The Surreal World of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome and Autism

Hi! I'm Orion Kelly and I'm Autistic. On this video I explore the topic of Alice in wonderland syndrome and autism. Plus, I share my personal lived experiences as an #actuallyautistic person. #orionkelly #autism #asd #autismsigns #whatautismfeelslike

⏱ Index:
00:00 - Welcome
00:58 - What is Alice in Wonderland syndrome
02:22 - Connection to autism
03:31 - Examples
06:48 - Strategies

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ABOUT ORION:
Orion Kelly is an #ActuallyAutistic vlogger (YouTuber), podcaster, radio host, actor, keynote speaker and Autistic advocate based in Australia. Orion is all about helping you increase your understanding, acceptance and appreciation of Autistic people.

#AutisticVoices #ActuallyAutistic #Autistic #Autism #OrionKelly #ThatAutisticGuy #ASD

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⛔️*Disclaimer: The videos contained on this channel are for general education and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. For professional advice and training seek assistance from a qualified provider. All views are my own and do not represent those of my employers or sponsors. Some images used are stock images.*⛔️

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[sawakometal]

I feel it since I was a kid, and to this day in my 20s, I can't sleep in silence. Being alone in silence is an immediate trigger for pelopsia and audio hallucinations. If Im too stressed, time speeds up and Its like aim moving in slow motion, but by thoughts are still running wild. When It gets intense, I feel like I'm going insane. Thank you for talking about this.

[sueannevangalen]

Topic suggestion: rejection sensitive dysphoria. I think it may be more associated with ADHD but I experience it often and it makes me feel like I can't function socially. I'll say or do something that I get lightly scolded for, or maybe even not (maybe I only PERCEIVE it as a blunder), and I will try to avoid talking or even being with people for days. Just a suggestion 😊

[mellybird]

I’ve had this since I was a kid. Especially at bedtime or when meditating. I described it to people for decades hoping to find out what it was and they’d just look at me oddly. Finally found out the name of it a few years ago. So glad you did a video on this!

[avnai]

wow, this is so accurate to my experience at the moment and i had been so worried there was something incredibly wrong with my brain! i've been in a burnout episode for 1 1/2 months now and had a massive shutdown yesterday. ever since the shutdown my sensory issues increased as well as a reoccurring headache started. when i stood up a few minutes ago everything around me looked so small! this terrified me so much but the video calmed my anxiety a bit, thank you! 🙏

[SarilainTV]

I think a lot of this could be explained better by dissociation, and that AWS itself might be a relabeling of dissociation (like how people will use “highly sensitive person” or “gifted child syndrome” instead of realizing they may just be autistic). I’ve always felt really disconnected and like my perception of my environment and self greatly vary, and I think a lot of that has to do with my brain processing things differently at different times, and then using dissociation to cope with overwhelm. Autistic people are known (to some professionals at least) to experience higher rates of dissociation than allistics.

I’m definitely not knocking the AWS label if it helps others, though.

And I also really appreciate your channel! It’s been very helpful to me.

So just letting you know I’m not criticizing anyone. I’m simply sharing my thoughts on the matter, because I think this is an interesting topic.😊

[BearFulmer]

I never knew someone had words to describe this, i used to close my eyes and proportions of body parts used to change drastically and objects would change in sizes, it was during my middle school to high school years where I remember it the most, its not as common for me now. it was the oddest thing, i just thought people experienced this sometimes

[melg]

I have a topic that I haven’t heard much from the autism community: prosopagnosia. I didn’t realize this could be a problem until I reached my mid 20’s. Not everyone who has it, is autistic and not every autistic person has it, but I’ve read an article stating it’s not rare for autistic individuals to experience this as well since it is also a neurological condition. Thanks for all your informative videos, Orion!

[rubikzombie]

Thanks Orion! I've known I've had Aphantasia and Autism for years, and I really like and appreciate your videos different conditions/disorders! It's been great hearing from someone I can relate to.

