Self-Criticism is the topic of the month for November in the #AutisticBurnout#ActuallyAutistic#ClinicalPsychologist 8/8

Consider what your needs really are in this situation and if you could meet them.  Be compassionate about your lack of compassion for yourself,  it's hard to break a life long habit, aim to be just a little bit kinder. 7/8

Try to imagine what you would say to yourself if you were being compassionate.  By compassionate I mean wise, strong and kind, not necessarily soft.  You might want to do something that is hard because you care for yourself. What would you say to someone you cared for? 6/8

When we are acting to appease our self-critic it can help to examine the reality of the situation. What would really happen if you did or didn't do what your self critic was telling you?5/8

Self-criticism keeps our threat (fight, flight, freeze, faun) system online, increases cortisol, prevents us from understanding and meeting our needs, reducing stressors and increasing soothing regulating activity, exhausting us and contributing to #AutisticBurnout 4/8

Autistic People are at risk of self criticism for several reasons: The experience of being different, bullied, or criticised for not understanding NT social cues. Being criticised for stimming, gaslit about sensory or emotional experiences.  Having our behaviour 'controlled' 3/8

Self-criticism is an internal voice or feeling that we are doing something wrong, should be doing something, are wrong or flawed in some way.  Often we have internalised the voice of a critical parent, teacher or peer. It can be obvious or subtle, e.g. 'I should try harder' 2/8

I appreciate many of these things aren’t essential but for me and my well-being they are important. What you make your minimum standards has to be right for you. 4/4

I don’t try to provide elaborate stimulating activities, cook from scratch, clean the house or look at WhatsApp. I don’t try to ‘get on top’ of the laundry, just to stop the pile getting bigger. I don’t worry about screen time 3/4

Make sure children are safe and feel loved, do one load of laundry, run the dishwasher, clean the food debris off the floor and set the coffee machine to come on in the morning. 2/4