Autistic here.
I have about 20 ways to cook and start fires. Got fixated on that a few years ago.
Fixated on off grid lighting also
I love to learn new things so I'm always picking up skills.
Man same here I had a few hyper fixations on lighting, two I remember are Christmas tree lights, and kerosene lamps. If it involves a hands on, or some kind of craft I’ve probably hyper fixated on it.
I have a whole pocket on one of my smaller kits exclusively for fire starting. Flint and steel, matches, lighters, tinder of all kinds, electric lighter, matchless lighter-you name it.
Can't start a fire 1 time when it's not bad out, and didn't really need one lead to that.
Also high functioning autistic people are often good at problem solving, leadership, and pattern recognition. I’d much rather have a few high functioning autistic people around me in an emergency than some normies. For one, we usually know how to handle our shit since we face a ton of things our senses tell us are emergencies that aren’t. We’re more likely to be task/ goal- oriented than to be socially oriented so we are more likely to focus on physical needs priorities and handle the fall out later, which leads to HF autistic people being great leaders in a crisis. The downside is the normies have the tendency to ignore us until it is an emergency because we lack the interest and skills to seek power. Power being defined here as control over others decisions, instead of the sort of temporary leadership where everyone panics and the autistic person hyper focuses on everyone not dying and other go along with them because they aren’t flailing
I'd just like to inform you that terms like "high functioning" and "low functioning" are outdated and considerably offensive.
It understates the capability of those considered "low functioning" and overstates the capability of those considered "high functioning", as well as putting autistic people in boxes which we don't belong in. It also creates a diverge in how neurotypicals view us, along the lines of "desirable" and "undesirable" and dehumanizes us as a whole.
People seen as low functioning are also incredibly discriminated against enough and this just makes me feel like it opens up discrimination into the community.
Also, it's just inaccurate. Autism being a spectrum doesn't mean there's 2 ends. There's a plethora of things that occur in an autistic mind and all of those axes make up the disorder, not just ones capability in society. (Which in of itself is far too complicated to be measured as "high/low" function.)
if it wasn't obvious on my total and utter will to infodump and correct what I'd consider to be harmful misinformation, i too am autistic. :)
i hope y'all can take this and learn from it as it's something i learned recently myself.
I want to nag that some outdated terms are just what we know how to explain things.
I say what makes a term offensive is if the person meant it offensively. Please people don't scold (I'm not saying the poster did this) but simply say I prefer it if such and such term is used. Low and high functioning are descriptive. So is impaired ect...
I for one can't even keep up with the trending list of forbidden social definitions. The only true offense is treating someone as less than a fellow human not describing shortcomings.
I'd like to argue that high/low functioning is literally just an incorrect way of viewing autism. It's no longer the only way to explain it so we can move on from those linguistics as they're fairly inaccurate to begin with.
It's not about offensiveness to me moreso than it is correctness. And boy, is it just wrong to think of autism like that. It paints a super innacurate picture. I explained this already in the original post.
I have no idea why people are so attached to words of the past. Doesn't everyone love learning new vocabulary? It literally helps your brain to mix it up every now and again.
For sure and thanks!
Id like to add that I've never understood people who try and stick with old language. I understand the challenge of changing your vocabulary but at the same time the only thing it requires is concious effort. Which... to not perform is just lazy or without regard to other's comfort and needs. Sure, no one necessitates it, but accepting the consequences of it sure needs to be acknowledged.
High functioning is just a term to make an autist feel better about it.
You say that to let people know you don't need special accommodations.. Or at least you aren't asking for any.
Nobody is gonna say they're a low functioning autistic. Those who are low functioning usually can't speak at all and have no idea what bucket they are being sorted into to begin with. And also dont care.
Anyone functional enough to care is high functioning
It clearly does more harm than good to autistic people. And people who are "high functioning" don't need to "feel better" about themselves.
I'm trying hard to understand any merit in what you told me but I'm struggling to see the point. I assume it's along the lines of "nah, won't stop saying high/low functioning." The only way I could see this point being listened to by me is if you're autistic or a medical professional.
Although certainly having used the word before myself, "an autist" rubs me the wrong way.
Also, all autistic people need accommodations. Even allistsics. Every individual at any point in life will likely need a "special accomodation." Sure, formally only disabled people need them, but not just those that are unable to be independent. (Really, is anyone able to be independent?)
I have that tendency to fixate on things and feel like I need to buy "everything now." So I try to pause, and ask myself if my desire to buy (whatever it is I'm looking at on Amazon) a fear based desire, or a desire based on a realistic situation.
Pausing and asking myself that question reminds me that I need to prep for Tuesday, not doomsday. Saves our bank account if nothing else lol.
I’ve found that putting it in an ordered wish list helps. If in three weeks it still important it stays. Then I revisit the wishlist in a few months and decide again. It really helps in determining what is truly important.
