Thread by @AutieAdorableMC

Centenarians/supercentenarians are one of my special interests but the recommendations for a long life are always frustrating.

It's basically, "be neurotypical, abled and don't be a marginalized person".

Many autistics are introverted (either naturally or exogenic due to trauma), awkward, multiply & repeatedly traumatized, terrified in social situations, and unable to adapt to a hostile, rigid and inaccessible allistic society.

We are passionate, goal oriented & creative though.

"Adaptation strategies" is a bit of a normative dog whistle. Literally everything you do in life is an adaptation strategy. But the dominant culture/neurotype decides which adaptation strategies are valid.

Stimming is a healthy adaptation strategy but is rejected as abnormal.

A child sickened by school, now refusing to go to school, is applying a healthy adaptation strategy, but adults decide it's unhealthy & criminal.

Claiming disability income is an adaptation strategy, to feed and house oneself, but is considered a failure of character.

Choosing a more healthy but still unhealthy samefood is a positive adaptation strategy.

Compromising on the best of two bad situations is a positive adaptation strategy.

But privileged outsiders would only see bad choices rather than carefully calculated decisions.

I have made many healthy but unpopular choices in life that have been misconstrued by ableds/allistics as unhealthy -- because they can't see how inherently unhealthy and damaging their lifestyle is to me.

#ActuallyAutistic

And of course, there are many things I have no control over, like being able to access healthcare and other services, be safe from government policies, not have people abuse or neglect me.

"Resilience" engenders so much self-blame.

Every time I'm triggered or newly traumatized by something & I feel the cortisol washing through my body, I feel "oh no, that's another few days chopped off my life expectancy."

If only I could control basic biology. 😔 Silly me.