Peer Support April 2022

Slide01
Self-Care
Self-care for Autistic People is different from self care for Neurotypicals.
Our needs our different. It’s not all about eating chocolate in the bath
and spa days*.

It is about taking responsibility for our own well being.

Slide02
Why It’s Important:
If we neglect our self-care we bring ourselves closer to
• Meltdowns
• Burnout

But self-care is difficult for us because of:
• Low Interoception (don’t feel cues like hunger or fatigue)
• Executive Dysfunction (feel the cues but don’t act on them due to distraction/hyperfocus)

Slide03
Why It’s Important:
If we neglect our self-care we bring ourselves closer to
• Meltdowns
• Burnout

But self-care is difficult for us because of:
• Low Interoception (don’t feel cues like hunger or fatigue)
• Executive Dysfunction (feel the cues but don’t act on them due to distraction/hyperfocus)

Slide04
What Are Your Needs?
Maslow’s hierarchy is flawed, but has uses.
If you feel up to it, think about what you feel the lack of and do something (small at first) to meet that need.
If you feel completely tired start at the bottom and, when you feel ready move up a level.
Image Shows: A pyramid with four levels. The top level is labelled “Purpose”, the second level is labelled “Social Needs”. The third is labelled “Pleasure Needs”. The base level is labelled “Biological Needs (Food, Rest, Safety)

Slide05
What To Do
Our internal reminders don’t work so we must make external reminders for self-care.

Checklists
Write down self care tasks as reminders on your whiteboard/organiser. Also have the things you need (water bottle, pill docet) visible to you so you don’t forget/avoid them.
If you are feeling low on energy ask yourself “Today, have I”:
• Slept
• Eaten something nourishing
• Drank water
• Taken my meds
• Gone outside/felt sunlight
Keeping a record/journal of what you do and also what makes you feel good or bad can also help.

Slide06
What Are Your Needs?
Maslow’s hierarchy is flawed, but has uses.
If you feel up to it, think about what you feel the lack of and do something (small at first) to meet that need.
If you feel completely tired start at the bottom and, when you feel ready move up a level.
Image Shows: A pyramid with four levels. The top level is labelled “Purpose”, the second level is lab

Slide07
Be Kind to Yourself
If things slip we can get sad and frustrated (which can make things slip too).
It’s okay if you feel bad. It can be better to accept these feelings and rest than to spend energy wrestling them. Once they subside you can choose what to do next based on your core values.
Whatever happens you deserve to be
proud of yourself and proud of being Autistic. You are remarkable just for surviving and you are enough.

Slide08
Be Kind to Yourself
If things slip we can get sad and frustrated (which can make things slip too).
It’s okay if you feel bad. It can be better to accept these feelings and rest than to spend energy wrestling them. Once they subside you can choose what to do next based on your core values.

Whatever happens you deserve to be proud of yourself and proud of being Autistic. You are remarkable just for surviving and you are enough.

Slide09
DISCUSSION
• Autistic people may need more rest, but may also use more energy if they have ADHD.
• As we get older we may have less stamina- doing consecutive all nighters may damage us.
• If life gives us no choice but to burn the candle at both ends then we can look at the other methods of self care. This may be as simple as playing video games, music, cuddling loved ones or silent time.
• If we have obsessive thoughts we may have to do something to keep busy/distracted.

Slide10
SUGGESTIONS
• Somebody showing kindness or empathy or caring for someone else can be a big help.
• Don’t take on more things if you’re already low on energy.
• Meditation, especially object focussed mindfulness can help recover energy.
• Hobby activities like Lego or arts and crafts can help by putting us in a ‘flow’ state, as can stim toys.
• Cleaning, putting things in order, dealing with task and hygiene are all also self-care tasks.