Journal Writings


Karla & Cynthia – traveling!

Posted on December 8th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on Karla & Cynthia – traveling!

Here is a picture from our recent travels to the Autism Research Institute conference.



Synesthesia or Sensory Integration Disorder?

Posted on May 29th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on Synesthesia or Sensory Integration Disorder?

Synesthesia or Sensory Integration Disorder?

Can you hear in color? Do you hear numbers and see colors? Do you see an aura around people?

Many people with sensory differences are actually experiencing synesthesia.

You can read more about what is is on this Wiki page.

Your sensory system is located in your brain. Sometimes ‘wires are crossed’ and two senses can be experienced simultaneously. If you have this, it is ‘hard wired’ and is expected to change very little over time.

There are pros and cons to this.

Pro: you may see people and ‘read’ them by your sensory experience (aura); for some it provides them with exceptional memory

Con: sensory overload/shutdown, painful sensory experiences

 

I know many people with synesthesia, because it is quite common in the ASD community!

 

 



Not Overcoming Autism

Posted on May 25th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on Not Overcoming Autism

Autism is not an “enemy” that I must overcome. Autism is my neurology. It is very much a part of who I am today as a person, both the good and the bad. It is pervasive and affects the total “me” now as much as it did when I was smaller. I did not overcome autism to be who I am today. Instead I learned to accept, to adjust, to be more self-aware, to adapt, to advocate and to work really, really hard.

Get Karla’s back-story (the story behind her BIO) as she ventures forward and takes her place amongst her peers as self-advocate and autistic civil rights activist.



World Peace Suit of Armor

Posted on April 16th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on World Peace Suit of Armor

Your homework this week is to own each and every death… That’s all the people that die, and while you are at it, take on the insects too!

The Psychologist seemed a little frustrated with me when he offered this assignment.  I was in grief therapy trying to process my Father’s recent death.  This was my very first time ever in therapy and I was the very first ASD person that my grief therapist had encountered in practice.  On this session we had ventured into my Desert Storm experience and I was unsettled. The Doctor tried to tell me how some things are too big to own. He explained how he personally can only manage to care for himself, his family and a small group of outside people. He insisted that people are designed to only be able to “own” so … Read More »



The Shutdown Experience

Posted on April 16th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on The Shutdown Experience

As I write this I am coming out of a partial shutdown from this morning.  (about 3 hours ago actually)  Interestingly this little event happened to me as I walked into my therapist’s office for “Social Skills Training”….  Except it did not happen exactly at that time.  There was actually a long lead time into this and several factors all played.  But I remember the exact trigger for the rapid decline of my abilities was the light from the lamp on the table near the door hitting me in the eye as I walked through the door.  Then the subsequent noise that it made as well as the pain it sent soaring through my body triggered several events that can be called a partial shutdown.  Let’s start at the beginning….

My psychologist asked me last week if I could change my … Read More »



The ASD Parent

Posted on April 16th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on The ASD Parent

I have two amazing daughters who I raised primarily as a single parent (though I had much help from multiple friends).  They are currently 27 and 29 years of age and are college educated, independent, successful and fully productive members of this world.  You might detect that I am quite proud of both of them.  They are my friends, my mentors and my biggest supporters.

The other day I read on a parent’s blog (about raising ASD children) that the “not knowing” is the hardest part.  I could not believe what I was reading, as it related to ASD parents/kids.  Here is my perspective on that matter and that specific comment…

My oldest daughter came out of my womb screaming her head off and hasn’t shut up since.  She was “in charge” of her environment and her destiny from the moment of … Read More »



Hyposensitivity, Self-Awareness and Health

Posted on April 16th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on Hyposensitivity, Self-Awareness and Health

“Do you realize how very hard it is to push your body so hard that you get a clinical diagnosis of exhaustion?!” The Doctor’s voice was tense and stern as he waited for my reaction. I just sat there looking at the wall, confused, annoyed and very, very tired. I had no words to offer him and I just wanted to get out of there. I hate doctors. They never understand me and often just plain do not believe me. He lectured me some more, wrote prescriptions for physical therapy, some medicines and instructed me to rest, eat, etc. This was the third time in my recent life that I did this sort of thing to myself. I cannot even remember the times over the past decades. This latest one followed a 3 day weekend of farm work and very … Read More »



Getting to Know You

Posted on March 4th, by Cynthia Arnold in Journal Writings. Comments Off on Getting to Know You

When someone tells me that they want to set up time with me, I generally demand an agenda from them. ASD specialists will call this “rigidity”.  I call it common courtesy.  It is a matter of perspective.  In a world where human interaction is “King,” spending time with other humans is natural and “right.”  But […]


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