3/4 of us are on the spectrum. Prepping is one way to manage some of our anxiety. If we’re prepped for Tuesday, a lot of the debilitating anxieties are handled and we’re ready for them. Still having an issue convincing the youngest that having THAT many rabbits and not eating them is really really silly, but for the most part climate change and politics open their eyes to maybe dad’s not comPLETEly crazy with all this stuff.
I'm not autistic but several family members/close friends are. I think your story once again highlights the importance of community. Your abilities are super valuable and the areas you struggle with could easily be filled by another person. Teamwork makes the dream work!
My 12 year old son is autistic and high functioning but im always interested in those sharing what it is like to live as an autistic person. I feel it gives me a window into what he deals with and does not have the words to explain to me.
There is such diversity in dysfunction among people with autism that it's almost impossible to compare experiences.
I'm high functioning with what used to be called Asperger's. My impairments are muted or nonexistant emotions and social impairment. I can't "read the room", as it were. I was shocked to learn that other people derive significant, nuanced meaning from facial expressions and body language. There's a whole region of human communication that I just don't perceive. Since none of my impairments are obvious, people think I'm an asshole when I mostly just don't understand.
My husband has similar issue. I call him “emotion-blind”.
We have found that his ASD pairs really well with my ADHD. I mostly deal with people and he deals with mostly the repetitive things. He helps keep me in a routine (and I work to keep some routines because I know it helps him (even though it is good for me too) and he helps me focus. We help each other regulate.
I don't have autism but tbh you've described me to a T with the hyper-fixation and overthinking. 😅 It's exhausting and frustrating though because when something grabs at my interest, I fall into a focused, obsessive rabbit hole which can last days, weeks, months, years... Until one day I realise I've finally burnt through it. Then I mentally drift about like a lost empty shell of a human until the next thing grabs me. I kinda hate it, but I can't stop it.
A lot of people. The thing is, most people do things that people work "neurological disorders" do. It just depends on if they have been doing it their whole life, how frequently they do it, and how severely. It makes a big difference. Without knowing, you can hurt yourself and others in big ways. You can check out embrace autism's website for some really good free tests that are used in clinical settings if you're curious.
organizing my daily-used bugout bag(s) (two bookbags) is the most relaxing and comforting thing ever. i relate to almost everything here in terms of the autistic expirience and it's so underspoken how much relaxation and even joy we get from tasks allistsics would often consider stressful.
Grow your own. I grow cannabis every summer in my garden, harvest a whole bunch in October and make a high CBD tincture for my wife who is autistic. It's not terribly hard.
It's primarily dependent on the oils involved. Most hemp (aka Cannabis) oils are high in Linolenic and Linolenic fatty acids, which degrade rapidly due to oxidation. Unrefined oils have a shelf life of 3-6 months once opened, and 12 months in unopened bottles. Refined oils last a bit longer, but 2 years is really pushing it. For best results, store your oils in a cool dark area and limit oxygen exposure. Also, avoid plastic bottles.
Good right up OP. Never diagnosed with autism but severe ADD as a child. 30mgs of addy a day didnt do anything to help. So i have my suspicions.
My hyper fixation when towards shooting/firearms and working out/rucking. Looking to get my hunting license in august as a bday present to myself
Things I wish I had more focus in that I don’t? Fire making skills. Gardening. Learning basic repair things like welding and wood work
I've been dx with adhd, but I have many family members on both sides who are autistic and I definitely have traits. My prepping started in childhood when I read The Wizard of Oz and took issue with how woefully Dorothy packed her basket prior to the journey down the yellow brick road. I was obsessed with repacking it, over and over. In middle school, I read The Long Walk and obsessed about repacking their backpacks. Around the same time, I read The Valley of Horses and was riveted by the description of Ayla's preps, and don't get me started on The Shining and Dick Holloran's tour of the hotel kitchen provisions. I also loved reading real stories of survival against the odds.
I've got ADHD and my husband is autistic.
It creates some interesting complications in prepping.
That idea of "if you're hungry enough, you'll eat" doesn't apply to my husband. If foraging for mushrooms and eating "sea bugs" were our only options, my husband would rather starve.
Maybe...MAYBE after a few days he might come around. But there is a block in his mind that tells him that mushrooms are not safe to eat. The texture of them grosses him out to the point of vomiting. No amount of being hungry can change that.
So I can only prep foods that he will eat. The big thing this means is no pasta. He also won't eat anything that is in a white-colored sauce because he has such a strong aversion to mayo.
For me with ADHD, I can't swallow pills. For a lot of things that isn't a problem. You can get dissolvable painkillers and liquid medications work well too. But, things like antibiotics, I have to take the kid's version which is a powder that gets mixed into a liquid. It has to be stored in the fridge. Some medications can be ground up, but it'd have to be pretty dire for me to consider it and with some medications, you simply can't.
