Sometimes All U Need Is To Play Nature Sounds And Lay Down On The Floor In A Ball

Definitely!! I get super alert almost to the point of hypervigilance especially if I’m tired but don’t feel safe enough to relax.

Anyone else super jumpy while sleep deprived? Like my mother and her friend are talking and I keep jumping like a scared little bat and I'm confusedd

I need some nonhuman friends 😭

I wanna bark at you for hours, I want you to pet my head, I want to nudge you and bite your arm affectionately

I want to switch and give you pets, I want you to make your animal sounds, I want you to nudge me

I just wish we could be animals again </3

idk if this is just me being sensitive, but I'm really tired of people calling me transmasculine when I've made it clear that I'm nonbinary. I feel like people have been using the terms transmasculine and transfeminine against nonbinary people, even if its unintentional. People are finding more "woke" ways of asking "are u a girl nonbinary or a boy nonbinary???" and it's tiring...

I think this is so interesting and now I really wanna hear more about the ways different people interact with animals. ​I have many pets and have always been a very animal-obsessed person so I wanted to add some thoughts.

Personally, I’ve have found that the neurodivergent people I know (myself included) tend to personify animals much more than is usual. For example, when I get a new animal it takes me a while to “become friends” with them. (Which is basically just us getting to know each other/getting into a routine.) But everyone I’ve met has always been very confused by that.

Another weird thing is I’m not super empathetic towards people, but with animals I’m hyperempathetic. And I’ve seen tons of other neurodivergent people express this online! It’s such a strange thing I love it!

the cool thing about working with animals is that I have one singular neurotypical colleague (as far as I know). and it’s become super obvious to me that the way autistic people relate to animals is fundamentally different to how allistics relate to animals. and the way people with ADHD relate to animals is fundamentally different to those without. 

(only one of my colleagues has Tourette’s and only two of us have OCD, so I don’t think that’s enough to make any grand sweeping statements). 

anyway. a real interaction between two of my colleagues today.

ADHD: Maggie won’t stop barking at me. I think she’s upset.

autistic: let me go talk to her. I can fix this. 

and that’s not uncommon? my autistic colleagues and I seem to talk to the animals to a much greater extent than anyone else. my ADHD colleagues and I seem to be the best at associating the correct name and breed and dietary requirements to the correct dog, which is weird, because I can’t do the same when it comes to humans.

I know that most people communicate with their animals but… it’s different in a way I can’t quite explain. the communication and connection seems so much deeper… I don’t know, it’s just wonderful. also, the fact that so many ND people work with me… that alone… indicates something. 

the cool thing about working with animals is that I have one singular neurotypical colleague (as far as I know). and it’s become super obvious to me that the way autistic people relate to animals is fundamentally different to how allistics relate to animals. and the way people with ADHD relate to animals is fundamentally different to those without. 

(only one of my colleagues has Tourette’s and only two of us have OCD, so I don’t think that’s enough to make any grand sweeping statements). 

anyway. a real interaction between two of my colleagues today.

ADHD: Maggie won’t stop barking at me. I think she’s upset.

autistic: let me go talk to her. I can fix this. 

and that’s not uncommon? my autistic colleagues and I seem to talk to the animals to a much greater extent than anyone else. my ADHD colleagues and I seem to be the best at associating the correct name and breed and dietary requirements to the correct dog, which is weird, because I can’t do the same when it comes to humans.

I know that most people communicate with their animals but… it’s different in a way I can’t quite explain. the communication and connection seems so much deeper… I don’t know, it’s just wonderful. also, the fact that so many ND people work with me… that alone… indicates something. 

me: so being autistic effects every part of me...

allistic: ok

me: it even changes my perception of gender...

allistic: that makes sense

me: i identify as autigender because my experience of gender is intertwined with my autistic experience

allistic: AuTisM IsN’T A GENDer?!!!!

———————————————————————

autigender doesn’t necessarily mean autism is a gender, it is simply a term autistics can use to describe the way their gender and autism interact (hope that helps explain it!)

(I don’t know if this is just me or if other neurodivergent people experience this but) growing up I was bullied/shamed for having any interests whatsoever so now I’ve just learned to internalize any impulses to infodump. like I really want to talk about all these really interesting things, but like even thinking about telling another person just feels so wrong? and dirty? I don’t really know if this makes sense, but it’s basically unstoppable force (the need to share my hyperfixations) vs immovable object (paralyzing anxiety)

offering a hug to all the trans people with traumatic religious upbringings; we didn’t deserve what they did to us. we deserve love, community, and acceptance. i’m here for you

hi, at what part of puberty do i get my divine glowing light? what's that you say? never? fascinating, thanks! *starts mauling people*

there’s a lot of odd things humans do, but right now I’m very hung up on parades. I do not understand them whatsoever??? they are gaudy and overwhelming and very very strange to me