The Autistic Experience

What even is a rhyme, anyway? And what does it have to do with Kieran's evening tea? These are just two existential questions Kieran and Chloe struggle with as they plunge into this week's ND news, following up on York's ADHD trials, sensory swimming pools, and being neurodivergent in prison. As always, we've got some event highlights coming up in the next week, with one question t...

It's spooky season, so we have only one question: What Would a Vegetarian Vampire Do? #WWAVVD Elsewhere, Kieran and Chloe have been travelling for a wedding, have been to see a recently-rescued polar bear, and have quite a few tips and tricks on how to get through both Halloween and Bonfire Night in the UK. If you've got any of your own tips on how to do an ND-friendly Halloween/fireworks...

It's a real rollercoaster of representation today as Chloe and Kieran take a look at a particularly promising Kickstarter, airport accessibility, awards antics, and really go to town on an autism journal review that's worryingly supportive of ABA. Also, in this week's question we try to figure out what exactly a friend is, and look forward to some of the upcoming ND-friendly events hap...

It was World Mental Health day on the 10th October, did you enjoy it? With ADHD and autism assessment wait times at an all time high, medication unavailable, and no-one willing to actually talk about serious mental health issues because podcast and Youtube algorithms say that you're not even allowed to say certain words pertaining to mental health or your work will be restricted? Yeah, it'...

This week, join Kieran and Chloe as they recount their paddleboarding mission to test water quality along 15 miles of rather nasty canals. Delve into the mind of a musical maestro who crafted a monumental symphony entirely in his head, as well as the iconic musician David Byrne and how he expressed his autistic experience through performance. Plus, a look forward to upcoming events, and the opport...

This week, Kieran and Chloe dive into the last week, which has mostly been spent playing Moonstone Island. They analyse the latest neurodivergent news and articles, point out some spotty journalism, and offer advice to a concerned parent. The episode ends by promoting upcoming events for the neurodivergent community across the UK. You can also follow the show on Instagram @theautisticexperience fo...

Did you know that October is ADHD awareness month? Neither did we! But as it happens, it's quite an ADHD-heavy episode, with some looking back on the last 25 years of ADHD research. Have things changed much since the new millennium? Meanwhile, Chloe and Kieran have taken a trip to Ikea, participated in a pub quiz, and have quite the insightful conversation on the live-action The Little Mermaid...

In the first official episode of The Autistic Experience, Chloe and Kieran discuss autism assessment waiting times, Dungeons & Dragons, and a new hope in the dwindling ADHD medication market. Also, Chloe lets the world know just how much she hates Airpods. If you like what you've heard, go follow us on Instagram @theautisticexperience to find references for all the stories we've discus...

So here's one for you: we're renaming The Social Survival Guide as The Autistic Experience! Think of it less of a re-launch, more of a revamp. The vamp levels are increasing and with them bring new content, like: News and current affairs on autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergences Issues facing our community in their daily lives Upcoming events and holidays to be prepared for Don't worry, you'll s...

Look, change is scary. Little changes, big changes... medium changes? It can really mess with our brains, especially if it's last-minute or extreme. So why do our brains struggle to cope with change, and how can that lead to even worse things happening? Not the best segue, but we've also got a little announcement at the end that may be of relevance to the future of the show-- so is it coin...

Apologies, we've not been able to record a new episode this week, but that leaves more time for adequate hydration! If you want, you can take this time to listen to any of our back-catalogue and go follow us on Instagram @socialsurvivalpodcast. Exciting things coming up soon, though, so keep an ear out for that-- until next week, then!

Look, we've all made some pretty careless mistakes in our time, but you've got to hear this one. Chloe's managed to do something completely ridiculous, and Kieran insists on telling the story. This also spawns a discussion about comorbidity between Autism and ADHD, and the pair run through some ADHD diagnostic traits to see what's what. New episodes every Sunday at 12pm UK time, an...