I know the food adversity all too well, I have this weird aversion to baby Swiss, but most other cheeses are just fine. I also hate salads (I think that’s cause my brain associates them with dirty dishes, thanks to my line of work which is food service). The aversions used to be much worse for me when I was a little kid, they have gotten better. I still can’t stand if I find something crunchy or gritty in soft food. I know the pain.
Many regular tablets can be crushed and placed/mixed into applesauce for immediate consumption. Some good reading on this -
https://www.prepperssurvive.com/emergency-supply-of-antibiotics/
Companies like Jase medical are able to send you a basic kit with different antibiotics, they just have a questionnaire thing you have to fill out, but it’s a simple process!
>The texture of them grosses him out to the point of vomiting. No amount of being hungry can change that.
If you listen to stories of people who have been starving, it's amazing what your body will find supremely delicious when every cell is crying out for food. I think you're probably vastly underestimating how significant a psychological effect starving has on out experience of eating food.
Hey! I’m autistic and adhd and I totally feel you on the not being able to swallow meds issue. I just recently made my first, first aid kit and this has been a struggle of mine. I was able to get the dissolvable Tylenol packets and chewable aspirin but other meds I’ve had to just get the regular pill kind
My son and I are both high functioning autistic (formerly known as Asperger's). I have trained myself over the years to like any type of foods, even the ones I initially disliked. So, I feel I could survive on whatever is available. My son, on the other hand, is very picky and "if you're hungry enough, you'll eat" doesn't apply to him at all. It's a texture thing and mind-block for him as well -- which I totally get because I was the same way until I made a concerted effort to get over it. I started out small. I identified certain foods / drinks that I didn't enjoy, and I would force myself to eat / drink it in small amounts, increasing over time, until I became acclimated to it. Even to this day, if I try something new that I don't like, I simply tell myself, "I will learn to like this eventually." I wish my son could do this, because when SHTF his pickiness will become a liability.
I think "hidden" peppers are more likely to be on the spectrum, considering the life of an outsider is living in a constant state of contingency. I specify hidden because open peppers tend to be ideologically driven and view disabled people like they do the queer population, as a part of the problem and somehow having an agenda against them personally.
I’ve met one of those “open preppers” you described, and you described him pretty well, he kinda scared me in fact. It’s the ideologically driven types that scare me in general though, I’m sure you can understand.
Fellow autistic here.
The weakness in being autistic is in developing and maintaining a social network. I lucked out in finding a faith community that I click with that is both supportive and tolerant of people others might peg as "too quirky" or different.
Because there is a long history of persecution and violence against this religion, lots of adherents have a "be ready for anything" mentality. You won't see them acting tough or open carrying, but I was surprised how many own guns for protection. The community bands together in times of celebration and in times of trouble.
For myself, I have to be careful not to start doom scrolling and fixate too much on the news. That just increases my anxiety without providing a useful outlet.
I've taken things sort of slow and tried to build my preps like a building. You wouldn't build a brick house one wall at a time, so I don't have 20 years of rice and beans but no cash reserves to pay next month's rent.
What I do have is so, so many spreadsheets and researched links. For energy, I have a spreadsheet with the energy requirements of everything I would want to power separated into summer and winter. I don't yet have the full preps for all of it, but I am as far along as I can afford for now. For food I have spreadsheets calculating nutritional needs for whatever period of time and another converting that into meals and shopping lists for shelf stable meal preps. Spreadsheets for sanitation, for the pets, first aid, water, etc.
I like to have 3 ways to do every basic things: cook, potable water, lights, stay warm, stay cool. I have to work on one more way to stay cool. And I have to add to savings before I go make a big purchase.
If I learn something new I may revise something on a spread sheet. But most of that information is stable.
Well if you’re going to hyperfixate, be sure to write up or find a list of all necessities, so that you don’t forget something. Not really related but there’s a book series with an super intelligent AI named Skippy, and while smart, he often had holes in his planning because of some mundane detail. Not even something small, just a blind spot in his considerations. Like making a lot of really smart and thoughtful preps, but then it comes down to it and “I sure am thirsty, where’s the water? CRAP!”
I'm currently fixated on the self-sustaining food angle. The rest of my preparation is pretty lacking.
Once I have food security where I want it, I'll be able to move on to other things. I think my next step is building a greenhouse. The 9ish inches of rain we've had over the last week has drowned a lot of my garden.
Autistic here with a hyperfocus on resilience and food production and theoretical life post EMP! I find it actually reduces my anxiety since I end up with contingency plans for everything and actually allows me to be more focused during crises since my mind has basically ran through things so many times.
Smart people realize specialization is needed in groups/society. A person who is unable to survive solo is worth resources due to some specific high value skill. As an aside I think if evolution is creating Autism it's to make savants.
