometimes it is, but so is life, you know? This is my issue: if an autistic person is constantly having meltdowns, crying, screaming, hurting themselves, it isn’t because of their autism: it’s the environment. Autism doesn’t make us feel pain from every single thing we experience. The pain comes from very specific environmental factors. But when autistic people are forced to endure these things by their parents or loved ones, THAT’S when the pain comes.
An autistic person doesn’t just HAVE A MELTDOWN. It isn’t a function of being autistic. It is a function of environment, of discomfort and frustration. I’m always wary of parents complaining about their autistic child, not just because they’re self centered and egotistical, but also because they’re likely the CAUSE of pain in their child. It isn’t hard to recognize the steps that lead up to a meltdown. Autistic people often Express themselves physically, and the physical signs are hard to miss. Its ignorance and embarrassment toward these signs that creates the pain.
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ifesbob 