Navigating social relationships can be a complex, nuanced journey for Autistic people, and the way it presents in day-to-day interactions and situations is incredibly diverse.

In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, discuss the complexities of friendship management for Autistic individuals, as well as explore the connection between relationships and common Autistic traits such as repetitive behavior, difficulty with flexibility, special interests that are intense or atypical, and sensory differences.

Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:

1. Unpack the different ways in which autistic individuals experience and navigate social connections, finding out why that can differ so greatly from neurotypical expectations.
2. Explore the challenges and distinct profiles of autistic social interactions, diving into the importance of understanding the role of social motivation and casing light on the often invisible energy it requires to maintain connections.
3. Gain insight into the world of special interests and repetitive behaviors, showcased through the personal experiences of Patrick and Dr. Neff.

As you journey through the intricacies of Autistic social interactions, take a moment to reflect on the unique ways in which people communicate and connect, perhaps finding a new understanding of your own social narrative.

Resources:

For this conversation, we are using Is This Autism By Donna Hendreson, Sarah Wayland, and Jamell White. You can find it here. But wait...

• The publisher is giving our listeners a special coupon during this series! Use Code: NDI24 to get 30% off and free shipping Valid through 6-Jul 2024 (must purchase using this link)

Also, we’ll be reading this book together for our book club in June in the Neurodivergent Learning Nook. You can learn more about our community here.

DISCLAIMER: We're using the DSM-5 criteria as a framework for this conversation, and this is not our endorsement of the DSM. There have been a lot of very thoughtful critiques of the DSM in the last several years, and more specifically, how autism is presented in the DSM is very deficit-based. So, we are not in alignment with that view, but we did use that as a framework to walk through our experience of autism and to unpack the many ways that those criteria could show up in a person. The reason we chose to do this is that we believe in the power of transparency and demystifying the process of diagnosis, which has historically been very obscure and hard to understand. And so this is our effort for those who perhaps are interested in pursuing a diagnosis or who have gone through the process and want to understand it better. This is our attempt to help demystify that experience. It is not our endorsement of the DSM. Thank you for understanding that.

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