Something you should remember with doctors and councilors. All they can really do is provide a shoulder to lean on, or point you in the right direction and help give you the tools to get there. But it has to be you that does the work to get there.

Verb, here's something that you can practice later when you get a little more used to driving. Most teachers and parents alike will usually tell you to put two hands on the steering wheel. 10 and 2 o'clock if I remember right. But that's all they tend to say. It's fine when you're a new driver and you're learning.

But as you go along, you should try learning how to drive with one hand. Rather than have your hands locked at 10 and 2, you steer with your palm open. It's a lot more fluid than crossing your arms as you turn.

The second added benefit is for when things become serious. If you already have two hands on the steering when something bad goes down, you're already locked into a stiff state and you have nothing to physically bolster you to give that "this is serious" kind of boost. Drive with one hand in casual mode, add the second hand to the wheel when things get real.

It'll get easier as time goes on. It's like learning how to ride a bike, except that you're driving a metal box that weighs a few tons. The real important thing with driving is to learn how to be comfortable with it, yet remain aware of what you're actually doing.

If you never grow comfortable with driving, then you'll always be overly-afraid, which will inevitably cause more problems than growing comfortable with it, and keeping level headed enough to be aware of things.

You're probably aware that there's a lot of driver related deaths/crashes on the roads each year. Some of them are legitimate incidents which couldn't be avoided, but the vast majority of them are straight up a result of shitty drivers. I know there's a decent enough head on your shoulders that you likely won't be a shitty driver as you grow more comfortable with it.

And that's the important part. If you're a good enough driver, you end up having to worry less about yourself, as you have total control of the vehicle you're in, and instead, learn more how to deal and react with idiot drivers. Driving isn't about being afraid or not, it's more about being aware as you grow more experienced. Fear should only ever come into play when you need it, so that it gives you that reactionary boost.

No one will exhibit all of these characteristics, as each case of autism has its own unique gifts and struggles.  This is a list of commonly seen characteristics found on the autism spectrum.  This list is provided for educational purposes and not meant to be used for diagnosing autism.  Many of these characteristics can also be found in those struggling with ADD/ADHD.  Generally, an individual with autism will have struggles in several categories below, not just one.
*For a printable checklist, click here.
    
Social skills
 
    
 
Very little or no eye contact.
Resistance to being held or touched.
Tends to get too close when speaking to someone (lack of personal space).
Responds to social interactions, but does not initiate them.
Does not generally share observations or experiences with others.
Difficulty understanding jokes, figures of speech or sarcasm.
Difficulty reading facial expressions and body language.
Difficulty understanding the rules of conversation.social skill deficits
Difficulty understanding group interactions.
Aversion to answering questions about themselves.
Gives spontaneous comments which seem to have no connection to the current conversation.
Makes honest, but inappropriate observations.
Seems unable to understand another’s feelings.
Prefers to be alone, aloof or overly-friendly.
Difficulty maintaining friendships.
Finds it easier to socialize with people that are older or younger, rather than peers of their own age.
Unaware of/disinterested in what is going on around them.
Talks excessively about one or two topics (dinosaurs, movies, etc.).
Overly trusting or unable to read the motives behinds peoples’ actions.
Minimal acknowledgement of others.
    
Linguistic/language development
 
    
 
Abnormal use of pitch, intonation, rhythm or stress while speaking.
Speech is abnormally loud or quiet.
Difficulty whispering.
Repeats last words or phrases several times.  Makes verbal sounds while listening (echolalia).
Often uses short, incomplete sentences.
Pronouns are often inappropriately used.
May have a very high vocabulary.
Uses a person’s name excessively when speaking to them (“Mary, we are having lunch. Right, Mary?”).
Speech started very early and then stopped for a period of time.
Difficulty understanding directional terms (front, back, before, after).
    
Behaviours
 
    
 
Obsessions with objects, ideas or desires.
Ritualistic or compulsive behaviour patterns (sniffing, licking, watching objects fall, flapping arms, spinning, rocking, humming, tapping, sucking, rubbing clothes).
Fascination with rotation.autistics can have unusual attachments
Play is often repetitive.
Many and varied collections.
Unusual attachment to objects.
Quotes movies or video games.
Difficulty transferring skills from one area to another.
Perfectionism in certain areas.
Frustration is expressed in unusual ways.
Feels the need to fix or rearrange things.
Transitioning from one activity to another is difficult.
Difficulty attending to some tasks.
Gross motor skills are developmentally behind peers (riding a bike, skating, running).
Fine motor skills are developmentally behind peers (hand writing, tying shoes, scissors).
Inability to perceive potentially dangerous situations.
Extreme fear (phobia) for no apparent reason.
Verbal outbursts.
Unexpected movements (running out into the street).
Difficulty sensing time (Knowing how long ten minutes is or three days or a week).
Difficulty waiting for their turn (such as in a line).
Causes injury to self (biting, banging head).
    
Emotions or sensitivities
 
    
 
Sensitivity or lack of sensitivity to sounds, textures (touch), tastes, smells or light.
Difficulty with loud or sudden sounds.
Unusually high or low pain tolerance.
Intolerance to certain food textures, colours or the way they are presented on the plate (one food can’t touch another).
Inappropriate touching of self in public situations.
Desires comfort items (blankets, teddy, rock, string).
Laughs, cries or throws a tantrum for no apparent reason.
Resists change in the environment (people, places, objects).
An emotional incident can determine the mood for the day - emotions can pass very suddenly or are drawn out for a long period of time.
Becomes overwhelmed with too much verbal direction.
Tends to either tune out or break down when being reprimanded.
Calmed by external stimulation - soothing sound, brushing, rotating object, constant pressure (hammock, rolled in a blanket).
May need to be left alone to release tension and frustration.
    
School-related skills
 
    
 
Exceptionally high skills in some areas and very low in others.
Excellent rote memory in some areas.
Difficulty with reading comprehension (can quote an answer, but unable to predict, summarize or find symbolism).
Difficulty with fine motor activities (colouring, printing, scissors, gluing).
Short attention span for most lessons.
Resistance or inability to follow directions.
Difficulty transitioning from one activity to another in school.
    
Health/movement
 
    
 
Walks on toes.
Unusual gait.
Difficulty changing from one floor surface to another (carpet to wood, sidewalk to grass).
Odd or unnatural posture (rigid or floppy).
Difficulty moving through a space (bumps into objects or people).
Walks without swinging arms freely.
Incontinence of bowel and/or bladder.
Constipation.
Frequent gas (flatulence, burping) or throwing up.
Appearance of hearing problems, but hearing has been checked and is fine.
Seizure activity.
Allergies and food sensitivities.
Irregular sleep patterns.
Apparent lack of concern for personal hygiene (hair, teeth, body odours).
    

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“Characteristics Found on the Autism Spectrum” may be photocopied as desired; however, it must remain in its original form with the following credits included:
Copyright 2009 Rocky Point Academy.  All rights reserved.
www.calgaryautism.com
Suite 230, 295 Midpark Way S.E.
Calgary, Alberta T3H 2X6
“Characteristics Found on the Autism Spectrum” may be used on a website; however, it must remain in its original form with the following credits and live link included:
Copyright 2009 Rocky Point Academy.  All rights reserved.
www.calgaryautism.com
Suite 230, 295 Midpark Way S.E.
Calgary, Alberta T3H 2X6
 
 

Why do you need a religion? Can't you go along and, I dunno, just do you?

Maybe you've got a wanderer. Sometimes cats do that. Go away for weeks or months and then show up again.