Personal Self Care for Young Adults with ASD

As an individual with Autism and Anxiety, I value the importance of daily self care. When I don't squeeze some self-care into my day, I will become easily overwhelmed. One of the symptoms of Autism is trouble concentrating. I am prone to panic attacks and will experience high degrees of stress, so it is critical for me to practice all kinds of self care.

When I am not stimulated enough, I will experience mood swings in which I am despondent or completely hopeless. It doesn't matter what I do to take care of myself. What matters is that my mind is as occupied as possible, even with the simplest activity like watching Eckhart Tolle videos on YouTube.

Every morning, I grab my iPhone and listen to upbeat music to wake me up and start my day on a decent note. It usually takes me some time to get out of bed, since I am in love with my squishy, soft-as-a-cloud and warm bed. Out of all my hobbies, sleeping is one thing that I treasure. After a good nights sleep, I always refuse to get out of bed. Thanks to music, I have gotten better at waking up on time.

While I am at work, school or doing certain tasks, I always require constant breaks. Taking constant breaks helps me concentrate and successfully complete each task in a stress-free manner. When I am stressed, overwhelmed or exasperated, I will struggle with completing the task.

Every night, I retreat to my cozy haven which is my baby pink painted bedroom and my lavender painted living room. Unless I am going out with friends or family, I am always hibernating in my apartment because that is what helps me prepare for the next day.

Every person functions differently, so what may work for one person may not work for another. Depending on the circumstances and lifestyles of adults with Autism, self care can be a challenge. If you practice self care on a daily basis, it will be easy for you to incorporate into your daily routine.

Every adult needs some time for self-care, whether they are living with a Autism or not. Adults are living preoccupied, rewarding and stressful lives, so adults are in great need of daily personal self care and rest. If we do not include self care into our daily routines, we will not function physically, mentally, socially, spiritually and emotionally. Self care is like taking daily supplements, so for our brain and body to work properly, we need to rest regularly.

No matter how impossible it can be to get regular rest, there are endless ways for you to make it possible. Personal self-care and fulfillment does not have to include spending money on luxurious and costly spa treatments or expensive tickets to watch the hockey game. It can be cheap or free of cost! I will list some simple, easy and cheap ways for you to include some daily rest and self-care into your routine.

1. Practice your favourite hobbies

Any hobby or activity that gives you pleasure is possible! Out of all the necessities that humans need to live a healthy and happy life, hobbies are another essential to healthy living. Pleasurable activities and hobbies such as doing puzzles, reading books, playing video games, coloring, doodling, watching TV and listening to music can be enjoyed in the comforts of your own home, at the park, at a cafe or at the library. All of these activities are also accessible on your electronic devices, which can be convenient for those of you wanting to spend a day or night out of your house!

I have a few favourite pleasurable pastimes that I love to enjoy at home and out of the house. Simple things like going to a park, reading a book at the local library, playing video games in my bedroom, listening to music, and watching YouTube videos are things that I have valued since my childhood. I am 23 years old and I still enjoy the beauty and magic of spending a few hours under a tree or lounging on top of a green hill at a local park. You're never too old for this classic and simple excursion to the park!

2. Create goals for yourself

Whatever it is that you want to achieve, no goal is silly or impossible! The way we develop and improve our lives is by creating goals. Reasonable and common goals that people tend to focus on are losing weight, quitting smoking, drugs and alcohol, eating more fruits and vegetables, saving money for a car, getting a job, moving out of the family home and increasing physical activity.

I am continuing to work on losing and maintaining my weight, managing my stress and regulating my emotions, so I can live a healthy, fruitful and stress-free life at the best of my ability! One of my goals that I want to achieve at one point is learning to travel on a plane alone. I have always travelled with family members or friends, never on my own! It is one thing that I want to accomplish, because I believe that it is a valuable life skill that I will need to achieve at one point in my adulthood.

When you are creating and working towards goals, it is important to have supportive people around you to help you be accountable. People like family members, your parents, friends, therapists, doctors, spiritual/religious workers, personal support workers, life coaches and nurses are ideal examples of people that can help you achieve your goals in a supportive, loving, caring and open manner! Life is too short, so write down and achieve those goals whenever you are prepared!

3. Discover your authentic self

Believe it or not, it took me 5-6 years to discover who I really was as a person! I was often baffled about who I really was, because I was often criticized and told that I wasn't worthwhile, I was obnoxious, and that I was disgusting. On the other hands, I was also perceived as someone who was kind, caring, worthwhile, sophisticated, articulate, creative, intelligent, beautiful, and goal-oriented.

Although I have had many friends, family members and people that supported me throughout my life, that still didn't liberate me from the confusion and frustration that I experienced with regards to discovering my true self. The only way that I have managed to find my true self was by reading several self-help blogs, educating myself on my condition, surrounding myself with positive and supportive people, watching self-help videos, attending regular therapy sessions, and doing things that match my positive personality traits like doing artwork!

It does not matter how many years or months it takes you to discover who you really are. If you have had a tough past, have been judged a lot in your youth or have been suffering from a serious health issue, it will take you some time to discover who you really are and what your abilities are. Life is not a race, it is a journey. It can take you 2 months or 6 years to finally reach the exit ramp.

Necessary and helpful things like reading self-help books, watching self-help videos on YouTube, taking self-help classes, educating yourself on your illness and/or your autism, and taking personality quizzes are some simple ways to discover who you are. Everyones preferences and learning styles are different, so pick the material and resources that best suit your preferences and learning styles.

4. Create something unique and special

Creativity is another thing that I value, because I am a creative person by nature. Any kind of creative activity or task is therapeutic, engaging, and healthy for the soul and mind. During the winter and yucky weather days during the three transitional seasons, creativity is a weapon that is used to kill boredom! And guess what? It works!

Since I was four years old, I have pursued and enjoyed visual arts as a hobby. I started out with simple crafts, and then worked my way up to yarn crafts, doodling and painting by numbers. As an adult, I still practice visual arts, specifically painting and various handcrafts.

I also enjoy other forms of creativity such as writing and creating music. Writing has been a favourite of mine since I was eight years old. I always kept a diary with me and would create random and comedic stories in my diary. I have always wanted to learn and master a musical instrument, but I never had the patience. I learned to play the recorder in elementary school, but I eventually lost interest once it was no longer a part of the elementary school music curriculum. As an adult, I came up with a creative hobby-related goal. I want to learn and master the recorder, because I think it is so healing, and a new thing for me to take on in the new year.

Whether you like woodworking, drawing, cooking, interior design or playing the guitar, all forms of creativity are great! As long as it gives you a sense of fulfillment and purpose, creating something is a great way to kill boredom and include some rest into your day. Just find the form of art that interests you the most and pursue that!