[Green_Roc]

I coming across your channel today from mastodon. Recently found out about alice and wonderland syndrome, which I believe I have. I'm autistic, had migraines, and the big/small experience only happened when I would lay flat, the visual distortion (also felt when eyes closed) would distract me trying to fall asleep. I sleep in a recliner. Time slow down and speed up, I thought everyone felt that. Huh. I'd scream if ppl touch my shoulders, I didnt know that pain/shock was related to Alice in wonderland syndrome.

"Avoid known triggers" I WISH! Too many people will not stop shoving the triggers into my life, I have been fighting about the neighbors noises for so long, and they just wont STOP. I wish I could afford to move.

[franzfranz]

As a young person I had tactile distortion a few times where a sheet of paper felt an inch thick and as rough as a split log.

[sueannevangalen]

I don't know if I have Alice in Wonderland syndrome, but I know I have the thing where I feel like my body is expanding and contracting, or growing and shrinking dramatically. It most often happens at night when the house is quiet and dark and I close my eyes to go to sleep. A weighted blanket definitely helps.

[objectivityisourfriend]

I was obsessed with Alice as a kid and it was the only movie I'd watch and I watched it over and over and over and over and over all the way to 12. Collected the figurines and dressed up as halloween all the way until 22. I'm assuming I related to Alice without realizing it? So excited to see artists and ravers lean into Alice - I love the quirky artsy types are also into it. Of course, that turned into an obsession with Nightmare Before Christmas once I became a teen.

[tracik]

Like Autism, these things are probably diagnostically described by people who don’t experience them. There is an experience that gets reported of the feelings similar to this by people actually experiencing them and if you get them yourself you get that ‘aha!’ moment.

[lynnstone]

Orion, thank you so much for being you and having this wonderful channel. Thanks to you and some other channels, my life finally makes sense! I am a 69 year old woman and I am finally at peace within myself. You are amazing! Thank you so much!

[aliceturcotte]

It’s the first time i have heard of that, funny since my name is Alice. I will research it : i do feel life a lot of the things you list have been affecting my life ! My autistic diagnosis is very new so thank you for helping educating me and better understand my own brain chemistry !

[CuteCatsofIstanbul]

Can THIS be the reason why I can't drive a car (or any other vehicle incl. a bike)? Everyone around me says 'everybody can drive a car; you just need the right instructor and patience'. But I really really really can't. I can't grasp the dimensions of a car or the dimensions of my body in that car, I can't grasp the dimensions I see in the mirrors they tell you to check or the speed of other cars or even the feel of the gas pedal, I just can't, and believe me I have tried many times. I have this problem even on a bike, things are far away one second, nearby the other. This coupled with anxiety (is that car going to stay on that lane at that speed or will they change their mind? and this on and on and on in different scenarios) I'm now used to living without being able to drive, but it's the outside world that seems to have a tougher time with it = unbelief and this 'but you can do it if you really wanted to' shaming.

[noctilucera]

I sometimes have short periods of time where people seem smaller and further away even though I know they are in front of me
and at the same time voices and sounds start to be way louder and almost violent and aggressive, even though I know nothing changed in the normal conversation we had a minute ago
rarely things also feel larger when I pick them up

I told that to a few people and tried googling it 5 years ago, nothing came up so I just ignored it... good to know theres a word for it
These things usually happen when I am overwhelmed/burned out or similar
thanks for this video!

[annaparke]

I only ever get feelings like this in nightmares, when I’m about to fall asleep, or once when I was just closing my eyes and resting after 2 weeks of LOTS of activity and stimulation. It’s always things being bigger and moving around me, but behind by eyelids, and a strong feeling of wrongness. Once there was also, while I was going to sleep, a very loud voice, like something I’d heard during the day suddenly being shouted above me

[cecile-p]

That's very intesting ! I have many of those symptoms, but I don't know if it's just autism and being a bit weird, or Alice in wonderland syndrome...

[AmandaSeacrist]

Couldn't sleep this morning...was about to write in my journal and then saw you posted this. I may not have AWS (hopefully never), but the strategies you mentioned that I need to work on (including sleep haha) are *spot on*. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Orion! 😊