Autistic and Traumatized: Coping Strategies?

Guilty as charged and in some ways yes it is. I wasn't diagnosed with either until the past couple of years. The best way to cope is a therapist who is qualified in both. I talked to my therapist and she said yep that is an autistic thing. I thought it was a PTSD thing.

I have PTSD as well. Journaling and having a print out emotion wheel has helped me discover my feelings that I otherwise struggle with. I tend to say anxiety for like every emotion that isn’t happy and having that wheel that also lists definitions has helped me. For me it is definitely harder because I would deny my autistic traits or needs as an autistic individual and was just a horrible mess of stress and anger and just unhealthy patterns.

Ive got cPTSD. Due to my trauma I have the tendency of not stimming and then have very aggressive self harm stims that ruin my hair and skin during meltdowns. My body has to unlearn shit. This issue was not caused by me being autistic, rather traumatized and autistic. I feel its harder to cope and heal from trauma because resources that help that dont consider us. I also have alexthymia so that causes delays in me figuring out how I feel. I cope by journaling and playing video games.

I usually have twitches in my head area 😥

Yep! I sure do. My stims get really powerful when I have a flashback 😥

kammykam -- same here :( sometimes when i have panic attacks or flashbacks i hit my head to "get rid of it"