On your really bad days…

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What has helped you MOST when living with the condition?

I’ve found pure silence to help me most. Silence is all knowing, all accepting, all embracing, all everything. I can make peace with and merge with the silence. Like everything in the universe. Stars and all. That may explain why people say they feel peaceful when they visit my home. I’ve visited a few of my ASD friend’s homes and I’ve felt the same way. Very peaceful feeling. We take a lot of comfort in what feels familiar. And it feels (not shows haha).

But I am curious to hear what has helped you guys? The more power we all give each other, the better I think all of our insights make life slightly easier. And if we are lucky, a lot easier!

Music and fanfiction. I feel so comforted by reading the fanfic I made about my special interests, and making more, if I can. Also, every time I feel crappy, I listen to music. Nothing really helps that much, I just have to get through it.

Silence helps, although I have Tinnitus 24/7 so I don't ever hear silence.

My most comforting sensory haven is my pillow fort at night in the dark. I'm relaxed by the glow of coloured Christmas lights (red in particular, but also blue or green -- and never LED). I like seclusion where I can stim and muse in private, away from any other sensory input such as scent, sound or other people. Occasionally I'll listen to music in my pillow fort, but only if I can identify my mood or exactly which songs will feel therapeutic.

Sometimes I go into sensory shutdown for many days at a time, unable to speak or interact with the real world at all. No television or radio, no talking, nothing but sensory comforts. I live a very peaceful, lowkey lifestyle and I've worked really hard to create the perfect environment for all my sensory needs.

PLEASE tell me how to make a pillow fort! That sounds super cool!

They ARE super cool! I've built them since childhood. Instant chill!

You can google "blanket fort" or "pillow fort" for ideas and instructions.

Some people buy tent poles and frames but I've always just used beautiful sheets or tapestries, lots of pillows, and mood lighting -- faerie lights or warm coloured Christmas lights.

It's always good to have a place where you can retreat,whatever form it takes. I suppose it's a common trait to need that 'Buffer' between the outside world and yourself. I don't do anything fancy, I just stay inside, ignore the world. But i would like sound proof walls. It sucks to be subjected to noise and disturbance from outside. So I can never fully cut the outside world out, as much as i would like to be able to.
Pillow Forts? Oh Thats a nice, but somewhat womanly thing, I can accommodate myself to more starker environments. But it sure does look inviting....I wouldnt mind being in one of those with a woman i really liked lol, not at all, man i would welcome it

Yes! When I come in and lock the doors I'm like "Take that, world! Screw you!"

My curtains are always shut and I have my own little oasis.

I keep my phone off and no TV / radio. I only allow the music I want to hear, the lighting I love, and the softest of pyjamas!

I even bought coloured lenses for my glasses (like Irlen) so any sunlight or white colours are muted blue.

I'd love to get bubble tubes but they cost more than my mortgage!

I always feel like that. As far back as I can remember. I've liked to go inside, stay inside, and just enjoy life on my terms.

1. Without a doubt, stories. Whether its books, graphic novels or movies, losing myself in stories has been the best, most dependable therapy I've ever run across.

2. Especially when combined with #1; Audio isolation. Both silence and noise blockers. The absense of audio stimulus is just heaven to a beleaguered brain. Too many of my negative mental/physical health triggers come from sound. Since I found a way to effectively block out most noise, my stress finally descended from the point at which it felt like it would kill me sooner than later.

3. Social isolation. Although even some people are great, sometimes even great people can be more than I can handle at that moment. The reduced load on the brain goes a long way, not to mention removing potential triggers from your immediate environment.

4. Appropriate music. Finding comfort in relateable music is like finding company with a good old friend that knows what you're going through. Although it's debatable regarding how effective it is as a therapy tool, at least its a good feeling when good feelings are sparse.

5. Friendly company that provides normalcy. Having good company to distract me during rough times is a godsend. I had one good friend that kept me coming during my time of deep depression. Even just going on walks was fantastic. Oo, speaking of which,

6. Walks. I don't know what it is about it, but walking has always been theraputic to me. I don't really have any words to describe it. It just feels like....something I'm just meant to do. Maybe I should become a postman

7. Water. Again, I don't why, but water just feels good. And when stress is topping out, cold water to the face is a great balm. And showers are great. If not for the expense (and limited hot-water supply), I'd stand around in the shower for like an hour.

getting diagnosis helped me with self understanding. Neurological testing helped me understand the way my mind works, what my sensory processing was like, my strengths and weaknesses so I can finally make accommodations and help myself do every day living better. now I know I can avoid sensory hell and not expect to have to put myself through experiences others expected of me before ( I substitute things that are not as hard on my autism processing) my life has got so much better. Self care always first. Self understanding and forgiving yourself for not being perfect is a great gift. interesting thread

I often listen to music. Especially either raw, angry, loud music to get my rage out, or melancholic music with identifiable lyrics to wallow a bit.

I used to always be making blanket forts as a child but I was not allowed to as I became a teenager. It was a way in which I could hide myself off in my own little world. I could not do very small ones as they were claustrophobic but big ones were nice as I could be in them and be isolated from the rest of the room. They were also fun.

Beware of the heat from bulbs. My brother came very close to setting his bed on fire with a torch bulb, and if my parents had not smelt the burning and thrown the matress out the window in time the bed would have caught fire. It actually went up in flames as soon as it went out the window and within seconds, all that was left was metal matress springs.

As too much happens at home with my youngest brother and his wife being magnets for attracting people, often the only way to de-stress is to drive out into the countryside and find a lonely place with my Mum. Mum needs de-stress as well! She is a lot like me at times.

Music and stories as some posters already Said. Also doing skincare and makeup. (my comfort objects are my beauty product)

Finally getting diagnosed has helped me immensely, and reading books or watching videos or listening to podcasts by other autistic people has as well. It helps me learn new ways of coping that I might not have discovered on my own, and helps me to feel less alone.

Beyond that, I have found that paying close attention and listening to my body and mind when it is telling me I need to rest is essential; I used to feel guilty about taking that sort of time for myself, but I don't any longer. I believe the role of fatigue in autism is under-emphasized.

Losing myself in one of my special interests helps, because I forget about everything else.

Other things: Solitude, silence, wearing an eye-mask to shut out the light for a time while I rest, listening to binaural music on headphones, allowing myself to stim freely, learning to say no to things I don't want to do and generally setting healthy boundaries with other people, creating a cozy and restful space that suits me (for me it means a quiet room filled with books, a comfortable chair for reading, a comfortable bed for resting, and I have several different lamps in my room so that I can always adjust the light to suit my mood). If there is a lot of noise in the house or outside, I have earplugs and headphones that I can wear.

Walking or other exercise helps me a lot.

If I am just generally uneasy and restless and can't settle to doing anything in particular(which does sometimes happen) I find that doing some small chores or organizing something can help, and I have a feeling of accomplishment after doing it that feels good. It might be something as simple as straightening the books on a few shelves, or bigger, like completely rearranging a whole room, which is something I actually really enjoy doing.

Journaling, just writing freely and doing a mind-dump; getting things out of my head and onto the page is something I've always done, and have always found helpful.

Mostly God Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Angels on seldom occasions. Reading the Bible too

Hiding in tons of blankets when I can.

Also walking in nature helps a lot. Quiet and peaceful.