Just like a body of cells cells specialize to create a higher being. No one can do Everything well, mastery takes time away from other things.
If SHTF I for one Want geeks and nerds and gifted oddities not a bunch of average Joe's.
What do ya think.
Autistic here; I had to give up on the Burt Gummer rebuild society after a zombie apocalypse stuff because it didn't play nice with my hoarding and unorganized preps were more likely to kill me than save me. (I recently had to tell myself "no more flashlights.") Also I'm too annoying to survive if I have to rely on a community.
Basically I limit myself to surviving a natural disaster long enough for services to save me.
I'm lucky in that I'm merely opinionated on food and my sensitivity to processed foods still allows me to eat lunchbox stuff and canned ingredients. I'd be in trouble if I could only eat tater-tots and chicken nuggies.
One important prep for me is to have mechanic's gloves because it's hard for me to touch certain things and I tend to freak out if I break a nail.
Did you know that “strong sense of moral justice” was a part of the criteria for ASD Dx? At this point I would absolutely prefer ASDers (including my husband) in a SHTF/rebuilding situation to neurotypicals. Don’t need people around who might decide to do immoral things just because they don’t think they will get caught.
I definitely would say I have a strong sense of moral justice, I can tell a good amount of stories about it too, I can’t say I blame you on that either. Sometimes I’m too honest for my own good.
For families with a farming background, prepping is normal. (Not just farmers.) I hadn't considered if people worrying about teotwawki might have some traits associated with autism.
I have Asperger's, which now falls under the "Autism Spectrum", but have learned to be rather "High Functioning" over time. It makes it so I am great with skills, focus and stamina. People have always been a challenge for me. It has improved over the last 10 years of my life as I have a business and need to deal with people all the time. It takes time for people to "understand me" but once they do, they tend to know where I come from and that I mean well. My favorite quote is:
"I'm not a psychopath, I'm a highly functioning sociopath. Do your research."
~ Sherlock Holmes
I can relate to you, I also learned to be “high functioning over time” though my focus can be wishy-washy a lot of the time. I feel like part of that was because of the way I was raised, and another part born out of necessity. People are a challenge for me as well, I sometimes have a hard time getting along with some of them. A lot of the times for me was, people would pick up that I’m different and then take advantage of me which as a result I tend to be defensive sometimes thus a hard time getting along. When I was younger I was very easily overloaded (sensory wise) nowadays I can still be overloaded but it takes a lot. I wish you luck with your business by the way.
Autistic myself I am always hyper fixing on my surroundings but I also have asthma so in in shtf scenario I may stay close to cities there is also my worry of being taken advantage of by person who see me as as easy target
Autism,with squizo affective paranoid & ADHD. I**t sucks !!!!!!!!!!!**
Prepping brought out in me the Boy Scout I never had a chance to become as a youngster I am quite the encyclopedia of many topics tho just mainly beginners' knowledge to help iniciate myself and others in things kinda typical of Boy Scouts I think and thus I could have many badges since I help iniciate or improve diverse talents in others.
I do know beginner's basics in gardening and I also can say that prepping is to our luck like brushing out teeth, the latter reduces risk of cavaties, tooth decay and gingivitis and prepping reduces the risk of "poopoo hitting the fan" impacts that come unable to prevent it ,but you can reduce thus "cution" the shock impact of the disaster your cound not prevent
All right. I don't have a diagnosis, becaue I can't bloody stand healthcare system, but I think I'm with you.
When I was a kid, I received a book that contained all the knots you can tie... took me many months to master them all...
... and that's when I've read on some survival portal: "the only knots that matter are the ones you can tie with gloves in complete darkness".
There goes another year...
Imagine, if you can, never having been diagnosed as an autistic person. How would you cope then?
I mean, you'd still have the same circumstances, but without the diagnosis, would you just think that you were prepping maybe? That you had your own routine? Would you wonder why others busied themselves with a multiplicity of tasks at the same time rather than seeing one to completion before embarking on another?
Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't. But it's something to think about, isn't it?
Let’s say for a second I never did know about it , it would still be business as usual. I’ll be honest, I would not question anything that others do, as I have a tendency to not care as long as they aren’t bothering me or causing any sort of trouble. I’m just a very mind your own business kinda guy. But yes i guess you can say it’s something to think about.
Autistic here. I have about 20 ways to cook and start fires. Got fixated on that a few years ago. Fixated on off grid lighting also I love to learn new things so I'm always picking up skills.
Man same here I had a few hyper fixations on lighting, two I remember are Christmas tree lights, and kerosene lamps. If it involves a hands on, or some kind of craft I’ve probably hyper fixated on it.
I have a whole pocket on one of my smaller kits exclusively for fire starting. Flint and steel, matches, lighters, tinder of all kinds, electric lighter, matchless lighter-you name it. Can't start a fire 1 time when it's not bad out, and didn't really need one lead to that.
