3 Autistic Traits That Made Me a Better Person
It's not all bad…
People see autism as a burden, and it sure is sometimes.
But that view fails to see the full spectrum of experiences and strengths that autistic people bring to the table.
In this article, I want to try to change the focus from what’s commonly seen as negative to explaining the positive sides for me. Each trait that might seem a challenge at first has changed me into a more reflective, resilient, and insightful person.
Here are 3 autistic traits that made me a better person.
1 — Constant Self-Reflection
As a person on the spectrum, I’m always checking my surroundings and what’s happening around me.
Not a single thing will go unnoticed.
That’s partially because I’m always alert, and partially because I’m copying other people’s behavior and how they respond to me. I’m checking people’s reactions all the time.
Neurotypical people somehow know how to respond to other people or know how to deal with certain social situations. I don’t.
We’re missing that connection in our brains.
It forces me to self-reflect all the time because I’m insecure about the way I’m behaving in public.
But it makes me a better person.
Without doing that I’d be stuck in my own bubble without ever having the possibility of changing my behavior when something isn’t right.
Giving yourself a go at self-reflection is good and I think that everyone should try it.
2 — Overstimulation
How can overstimulation possibly be better for you?
Well, it’s very simple. Overstimulation is caused by external factors such as light, sound, food structure, events, and anything that could cause it.
It’s the way our body tells us to stop doing something very early on.
For example, when you’re at an event and you’re having a good time but suddenly this overstimulation kicks in, it might mean your body isn’t enjoying it as much as you thought it would.
This can backfire though…
Sometimes it’s not accurate and you do have to get through something to enjoy it.
Last week my girlfriend and I went for a coffee at our favorite coffee place and I was completely messed up. I had been working all day and was so tired and overstimulated. But she forced me to go and I ended up enjoying it so much.
It made me relaxed and I took some beautiful photos on the way home.
3 — Introversion
Introversion is a personality type that often comes with Autism.
But it also teaches you to be alone and to enjoy the peace that comes with it. Being introverted isn’t just about being shy, not at all.
It’s about where you get your energy from.
This energy from within makes sure you’re able to do deep reflection and often gives you unique insights and creativity that might not be there in the chaos of constant social activities.
Personally, I don’t have many relationships with people, but when I do they have to be very meaningful.
Because when your social energy is limited, you have to spend it wisely.
Find people that enrich your life.
Final Thoughts
As you can tell, there are a lot of positives to the downsides of being autistic, and that’s what makes me want to share this with you.
Most people don’t know what goes through our minds, which makes sense because the structure of their brains is entirely different. — it means you can’t understand.
Don’t worry about it.
But if you care, you can always ask the people who are open to sharing information about it, just like me.
Articles like these should help.
Very helpful. Grandson has not spoken a word yet . However very capable in other areas. He is 2 1/2 .