Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Shame

Autisticook is a 36 year old woman from the Netherlands who works in IT. In her spare time, she loves reading, doing renovations on her home, and playing with her cat. She objects to being called crazy cat lady but doesn't mind being called a nerd. This article was originally published at Autisticook.



sad woman sitting alone in a empty room - black and white

I want to test a theory. The theory of shame going away when it’s out in the open.

I seem to have this thing. Which could or might possibly be related to decreased pain sensitivity. Or maybe executive function.

I don’t feel my bladder getting full. Usually the first signal that really gets me to pay attention is “bladder completely full cannot hold it need to find toilet within next 30 seconds!” Mad scramble for toilet ensues.

That or peeing myself.

I’m 36 years old. I’m a pretty successful career woman (I can still bluff my way around the gaps in my resume). I have bought a house on my own (mortgaged of course, but still). I have a small but close circle of friends. I’m close with my family. I’m highly verbal. If I wanted, I could easily be seen as a shiny Aspie.

And the last time I peed myself in public was 6 weeks ago. And I don’t mean a few dribbles. I don’t mean “bit of incontinence, here’s some Depends”. I mean not being able to stop until my bladder is empty. Thank god this time the train platform was fairly dark and I was wearing a skirt so only my shoes got soaked. Made a nice squishy sound when I walked away from the puddle in the hopes that nobody would see.

Have I forgiven myself for not being able to feel my bladder until it’s bursting? Oh, years and years ago. It’s just a thing that happens. I can’t do anything about it except frequent toilet breaks even when I don’t feel like I have to go, and sometimes I simply forget to do that. It’s part of being me.

Do I still feel absolutely mortified when I pee myself in public? Does telling this story make me cringe? Did anyone here reading that story feel embarrassment on my behalf? Or even disgust?… Yeah, thought so.

But I’m glad you listened.

6 comments:

  1. No shame or embarrassment felt here. Just love and respect for you and your ability to speak truths. Thank you.

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  2. yes, thank you. not embarrassed either. you are to e respected for the whole you

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  3. Thank you! I was so angry when I wrote this, angry at the idea that shame was just some silly notion that would disappear as soon as it got examined. But now I feel pride. Pride that these words are being read and maybe help others to feel less ashamed.

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  4. I've done that a few times myself. No worries.

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  5. I really appreciate this. My Autistic daughter is 3 1/2 and were going very east on the potty training bec I have a very real sense that she cannot feel her urine or bowel movements. She can answer yes or no correctly to almost any question except for ones about if she soiled her diaper. So this is encouragement to me that Im doing the right thing to take it vety easy with her. And as a 34 year old woman I get the frustration but i felt no disgust at all and SO appreciate your honesty.

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  6. Thank you for writing this. I'm not autistic, but have times that I've struggled with this. My son who is autistic and 8 years old constantly struggles with this. He doesn't seem to know most of the time until it is too late, so we take him on a schedule to the bathroom.

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