WHERE TO GET THE BOOK: http://libgen.is/book/index.php?md5=F6B31A8DAFD6BD39A5986833E66293E6

MASTER THREAD

PRIOR THREADS:

• Introduction
• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Chapter Three
• Chapter Four
• Chapter Five

So uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh yeah been a minute lol

Life comes at you fast. Been going through a lot lately. Met my new nb girlfriend and got into my first relationship at 38 years old , then we went to the ren faire together dressed as an orc and a goblin (me and her respectively given our over a foot of height difference) then work absolutely beat the shit out of me when I was on the clock for about a month solid, and the free time I did have I preferred to spend cuddling and watching anime with the gf instead of impressing a bunch of weirdo communists on the Internet. I know, I've failed you all

Anyways, in part six, Dr. Price talks about building an autistic life, meaning starting to build a life that centers around your sensory needs and the things that give you joy and meaning. He begins the introduction with the tale of an influencer who found great success chasing trends but eventually starting having panic attacks and shutdowns from the social pressure. She got diagnosed, began questioning her sexuality, changed her whole image, lost tons of followers as a result, but is now happier than ever. A little parable for the chapter.

He explores the concept of divergent design, that is building living and work spaces around the sensory requirements of the neurodivergent. Making self-care tools like earplugs, sunglasses, and fidget toys available, keeping walls clear of clutter and distracting colors and designs -- or, alternatively, embracing such designs for sensory-seeking ND folks. Focusing on things like specific textures to include or avoid like the plague, lighting options, white noise or sound-dampening surfaces, etc.

Reimagining success and time is the next section Dr. Price elaborates on, focusing on things like re-examining productivity, the old ADHD pattern of getting everything done in one massive burst and then requiring a long time to recover, foregoing niceties allowing people to actually get shit done, and the benefits of self-employment. Abandoning neurotypical frameworks of success and timekeeping where possible and focusing on a longer view of things, cycling back to old projects, analyzing your improvement over several years, etc. can improve your motivation. As can slowing down in general.

Finally, Dr. Price goes into the benefits of doing things your own way, abandoning the "normal" way of doing shit just because it's what NTs expect and doing what works for you. Anyone who's ND knows exactly what I'm talking about. He uses the example of someone setting up mirrors at the exit doors of the kitchen and wearing a special apron for kitchen cleaning tasks as visual reminders to stay on task. Looking ahead at restaurants on Google Maps and looking over the menu in detail long before we arrive like the little weirdos we are. Take to it. Do it without shame. Be radically visible, as Dr. Price puts it. Studies show people are more amenable to autistics when they know they're autistic before interacting with them. Quit hiding it (if it's safe to, of course) and let your colors show. You'll be happier just by virtue of freeing up brain processing power.

Discussion questions below. Tag post to follow.

• Any passages that stuck out to you? Super relatable? Hard to understand?
• Are there any ways in your life that you've embraced your neurodiversity to your benefit? Any insights to share?
• Anything that confused you or felt was not elaborated enough upon?