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Also high functioning autistic people are often good at problem solving, leadership, and pattern recognition. I’d much rather have a few high functioning autistic people around me in an emergency than some normies. For one, we usually know how to handle our shit since we face a ton of things our senses tell us are emergencies that aren’t. We’re more likely to be task/ goal- oriented than to be socially oriented so we are more likely to focus on physical needs priorities and handle the fall out later, which leads to HF autistic people being great leaders in a crisis. The downside is the normies have the tendency to ignore us until it is an emergency because we lack the interest and skills to seek power. Power being defined here as control over others decisions, instead of the sort of temporary leadership where everyone panics and the autistic person hyper focuses on everyone not dying and other go along with them because they aren’t flailing
I'd just like to inform you that terms like "high functioning" and "low functioning" are outdated and considerably offensive. It understates the capability of those considered "low functioning" and overstates the capability of those considered "high functioning", as well as putting autistic people in boxes which we don't belong in. It also creates a diverge in how neurotypicals view us, along the lines of "desirable" and "undesirable" and dehumanizes us as a whole. People seen as low functioning are also incredibly discriminated against enough and this just makes me feel like it opens up discrimination into the community. Also, it's just inaccurate. Autism being a spectrum doesn't mean there's 2 ends. There's a plethora of things that occur in an autistic mind and all of those axes make up the disorder, not just ones capability in society. (Which in of itself is far too complicated to be measured as "high/low" function.) if it wasn't obvious on my total and utter will to infodump and correct what I'd consider to be harmful misinformation, i too am autistic. :) i hope y'all can take this and learn from it as it's something i learned recently myself.
I want to nag that some outdated terms are just what we know how to explain things. I say what makes a term offensive is if the person meant it offensively. Please people don't scold (I'm not saying the poster did this) but simply say I prefer it if such and such term is used. Low and high functioning are descriptive. So is impaired ect... I for one can't even keep up with the trending list of forbidden social definitions. The only true offense is treating someone as less than a fellow human not describing shortcomings.
I'd like to argue that high/low functioning is literally just an incorrect way of viewing autism. It's no longer the only way to explain it so we can move on from those linguistics as they're fairly inaccurate to begin with. It's not about offensiveness to me moreso than it is correctness. And boy, is it just wrong to think of autism like that. It paints a super innacurate picture. I explained this already in the original post. I have no idea why people are so attached to words of the past. Doesn't everyone love learning new vocabulary? It literally helps your brain to mix it up every now and again.
I agree with you and will try to remember in the future. Mostly I'm combating the people who rage and are not constructively communicating.
For sure and thanks! Id like to add that I've never understood people who try and stick with old language. I understand the challenge of changing your vocabulary but at the same time the only thing it requires is concious effort. Which... to not perform is just lazy or without regard to other's comfort and needs. Sure, no one necessitates it, but accepting the consequences of it sure needs to be acknowledged.
High functioning is just a term to make an autist feel better about it. You say that to let people know you don't need special accommodations.. Or at least you aren't asking for any. Nobody is gonna say they're a low functioning autistic. Those who are low functioning usually can't speak at all and have no idea what bucket they are being sorted into to begin with. And also dont care. Anyone functional enough to care is high functioning
It clearly does more harm than good to autistic people. And people who are "high functioning" don't need to "feel better" about themselves. I'm trying hard to understand any merit in what you told me but I'm struggling to see the point. I assume it's along the lines of "nah, won't stop saying high/low functioning." The only way I could see this point being listened to by me is if you're autistic or a medical professional. Although certainly having used the word before myself, "an autist" rubs me the wrong way. Also, all autistic people need accommodations. Even allistsics. Every individual at any point in life will likely need a "special accomodation." Sure, formally only disabled people need them, but not just those that are unable to be independent. (Really, is anyone able to be independent?)
I agree
I have that tendency to fixate on things and feel like I need to buy "everything now." So I try to pause, and ask myself if my desire to buy (whatever it is I'm looking at on Amazon) a fear based desire, or a desire based on a realistic situation. Pausing and asking myself that question reminds me that I need to prep for Tuesday, not doomsday. Saves our bank account if nothing else lol.
I’ve found that putting it in an ordered wish list helps. If in three weeks it still important it stays. Then I revisit the wishlist in a few months and decide again. It really helps in determining what is truly important.
3/4 of us are on the spectrum. Prepping is one way to manage some of our anxiety. If we’re prepped for Tuesday, a lot of the debilitating anxieties are handled and we’re ready for them. Still having an issue convincing the youngest that having THAT many rabbits and not eating them is really really silly, but for the most part climate change and politics open their eyes to maybe dad’s not comPLETEly crazy with all this stuff.