Kieran thought of a phrase quite a long time ago: Old habits die hard. Bad habits die hard with a vengeance. He completely forgot to mention it during the only episode it'll actually be relevant, but it makes for some fun wordplay so here we are. Habits and routine are integral to everyday life, but autistic and ADHD brains treat them very differently, ranging from complete reliance to complet...

We made some cheese this week! Which, naturally, means we have to make an episode about food. But specifically, safe food. But what is safe food? What makes it safe? And why can certain other foods not be trusted? Kieran and Chloe dive in to figure it all out! If you have food-based sensory issues, you probably know all about this, but it may well help you articulate the problems you do have with...

Sensory overload is one of those things that affect each of us differently, so Chloe and Kieran thought it would be a fun idea to individually rank how much each of their 5 senses are affected and compare notes. How would you rank your sensory issues (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)? Are your rankings different from ours? Let us know on Instagram @socialsurvivalpodcast or email us at socialsurv...

Did you ever get told that you were mature for your age when you were a child, only to be called childish once you hit adulthood? You're not alone! This week, Chloe and Kieran discuss this rather bizarre phenomenon, why this change happens, and why it's actually a good thing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a good rating and review on whatever platform you're listening to; it rea...

Living with other people, especially if you're in a relationship with them, can be stressful: there's all sorts of chores to do, you don't get much alone time, and that can lead to all sorts of unpleasantness. This week, Chloe and Kieran discuss the benefits of an all-autistic relationship, the importance of open communication, and why it's okay if your clothes are all in a big pil...

Boy, I hope you get the reference in the episode art... Either way, this week is a discussion of two very important hypers-- hyperfocus and hyperfixation. They're often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two-- so Chloe and Kieran dive in to figure out what the differences are, as well as both the benefits and drawbacks of each. As always, if you want to email the show,...

Chloe and Kieran are joined this week by Jack, host of the Out of the Ordinary Podcast (podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outoftheordinary) to discuss his own diagnosis, why it's annoyingly easy for your symptoms to be ignored in childhood, and strangely, tribalism in modern football. As always, if you want to email us, our address is socialsurvivalguide@gmail.com - and you can follow us on Inst...

What's the mountain-molehill equivalency? And what does it have to do with a trip up Mount Vesuvius? This week, Chloe and Kieran take us through "the day" - where everything that could go wrong, went wrong. And just when you think it's over, something else comes along to make it worse-- like a treadmill covered in Lego. As always, you can email the show at socialsurvivalguide@gma...

You may have noticed, it's getting quite warm out there-- and you know what? It seems to happen every year. If you're not used to it, or if your houses are built to keep the heat in, it can be really difficult to escape the sensory hell that is heat. So what can we do to make things a bit easier on ourselves, so that heatwaves aren't entirely miserable? Have a listen as Chloe and Kiera...

Chloe's been off on a solo adventure! But there's much more to it than that, as I'm sure you'll appreciate-- so strap in as we go through all the planning, overthinking, anxiety, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and revelations that went into it, in an attempt to piece together some sort of advice for taking a trip by yourself! As usual, if you'd like to email us to sugge...

Airports. That's all we have to say, you know what you're in for. Press play now! This podcast is made by ND creators for the ND community -- if you want to get in touch to share your thoughts and experiences, or to suggest a rule to add to the guide, email us at socialsurvivalguide@gmail.com - or find us on Instagram @ socialsurvivalpodcast.

If you've been diagnosed, or even suspected that you're autistic, chances are you've come across the AQ50-- or in our case, several times, just to be sure. It's the questionnaire that doctors use in the UK to determine whether you'd benefit from an assessment, and the questions can be kinda... confusing. This week, Chloe and Kieran pluck a few of the more neurotypically-worded...

Have you ever been so overstimulated or stressed that you lose the ability to speak? It's not fun, is it? This week, Chloe and Kieran discuss what this is like from either side, how to get through it as painlessly as possible, and pitch some more appropriate terminology than "going non-verbal". This podcast is made by ND creators for the ND community -- if you want to get in touch to...