'Healthy' Behaviors

[suspiciouslyearthy]

I've been wondering recently what can be considered a healthy behavior for an autistic adult.

Here I mean healthy in terms of not causing psychological or physical harm to self, and actually being a sign of stability and generally good wellbeing.

I find many people think that when I spend long periods of time alone, this is indicative of isolating, a common depressive behavior, and actually is a bad thing for my mental health. However, spending long periods of time alone and engaging in my special interests is what makes me feel refreshed and energized. This is just one example of the discrepancy between allistic healthy behaviors and autistic ones. Another one could be that when I'm bouncing my leg this is indicative of anxiety and stress.

I wanted to ask if anyone had resources (research articles, books, articles, blogs) that dealt with what is considered healthy and maybe even expected from an adult with autism not actively in distress. Opinions of this are also welcome.

I want to do things that are good for my wellbeing, but a lot of advice seems contradictory to what I understand about my autism. I also know that not everything that feels good is good for you, so I feel conflicted on what advice to take. My mental health providers don't have a lot of autism experience so they are unsure as well.

This is also my first time posting, let me know if there is a better topic/thread for this.

 

[Darkkin]

Something as simple as going for a fifteen to thirty minute walk can have a subtle, but huge impact on mental health, endurance, and overall wellness.

It is one of the most basic forms of mindfulness and conscious grounding.

 

[suspiciouslyearthy]

Something as simple as going for a fifteen to thirty minute walk can have a subtle, but huge impact on mental health, endurance, and overall wellness.

It is one of the most basic forms of mindfulness and conscious grounding.

I agree, I enjoy implementing mindfulness practice in my day to day. I also do a walking meditation that I find really grounding.

My question has less to do with things that are healthy to do (e.g. exercise, eat vegetables, meditate) and more so with identifying whether or not specific tendencies are healthy (e.g. isolating to engage with special interests, avoiding social events) when taking into account autism.

Does that distinction make sense?

 

[Outdated]

I understand what you're getting at, I think. Welcome to the forums by the way.

Almost every bit of standard psychology you read doesn't apply to us, we are Divergent. Your greatest resource for finding out more about autism in general and in respect to your own self is these forums. They've helped me immensely and I'm trying to help others while I still learn more about myself.

Your first example of the psychology differences about isolation are a classic point to make. For me and many others here that isolation isn't just preferred, it's necessary for good mental health.

You'll also find if you read enough posts that quite often drugs don't behave the same with us either, our brains are different and so many drugs behave in unexpected ways with us.

I love reading other people's stories, we're a fascinating bunch.

 

[VictorR]

Welcome. As @Outdated noted, when you read stories or memoirs you'll find a wide variety of coping mechanisms and strategies for recharging, whether they be walking, engaging in a special interest, or taking a nap.

 

[Slime_Punk]

Mostly, I consider anything that contributes to mental, physical or spiritual growth (for myself or the benefit of others) to be a healthy behavior, not necessarily just what 'feels good' (even though there's some significant overlap). In fact, most of the healthy behaviors I've learned and developed over the past few years felt absolutely horrible at the beginning because my lazy body / mind / spirit didn't want to do work, a concept I later discovered to be discipline.

Everyone's definition is going to vary, but I think we all have that compass inside that knows what's best for us, regardless of whether it feels good or not - but thankfully, a lot of them actually do, if you nurture them and give them the room to grow. But as always, growing pains are a part of it all.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Something as simple as going for a fifteen to thirty minute walk can have a subtle, but huge impact on mental health, endurance, and overall wellness.

It is one of the most basic forms of mindfulness and conscious grounding.

I was practicing walking meditation at a center for meditation in Bangkok.

 

[Rodafina]

Hi and welcome @suspiciouslyearthy

In my opinion, there is a big difference between solitude and isolation. Over the last few years, I have slowly emerged from a desperately lonely and drug induced life (recovering addict here) and in these years I lived in isolation. I withdrew to my own spaces into my own mind because I saw people as dangerous and hurtful. my mind felt equally dangerous and hurtful when I interacted with the world.

Now, I do understand isolation as having very negative mental health effects, but solitude is very different. Solitude is finding the time, like you said, to be alone, recharge, engage in things that are interesting to you, and keep your mind busy with curiosity. As much as is wanted, keeping connections to others alive is important, but that does not mean any of us need to be social butterflies if we don’t want to.

So, in summary …

Solitude = Good

Isolation = Bad

 

[Thinx]

I think a problem can be that many around us mistake our healthy engagement in solitude for self isolation, or are simply unaware that engagement in solitude can be healthy and right for some people.

However, I would also note that on the whole I have tended not to mind much what others think about me or my activities, especially if what I am doing is completely unaffecting them. As in, who cares? This works best if one has the resources not to have to care, like, enough finances and one's own quiet home to retreat to.

But still I do also think it would be preferable to be better understood. However, that is not currently an available reality. Raising the point, as you have here, is helpful. How do you feel this can be advanced further? I'm thinking, there could be more research into and understanding promoted, about what's healthy for varied neurologies.

I have especially noticed differences in how I may feel or react to medical interventions, as noted by others here to. Usually I thrive on more clear and kind communication that is specific, from medical staff, and less assumptions that medications will be useful or suitable.

For example, in hospital after an op I was strongly encouraged to take paracetamol tablets despite my explaining the size and flatness of the tablets made them too hard to swallow. This type of tablet are cheaper, I think, and my request for alternatives, such as soluble paracetamol, were presumably seen as unnecessary, until I physically vomited after trying to comply.

I haven't vomited since I was 5. Nor would I have, had my understanding of my needs been seen as valid. My plan for any future hospitalisation is to take with me some suitable paracetamol. This will probably work better than trying to educate the medical staff about the needs of neurodiverse people, in the short term.

 

[AprilR]

Healthy ways to cope with the world as an autistic person: for me it is to create something or engage in art. Reading stuff, cooking or writing. Listening to music all the time also.

 

[Knower of nothing]

Health is generally seen as having your full functionality as a person (sometimes subtly implying functionality can only refer to your utility to others). Though I think it comes down to the harm you experience that you are or aren't ok with. Pain doesn't matter if you don't mind it, but the pain you do mind matters no matter how light it is. Pain from having issues doing things, or being incapable of doing things, is pain all the same. Discomforts in our bodies or from the way you feel around others, are you ok with it? If yes, you're still healthy. But most wouldn't say yes. We'd prefer no discomfort. And that's the shape of the sickness.
From this we all have a unique sickness to deal with and advice is very generalized. Doctors may know of the physical state of your body, and what ways to alter how it operates, but only you know the sickness.
You'll never find the perfect instruction on what to do for you personally to feel at your best. Sifting through contradictory advice and relying on intuition or what's popular is all we really have. That, and observing results from directly trying things out. It won't come without some failures.