Episode 8: Autistic Emotions
Divergent Conversations
The Flat Effect: How I Feel
I think that if my therapist or someone was to ask me how I'm feeling most of the time, I can't name it. It's so I'm hearing myself talking to people. What the fuck are you saying? The way I experience like my day to day is like this constant buzz of anxiety and discomfort and feeling unsettled. And then overthinking everything and analyzing everything and absorbing everything. That's not a feeling word. Like it's not an emotion. It's just like the sensory uncomfortable.
Being an Autistic human often pairs with a complex relationship with emotions.
Just the question, "How do you feel," can feel so uncomfortable and spark anxiety, panic, and avoidance, often resulting in pre-planned responses or an answer that makes you think, "What the hell am I saying right now?"
In her initial session with a new therapist, Megan Anna, an Autistic psychologist, unintentionally exposed her genuine feelings about emotions, inadvertently confessing, "I hate emotions."
In this episode, you'll hear the personal experiences and realizations of both Patrick and Megan Anna around emotions, communication, and navigating relationships.
If you or someone you know struggles with expressing emotions or feeling understood and connected to others, then this episode is for you.
Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Understand how Autistic people may display emotions differently and the challenges we face in navigating and expressing our emotions.
- Identify signs of sensory overload, what can trigger it, and some methods to help self-soothe and regulate.
- Learn how and which tools and technologies to use to improve and aid in communication
By gaining a deeper understanding of Autistic emotions, we gain the potential for greater self-awareness which can empower us to embrace our authentic selves and foster meaningful connections.
- π» Dr. Megan Anna Neff's Website: https://neurodivergentinsights.com
- π» Patrick Casale's Website: https://www.allthingspractice.com
Resources:
Resources for Emotion Identification (blog posts):
- The Emotion Matrix: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/arousal-valence-model
- The Feeling Wheel: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/the-feelings-wheel
- Increasing Emotional Identification: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/emotional-identification
Resource (Workbook):
- The Alexithymia Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergentstore/p/alexithymia-workbook
- Emotions 101: If youβre a nerd like me and enjoy learning the science of emotions this workbook is for you: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergentstore/p/emotions-101
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β¨ The Autistic Burnout Workbook:
I'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout.
- Use the following link to grab this offer: neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64
- After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062
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π¬ Join Divergent Conversations Underground
Divergent Conversations Underground is a space for messy conversations, real connection, and unfinished thoughts in a neurodivergent-affirming community. If youβd like to go deeper with us into more nuanced, searching conversations, join here: divergentconversations.substack.com
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Mentioned in this episode:
The Autistic Burnout Workbook
I'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout. Use the following link to grab this offer: https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64 After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062
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