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Readwise/Looking After Your Autistic Self.md

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 ◊ Rationing out your triggers helps avoid triggers building up and becoming overwhelming.
 ◊ Planning time to rest after a build-up of triggers is really important, as is having a few techniques to calm yourself when out and about. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j6wz69za3httx5ksj1zz0hnq))
 
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+New highlights added at 2024-09-23 6:48 PM
+A Quick Calm Plan is a series of strategies or tools that you can use to calm down, refuel your energy, and to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed. When I am overwhelmed and have either shut down (see [Chapter 11](private://read/01j68en5pg3ysg1jcbwjsjmy61/#chap_11) for more on shutdown) or am about to shut down, I cannot think flexibly, and therefore it’s very important to have a Quick Calm Plan made before I become overwhelmed. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g84a4z0dxke72pje3wp9f4))
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+• Realising I’m doing repetitive body movements such as rubbing my index finger against my thumb, or twitching my eye or head very slightly. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g89vr2rf03z0v2jr6k5yta))
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+• A strong desire not to talk to anyone. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8ak0vpa3chwn2q16nwsq7))
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+• Exhaustion. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8cmw6qbcq8w1sxcz4q9t8))
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+• Feeling like I will scream if one more demand is put on me. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8cpdn84p3nmvcyv50ybtr))
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+• Feeling like I might burst into uncontrollable crying. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8cray1hcekkqjm5rtsj27))
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+• Feeling like everything is just too much and I cannot cope. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8cwmqtmqeg0xydgywme9j))
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+Remove yourself from the stressful situation, if possible. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8egz63debcmjcrhjktda3))
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+Ask yourself are your basic needs met? [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8etm4gkgpsys8k11nmq1a))
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+When you feel stressed or anxious, you may feel an urge to breathe faster or deeper, as if you are hungry for more oxygen. But when you are hyperventilating, you actually need to breathe less, not more. This is because you need to bring up the amount of carbon dioxide in your body (i.e. stop blowing out so much air). You can do this by taking smaller breaths and holding your breath after you inhale for the count of four, and again holding your breath after you exhale for the count of four (NHS Borders 2005). [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8kqt48za0cg0m9pc4pv9r))
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+Take a drink. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8n8zh4rs2v31hsdfsxpp5))
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+Find somewhere you can be alone. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8ngzvq0srdq7rw75a2rs4))
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+Go home and go to bed for a while, [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8pqabw067rt9jnbdr4er7))
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+Hold a hot water bottle, heated pad, or warm mug just under your chest bone. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8q3nk4z3nmjkdk7xka7d1))
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+Lie under a weighted blanket. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8qmdfsk0g4zgmsn0fvqjw))
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+Put something heavy on your lap. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8rdcsrj07yj0bf0bgwnfb))
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+Smell something lovely [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8sv21bny6sxhqkr0p3sxs))
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+Splash cold water on your face, the back of your neck, and on your palms and inner wrists. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8tgtasn1nbvbkezc3qr71))
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+Get fresh air. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8tnmezvhkkazky6pfd47v))
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+Avoid people putting demands on you if possible. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8v3a27x4e9n13fdpwvjn1))
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+Listen to music or an audiobook. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8veva1a3kymtv71mt8p14))
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+Darken the room. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8vqcrkejsy0s9jp1ary4k))
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+Reduce visual stimulation. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8w54nzt72bn56w1qmt5rv))
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+Take a shower or bath. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8wsnxw2njt5q037a5k9xs))
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+Singing is a lovely way to control your breathing and expand your chest, [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8xjm5pkzcn9g4r1nx1r2e))
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+Go into nature, whether that’s a garden or a park, or maybe it’s just looking at nature on your phone. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8xx6fen4gz5x05ryjmfk8))
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+Have a warm drink [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8y1gt5frvjb7tfbqwkxdy))
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+Turn off the internet on your phone, or turn off the phone so you can disconnect from people, if the overwhelm is caused by social stress. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8yks2t50qkn6s594re2ps))
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+Say how you feel. I often find that even just saying how I feel out loud to someone helps ease the feelings. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8ys4ymwr3xnfmhm8c7wv8))
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+Ask for help. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8zbp27ks99fn15zn0x6b6))
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+Exercise. I used to go for a jog when I felt shaky with stress or anxiety, which is an activity that combines fresh air, time alone, and deep pressure into the joints, which is calming to the proprioceptive sensory system [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g8zy14e8xpxyaxtshp4d0f))
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+Having a visual version of your Quick Calm Plan will help you to carry out the strategies and remember to use your calming tools, even when you are overwhelmed or stressed. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g917881cdzmf5pj0znhqqk))
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+Stimming, also known as self-stimulatory behaviour, is a repetitive, often rhythmic behaviour. ... There are many ways to stim, including using body movements, sounds, thought patterns, and more.
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+If an autistic person is stimming, it may suggest they are feeling the need to release their overwhelm, distress, over-stimulation, anger, joy, excitement, or any intense emotion. This feeling of release is why stimming is a coping strategy. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j8g9f8r6td0nfwc1n3w047t5))
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