Navigating the outside world as an autistic person can be quite complex. There can be many things to navigate and sometimes they are not in the way that we understand. It can make us more overwhelmed. This is due to not only the many sensory factors it brings, but also the many other things. These factors force us to go through extra steps to do things that are outside of our norm.

Many things can make us feel triggered or overwhelmed when we are in the outside world. It can be difficult to manage our emotions. In certain places, we are looked at differently for how we handle ourselves. We are already trying our hardest to get through situations that are harder for us to navigate. These situations can often make us anxious.

I have often felt anxious or uneasy when out in public. I have had to handle these feelings on my own in the way that I know how to. I know that I must be considerate of others. When I am around them, I should not do things that can cause concern to them. I know when this happens. It makes them just as uneasy as it does in me. Then, I often second-guess if I am carrying myself in the way that I need to survive in this world.

We as autistic people just want to be in the world and exist just as much as our neurotypical peers. Sometimes it is very difficult just to do that. The anxiety our bodies develop as a co-occurrence of being autistic makes us want to avoid things. These things can come easy to our neurotypical counterparts. There can be things that help us navigate challenges more easily. Yet, they don’t remove the pain that arises completely. We are just trying to do what we want or need to do. The world can be more challenging for us. We try not to cause a scene when it comes to existing in the world as human beings.

People can often say that we have the power to make things happen in the way that we want. But sometimes that can be more difficult than what is believed to be. We choose to do things as we do them for one reason or another. It is how we see them. It makes sense for us in the way that it is for us. We should live our lives according to what we need. It is important as long as it keeps us free from harm and out of the way. This helps us cope and get through what we must endure.

It can be hard for us to take even the first steps. Getting into the outside world can be challenging. Doing the things we sometimes have to do as autistic folks is difficult. Many people take doing the same things for granted. Still, it can be even more difficult for us to do the things we need to do just to survive. This is necessary for us to exist in this world.