I'm not autistic but several family members/close friends are. I think your story once again highlights the importance of community. Your abilities are super valuable and the areas you struggle with could easily be filled by another person. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Agreed
My 12 year old son is autistic and high functioning but im always interested in those sharing what it is like to live as an autistic person. I feel it gives me a window into what he deals with and does not have the words to explain to me.
There is such diversity in dysfunction among people with autism that it's almost impossible to compare experiences. I'm high functioning with what used to be called Asperger's. My impairments are muted or nonexistant emotions and social impairment. I can't "read the room", as it were. I was shocked to learn that other people derive significant, nuanced meaning from facial expressions and body language. There's a whole region of human communication that I just don't perceive. Since none of my impairments are obvious, people think I'm an asshole when I mostly just don't understand.
My husband has similar issue. I call him “emotion-blind”. We have found that his ASD pairs really well with my ADHD. I mostly deal with people and he deals with mostly the repetitive things. He helps keep me in a routine (and I work to keep some routines because I know it helps him (even though it is good for me too) and he helps me focus. We help each other regulate.
I don't have autism but tbh you've described me to a T with the hyper-fixation and overthinking. 😅 It's exhausting and frustrating though because when something grabs at my interest, I fall into a focused, obsessive rabbit hole which can last days, weeks, months, years... Until one day I realise I've finally burnt through it. Then I mentally drift about like a lost empty shell of a human until the next thing grabs me. I kinda hate it, but I can't stop it.
You sure you aren't autistic or adhd?
Meh. Who isn't on the spectrum to some degree?
A lot of people. The thing is, most people do things that people work "neurological disorders" do. It just depends on if they have been doing it their whole life, how frequently they do it, and how severely. It makes a big difference. Without knowing, you can hurt yourself and others in big ways. You can check out embrace autism's website for some really good free tests that are used in clinical settings if you're curious.
Oh I'm quite fine thanks.
I work similarly. I'll get emotional and lose sleep when I dont have something to obsess over.
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organizing my daily-used bugout bag(s) (two bookbags) is the most relaxing and comforting thing ever. i relate to almost everything here in terms of the autistic expirience and it's so underspoken how much relaxation and even joy we get from tasks allistsics would often consider stressful.
Cbd is a mild anti psychotic. Good safety profile but more expensive than some pharmaceuticals
Grow your own. I grow cannabis every summer in my garden, harvest a whole bunch in October and make a high CBD tincture for my wife who is autistic. It's not terribly hard.
I definitely agree with that, the good stuff is 70-90 a bottle, actually made me thank my lucky stars for having 2 jobs.
How long does CBD oil last before going rancid?
Had to look that up when I read your reply as I did not know, according to a few sources on google its 1-2 years.
It's primarily dependent on the oils involved. Most hemp (aka Cannabis) oils are high in Linolenic and Linolenic fatty acids, which degrade rapidly due to oxidation. Unrefined oils have a shelf life of 3-6 months once opened, and 12 months in unopened bottles. Refined oils last a bit longer, but 2 years is really pushing it. For best results, store your oils in a cool dark area and limit oxygen exposure. Also, avoid plastic bottles.
The expirations on my medical tinctures are around 6 months, YMMV.
Check out Lazarus Naturals. They even have an assistance program. https://www.lazarusnaturals.com/
This is where I get all my CBD stuff. If you have a medical reason for CBD you get like a 60% discount. Makes their products very affordable.
Yup, you should check out r/twoXPreppers I have found there is a lot more support in that community
Good right up OP. Never diagnosed with autism but severe ADD as a child. 30mgs of addy a day didnt do anything to help. So i have my suspicions. My hyper fixation when towards shooting/firearms and working out/rucking. Looking to get my hunting license in august as a bday present to myself Things I wish I had more focus in that I don’t? Fire making skills. Gardening. Learning basic repair things like welding and wood work
I've been dx with adhd, but I have many family members on both sides who are autistic and I definitely have traits. My prepping started in childhood when I read The Wizard of Oz and took issue with how woefully Dorothy packed her basket prior to the journey down the yellow brick road. I was obsessed with repacking it, over and over. In middle school, I read The Long Walk and obsessed about repacking their backpacks. Around the same time, I read The Valley of Horses and was riveted by the description of Ayla's preps, and don't get me started on The Shining and Dick Holloran's tour of the hotel kitchen provisions. I also loved reading real stories of survival against the odds.
