#monotropism — Public Fediverse posts

Very, VERY helpful conversation!

Explaining Autistic experience: Monotropism: Fergus & Tanya educate Aucademy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtLOGcTA0A

#FergusMurray #DrDinahMurray #autism #ASD #autistic #ActuallyAutistic #education #neurodiversity #TanyaAdkin #Monotropism #Aucademy

Very, VERY helpful conversation!

Explaining Autistic experience: Monotropism: Fergus & Tanya educate Aucademy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtLOGcTA0A

#FergusMurray #DrDinahMurray #autism #ASD #autistic #ActuallyAutistic #education #neurodiversity #TanyaAdkin #Monotropism #Aucademy

Very, VERY helpful conversation!

Explaining Autistic experience: Monotropism: Fergus & Tanya educate Aucademy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtLOGcTA0A

#FergusMurray #DrDinahMurray #autism #ASD #autistic #ActuallyAutistic #education #neurodiversity #TanyaAdkin #Monotropism #Aucademy

Very, VERY helpful conversation!

Explaining Autistic experience: Monotropism: Fergus & Tanya educate Aucademy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtLOGcTA0A

#FergusMurray #DrDinahMurray #autism #ASD #autistic #ActuallyAutistic #education #neurodiversity #TanyaAdkin #Monotropism #Aucademy

Very, VERY helpful conversation!

Explaining Autistic experience: Monotropism: Fergus & Tanya educate Aucademy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEtLOGcTA0A

#FergusMurray #DrDinahMurray #autism #ASD #autistic #ActuallyAutistic #education #neurodiversity #TanyaAdkin #Monotropism #Aucademy

I'm quite #monotropic. Maybe you are too?

https://dlcincluded.github.io/MQ/

#monotropism

I also talked about monotropism; the distinctive depth and narrowness of autistic attention.

The tendency to go very deep, to struggle with switching, to get overwhelmed by competing demands - and to experience the world with such a particular intensity.

Again: not just ‘life is hard’, but a very specific way of processing and experiencing.

#Monotropism #Autism #AutismResearch

#TIL about #monotropism

"One of the positive aspects of being monotropic is the capacity to enter a ‘flow state’ – a term used to describe deep immersion in an activity, heightened focus, creativity and satisfaction.

For Autistic individuals, engaging in activities aligned with their special interests and passions can lead to such flow states, contributing to wellbeing and a sense of fulfilment."

https://www.autism.org.uk/learn/knowledge-hub/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism

(1/3)

@autistics

klebriger Fokus

Und wieder sitze ich meiner Therapeutin gegenüber und esse. Es ist 12 Uhr, wir wollen arbeiten, mein Treibstofftank ist leer.
Ich habs gewusst, ich hatte einen Timer und ein safe food dabei und hab’s trotzdem nicht gemacht. Mein Fokus hat noch an einer Aufgabe geklebt, die ich unterbrechen musste, um zu ihrer Praxis zu laufen. Der Timer ist an mir vorbeigeflogen.

https://einblogvonvielen.org/klebriger-fokus/

#Blog #Autismus #kPTBS #Monotropism #Behinderung

In my latest article, I explore how monotropism creates a vertical temporality. This concept bridges quantum physics and Jung's Spirit of the Depths. It represents a form of existence that functions elsewhere, far from the logic of the clock.
Read the full piece here: https://medium.com/@christian.gajewski/when-time-flows-elsewhere-autistic-life-between-quantum-and-hyperfocus-b66e7c8f946e

#AuDHD #Neurodiversity #Monotropism #Autism #actuallyautistic #Psychology #psychoanalysis

Ah, #ADHD and Monotropism—a riveting tale of endless explanations and updates, delivered in every language imaginable except the one that explains why this article even exists. 🥱🔍 Spoiler alert: If you were hoping for practical advice, you'll find more #clarity in a bowl of alphabet soup. 🍜📚
https://monotropism.org/adhd/ #Monotropism #AlphabetSoup #PracticalAdvice #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, #ADHD and Monotropism—a riveting tale of endless explanations and updates, delivered in every language imaginable except the one that explains why this article even exists. 🥱🔍 Spoiler alert: If you were hoping for practical advice, you'll find more #clarity in a bowl of alphabet soup. 🍜📚
https://monotropism.org/adhd/ #Monotropism #AlphabetSoup #PracticalAdvice #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, #ADHD and Monotropism—a riveting tale of endless explanations and updates, delivered in every language imaginable except the one that explains why this article even exists. 🥱🔍 Spoiler alert: If you were hoping for practical advice, you'll find more #clarity in a bowl of alphabet soup. 🍜📚
https://monotropism.org/adhd/ #Monotropism #AlphabetSoup #PracticalAdvice #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, #ADHD and Monotropism—a riveting tale of endless explanations and updates, delivered in every language imaginable except the one that explains why this article even exists. 🥱🔍 Spoiler alert: If you were hoping for practical advice, you'll find more #clarity in a bowl of alphabet soup. 🍜📚
https://monotropism.org/adhd/ #Monotropism #AlphabetSoup #PracticalAdvice #HackerNews #ngated

ADHD and Monotropism (2023)

https://monotropism.org/adhd/

#HackerNews #ADHD #Monotropism #Neurodiversity #MentalHealth #2023

Let me Hyperfixate That For You: Fergus Murray, Monotropism, And “Weird Pride”

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://thinkingautismguide.com/2025/10/let-me-hyperfixate-that-for-you-fergus-murray-monotropism-and-weird-pride.html

Let me Hyperfixate That For You: Fergus Murray, Monotropism, And “Weird Pride”

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://thinkingautismguide.com/2025/10/let-me-hyperfixate-that-for-you-fergus-murray-monotropism-and-weird-pride.html

