Todays Mood Be Like

today’s mood be like

has anyone done this yet?

One of the really, really frustrating things about being autistic is that you feel like you spend your life trying to reach some sort of unattainable middle-ground:

- We’re criticised for not making enough conversation, but when we do actually really get in to a conversation we are told we’re ‘too intense’.

- We’re often trained to maintain unbroken eye-contact during conversations, yet in reality too much eye-contact is called ‘staring’ and makes people very, very uncomfortable. 

- We’re encouraged to ‘express’ ourselves more, yet our actual, genuine emotional reactions are usually deemed ‘innapropiate’ or ‘unnescessary’. 

- We’re told to be friendly and confident when approaching new people, but are then warned that we ‘come off too strong’.

- We are told to try and make interesting conversation, but are also taught that speaking about our interests will only ever annoy other people. 

- We’re asked to explain our difficulties and anxieties, only to be told that these explanations ‘make no sense’ or that our worries are unrealistic and invalid. 

- We’re expected to force ourselves in to social situations that feel overwhelming and draining yet still somehow remain friendly, good-tempered and pleasantly sociable. 

- We are encouraged to develop good self-esteem, while at the exact same time being taught that everything about us is wrong.

I don’t hate having autism - I’ve never hated having autism. But I do hate living with the never-ending pressure to attain this mythical ‘perfect’ level of social interaction that simply doesn’t exist in my case.  

Abed’s Autistic Traits

From the blog that brought you this post comes another analysis of one of my favorite autistic characters, Abed Nadir from Community!

Social Disconnect

Abed’s most ‘obvious’ trait would be his struggles with social interaction, specifically misreading social situations, social confusion and inappropriate social displays.

Special Interests

Abed’s special interests consist of a fascination with TV/Movies. Abed frequently makes pop-culture references and leans on the fourth wall with his mentions of media tropes occurring in various situations the group encounters.

Stimming

Abed doesn’t stim very often, but when he does it’s usually because he’s anxious. Occasionally he will stim idly or when he’s happy.

Echolalia

Abed’s only prominent displays of echolalia are his repetition of the word “cool”. It has become a sort of catchphrase for him.

Shutdowns

Abed tends to shutdown when he is distraught or overwhelmed. He appears nearly catatonic during these shutdowns. The group tends to become concerned that they have ‘broken’ him.

Resistant to Change

Abed does not like alterations to the group dynamic. He is uncomfortable with alterations to his routine and living space.

Sensory Issues

Abed’s sensory issues are usually not obvious, although he is almost always wearing clothes that offer maximum comfort, like sneakers, jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, flannels, and cardigans. He apparently experiences auditory sensitivities as well.

Chameleon-like

Abed will take on different personas depending on the social situation he’s in. He tends to mimic characters from TV/movies.

Vocal Expression

When Abed is extremely distressed, he tends to whimper quietly or emit a high-pitched shriek.

Difficulty Reading Faces/Body Language

Abed tends to be confused by others’ facial expressions and body language, he often has to outright ask others what they are feeling. His ineptitude in this skill gets him into trouble sometimes.

Imaginative Escapism

Abed frequently retreats into fantasy when faced with overwhelming situations in reality. His imaginary scenarios have bordered on psychosis at times.

Controlling Tendencies

Abed has manipulated the group on several occasions. He has a strong desire for control and structure, and he will sometimes manipulate his friends for, as he puts it, “ the benefit of the group”. Other times Abed simply does it to create positive results for himself, not realizing or not caring how his actions might upset others.

Dyscalculia

Abed has shown difficulties with visual thinking, as he struggles to tell time on an analog clock, and has has trouble differentiating left from right.

Gullible/Easily Manipulated

Abed is more gullible in the earlier seasons. He has a weak grasp on the concept of “messing with” someone and tends to take people at their word. Abed’s desire to make his friends happy also means to is easier to take advantage of him, which his friends have done on multiple occasions.

Monotone Speech

Abed tends to speak in a flat, monotone voice regardless of the emotions he is expressing. He lacks inflection in his speech, and although he does know how to use it, it just doesn’t come naturally to him.

Heightened Self-Awareness

Abed is extremely self-aware, possibly relating to him being genre-savvy. He knows others view him as odd. He is extremely aware of his strengths and flaws, his motives, and the reasons behind the actions of others. Abed has had inner dialogue with himself revealing he’s self-aware even when he appears to be the most out of touch with reality.

There ya go, I love Abed! Such a great representation of an autistic person, and just a fantastic character in general.

ML Scarlet Lady au Master post 2

Ficlets:

A hero no more

Balcony talks

Sweets

The sidekick

The limit

The Reason

Truth

Another Hero

Split

Real Hero

Honey

Lady Luck

Episodes

Evillustrator

Dark Cupid:

(Part 1)  (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5)

Volpina:

(Part 1)  (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5)

Fan made Episodes:

Miss Fortune:

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)

Christy Altomare is adorable and you can’t change my mind.