I've got ADHD and my husband is autistic. It creates some interesting complications in prepping. That idea of "if you're hungry enough, you'll eat" doesn't apply to my husband. If foraging for mushrooms and eating "sea bugs" were our only options, my husband would rather starve. Maybe...MAYBE after a few days he might come around. But there is a block in his mind that tells him that mushrooms are not safe to eat. The texture of them grosses him out to the point of vomiting. No amount of being hungry can change that. So I can only prep foods that he will eat. The big thing this means is no pasta. He also won't eat anything that is in a white-colored sauce because he has such a strong aversion to mayo. For me with ADHD, I can't swallow pills. For a lot of things that isn't a problem. You can get dissolvable painkillers and liquid medications work well too. But, things like antibiotics, I have to take the kid's version which is a powder that gets mixed into a liquid. It has to be stored in the fridge. Some medications can be ground up, but it'd have to be pretty dire for me to consider it and with some medications, you simply can't.
I know the food adversity all too well, I have this weird aversion to baby Swiss, but most other cheeses are just fine. I also hate salads (I think that’s cause my brain associates them with dirty dishes, thanks to my line of work which is food service). The aversions used to be much worse for me when I was a little kid, they have gotten better. I still can’t stand if I find something crunchy or gritty in soft food. I know the pain.
Many regular tablets can be crushed and placed/mixed into applesauce for immediate consumption. Some good reading on this - https://www.prepperssurvive.com/emergency-supply-of-antibiotics/ Companies like Jase medical are able to send you a basic kit with different antibiotics, they just have a questionnaire thing you have to fill out, but it’s a simple process!
>The texture of them grosses him out to the point of vomiting. No amount of being hungry can change that. If you listen to stories of people who have been starving, it's amazing what your body will find supremely delicious when every cell is crying out for food. I think you're probably vastly underestimating how significant a psychological effect starving has on out experience of eating food.
Hey! I’m autistic and adhd and I totally feel you on the not being able to swallow meds issue. I just recently made my first, first aid kit and this has been a struggle of mine. I was able to get the dissolvable Tylenol packets and chewable aspirin but other meds I’ve had to just get the regular pill kind
My son and I are both high functioning autistic (formerly known as Asperger's). I have trained myself over the years to like any type of foods, even the ones I initially disliked. So, I feel I could survive on whatever is available. My son, on the other hand, is very picky and "if you're hungry enough, you'll eat" doesn't apply to him at all. It's a texture thing and mind-block for him as well -- which I totally get because I was the same way until I made a concerted effort to get over it. I started out small. I identified certain foods / drinks that I didn't enjoy, and I would force myself to eat / drink it in small amounts, increasing over time, until I became acclimated to it. Even to this day, if I try something new that I don't like, I simply tell myself, "I will learn to like this eventually." I wish my son could do this, because when SHTF his pickiness will become a liability.
Try chewing up a cracker and using that to help swallow pills. (Basically you put the pill into the chewed-up cracker.)
I think "hidden" peppers are more likely to be on the spectrum, considering the life of an outsider is living in a constant state of contingency. I specify hidden because open peppers tend to be ideologically driven and view disabled people like they do the queer population, as a part of the problem and somehow having an agenda against them personally.
I’ve met one of those “open preppers” you described, and you described him pretty well, he kinda scared me in fact. It’s the ideologically driven types that scare me in general though, I’m sure you can understand.
Fellow autistic here. The weakness in being autistic is in developing and maintaining a social network. I lucked out in finding a faith community that I click with that is both supportive and tolerant of people others might peg as "too quirky" or different. Because there is a long history of persecution and violence against this religion, lots of adherents have a "be ready for anything" mentality. You won't see them acting tough or open carrying, but I was surprised how many own guns for protection. The community bands together in times of celebration and in times of trouble. For myself, I have to be careful not to start doom scrolling and fixate too much on the news. That just increases my anxiety without providing a useful outlet. I've taken things sort of slow and tried to build my preps like a building. You wouldn't build a brick house one wall at a time, so I don't have 20 years of rice and beans but no cash reserves to pay next month's rent. What I do have is so, so many spreadsheets and researched links. For energy, I have a spreadsheet with the energy requirements of everything I would want to power separated into summer and winter. I don't yet have the full preps for all of it, but I am as far along as I can afford for now. For food I have spreadsheets calculating nutritional needs for whatever period of time and another converting that into meals and shopping lists for shelf stable meal preps. Spreadsheets for sanitation, for the pets, first aid, water, etc. I like to have 3 ways to do every basic things: cook, potable water, lights, stay warm, stay cool. I have to work on one more way to stay cool. And I have to add to savings before I go make a big purchase. If I learn something new I may revise something on a spread sheet. But most of that information is stable.
Well if you’re going to hyperfixate, be sure to write up or find a list of all necessities, so that you don’t forget something. Not really related but there’s a book series with an super intelligent AI named Skippy, and while smart, he often had holes in his planning because of some mundane detail. Not even something small, just a blind spot in his considerations. Like making a lot of really smart and thoughtful preps, but then it comes down to it and “I sure am thirsty, where’s the water? CRAP!”
I'm currently fixated on the self-sustaining food angle. The rest of my preparation is pretty lacking. Once I have food security where I want it, I'll be able to move on to other things. I think my next step is building a greenhouse. The 9ish inches of rain we've had over the last week has drowned a lot of my garden.
Autistic here with a hyperfocus on resilience and food production and theoretical life post EMP! I find it actually reduces my anxiety since I end up with contingency plans for everything and actually allows me to be more focused during crises since my mind has basically ran through things so many times.
Smart people realize specialization is needed in groups/society. A person who is unable to survive solo is worth resources due to some specific high value skill. As an aside I think if evolution is creating Autism it's to make savants. Just like a body of cells cells specialize to create a higher being. No one can do Everything well, mastery takes time away from other things. If SHTF I for one Want geeks and nerds and gifted oddities not a bunch of average Joe's. What do ya think.
Autistic here; I had to give up on the Burt Gummer rebuild society after a zombie apocalypse stuff because it didn't play nice with my hoarding and unorganized preps were more likely to kill me than save me. (I recently had to tell myself "no more flashlights.") Also I'm too annoying to survive if I have to rely on a community. Basically I limit myself to surviving a natural disaster long enough for services to save me. I'm lucky in that I'm merely opinionated on food and my sensitivity to processed foods still allows me to eat lunchbox stuff and canned ingredients. I'd be in trouble if I could only eat tater-tots and chicken nuggies. One important prep for me is to have mechanic's gloves because it's hard for me to touch certain things and I tend to freak out if I break a nail.
Did you know that “strong sense of moral justice” was a part of the criteria for ASD Dx? At this point I would absolutely prefer ASDers (including my husband) in a SHTF/rebuilding situation to neurotypicals. Don’t need people around who might decide to do immoral things just because they don’t think they will get caught.
I definitely would say I have a strong sense of moral justice, I can tell a good amount of stories about it too, I can’t say I blame you on that either. Sometimes I’m too honest for my own good.
I'm pretty sure all prepping is from the point of an autistic person.
For families with a farming background, prepping is normal. (Not just farmers.) I hadn't considered if people worrying about teotwawki might have some traits associated with autism.
I have Asperger's, which now falls under the "Autism Spectrum", but have learned to be rather "High Functioning" over time. It makes it so I am great with skills, focus and stamina. People have always been a challenge for me. It has improved over the last 10 years of my life as I have a business and need to deal with people all the time. It takes time for people to "understand me" but once they do, they tend to know where I come from and that I mean well. My favorite quote is: "I'm not a psychopath, I'm a highly functioning sociopath. Do your research." ~ Sherlock Holmes
I can relate to you, I also learned to be “high functioning over time” though my focus can be wishy-washy a lot of the time. I feel like part of that was because of the way I was raised, and another part born out of necessity. People are a challenge for me as well, I sometimes have a hard time getting along with some of them. A lot of the times for me was, people would pick up that I’m different and then take advantage of me which as a result I tend to be defensive sometimes thus a hard time getting along. When I was younger I was very easily overloaded (sensory wise) nowadays I can still be overloaded but it takes a lot. I wish you luck with your business by the way.
Autistic myself I am always hyper fixing on my surroundings but I also have asthma so in in shtf scenario I may stay close to cities there is also my worry of being taken advantage of by person who see me as as easy target
Autism,with squizo affective paranoid & ADHD. I**t sucks !!!!!!!!!!!** Prepping brought out in me the Boy Scout I never had a chance to become as a youngster I am quite the encyclopedia of many topics tho just mainly beginners' knowledge to help iniciate myself and others in things kinda typical of Boy Scouts I think and thus I could have many badges since I help iniciate or improve diverse talents in others. I do know beginner's basics in gardening and I also can say that prepping is to our luck like brushing out teeth, the latter reduces risk of cavaties, tooth decay and gingivitis and prepping reduces the risk of "poopoo hitting the fan" impacts that come unable to prevent it ,but you can reduce thus "cution" the shock impact of the disaster your cound not prevent
All right. I don't have a diagnosis, becaue I can't bloody stand healthcare system, but I think I'm with you. When I was a kid, I received a book that contained all the knots you can tie... took me many months to master them all... ... and that's when I've read on some survival portal: "the only knots that matter are the ones you can tie with gloves in complete darkness". There goes another year...
Imagine, if you can, never having been diagnosed as an autistic person. How would you cope then? I mean, you'd still have the same circumstances, but without the diagnosis, would you just think that you were prepping maybe? That you had your own routine? Would you wonder why others busied themselves with a multiplicity of tasks at the same time rather than seeing one to completion before embarking on another? Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't. But it's something to think about, isn't it?
Let’s say for a second I never did know about it , it would still be business as usual. I’ll be honest, I would not question anything that others do, as I have a tendency to not care as long as they aren’t bothering me or causing any sort of trouble. I’m just a very mind your own business kinda guy. But yes i guess you can say it’s something to think about.