Let me Hyperfixate That For You: Fergus Murray, Monotropism, And “Weird Pride”

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://thinkingautismguide.com/2025/10/let-me-hyperfixate-that-for-you-fergus-murray-monotropism-and-weird-pride.html

Let me Hyperfixate That For You: Fergus Murray, Monotropism, And “Weird Pride”

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://thinkingautismguide.com/2025/10/let-me-hyperfixate-that-for-you-fergus-murray-monotropism-and-weird-pride.html

Let me Hyperfixate That For You: Fergus Murray, Monotropism, And “Weird Pride”

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://thinkingautismguide.com/2025/10/let-me-hyperfixate-that-for-you-fergus-murray-monotropism-and-weird-pride.html

✨ What Are Glimmers? ✨
Glimmers are small, powerful moments of Autistic joy that emerge when we’re deeply immersed in what matters to us. 🌱 Discover how monotropism & flow create space for joy in an overwhelming world. 💫 #AutisticJoy #monotropism #Glimmers #ADHD #AuDHD

https://autisticrealms.com/glimmers-autistic-joy-and-monotropism/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Starre unterscheiden

Es gibt an meinem autistischen und komplex traumatisiertem Er.Leben etwas, das im Konfliktfall oft falsch verstanden oder eingeordnet wird: Meine autistische Trägheit. Und meine traumabedingte (Angst)Starre.

Was beide gemeinsam haben, ist die relative Starre.

https://einblogvonvielen.org/starre-unterscheiden/

#Blog #Autismus #Trauma #kPTBS #Monotropism

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Autistic burnout doesn’t always need “switching off.” Sometimes we heal by going deeper into flow, into interests, into monotropic spiral time. Rest can look like immersion, not stillness. Find out more! #Monotropism #AutisticBurnout #NeurodivergentRest #ActuallyAutistic

https://autisticrealms.com/going-deeper-rest-burnout-and-monotropic-flow/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

My copy of The Joys and Shapes of Autistic Play has arrived! By Max Alexander (Play Radical), this beautiful 80-page book playfully explores autistic approaches to play. Download for free and order a physical copy here: playradical.com/the-joys-and... #monotropism #playTherapy #Neurodiversity

Ever get the feeling, when learning about something really complex, that you're trying to reach an understand that it just beyond your grasp?

It is quite obvious that the human brain, if narrowly focused enough, and given good enough perceptions, could make sense of pretty much any natural or artificial system.

Not as conscious knowledge, but as instinctual understanding, getting the predictions as gut feelings rather than as analyzable information.

Visceral, not cerebral.

In this light, monotropism could be seen to be an evolutionary counterpart to science. A drive to focus on narrow topics, to build intuitive understanding by hooking the brain to the topic directly, at a much lower level than conscious thought.

@actuallyautistic @philosophy

#Monotropism #Observation #science #philosophyOfScience

Beyond Awareness: Exploring Your Autistic Profile and Identity – Part 2

About ClaireB

I am an autistic and physically disabled blogger with a particular interest in AAC, monotropism and education. I have written for Autistic Village and am currently writing for YoungMinds. I want other young people and adults like myself to develop positive autistic or disabled identities.

Keywords:

EF – executive functions

Monotropism/monotropic – our cognitive style. An autistic derived theory initially proposed by researchers  Dinah Murray and Wenn Lawson in the early 1990’s. We as autistic people have an interest based nervous system focusing on a single or a few attention tunnels (as opposed to multiple)  leading to very immersive experiences.

Inertia – a result of being monotropic, difficulty starting, stopping or changing state. This can include difficulty thinking about something new. Being monotropic have huge implications for our mental health.

Welcome back to Part 2 of Beyond Awareness, for those of you who have not read Part 1 these blogs serve as an introductory guide to exploring your autistic profile. I am autistic too and I want to help you fellow neurokin to move beyond awareness of your profile and truly understand who you are as an autistic person. You deserve it! We learn best by sharing experiences so without further ado… let’s start!

Executive Functions

For those of you who are visual thinkers, it may be helpful to imagine the executive functions as senior staff responsible for managing a large company. Senior staff delegate and plan tasks for a business, in a similar way to how executive functioning skills enable us as individuals to plan, organise and ultimately carry out our day-to-day activities. EF skills include far more than planning and organising, some of which I will elaborate on below:

• Working memory – short term memory (helpful if you need to use information quickly). Many of us including myself have a great long term memory but a weak working memory. Maybe this is true for you? If so, that’s okay there are many apps and other tools available to help you with this skill.
• Task initiation – do you feel ‘stuck’ when transitioning between tasks? If so, you are not alone. This is often because we are monotropic.
• Monitoring – includes recognising emotional states, often difficult when in a flow state.
• Decision making – includes filtering key information.

Can you think of EF skills and strengths that you have?

Maybe you are a very thorough decision maker or a quick problem solver?

As autistic people, our executive functioning often looks different to non autistic people! Our periods of productivity may not be linear or predictable but instead be determined by our passions and current attention tunnels, regardless your productivity does not define your worth! 

Whether that’s accessing flow states for hours on end, needing more time to make decision or an abundance of post it notes to support your working memory – do what works for you!

Dedicated Interests and Being Monotropic

I have been able to write this blog thanks to periods of hyperfocus and the almost magnetic like attraction to my interests that enables flow states – it’s just me and my laptop; the rest of the world disappears! Does this resonate? If so, I am glad you gain joy from flow states too. 

Whatever your dedicated interests are if they make you happy that’s all that matters!

Do you have multiple dedicated interests or one long standing passion?

Do your passions cultivate autistic joy? Is it possible to organise your time around your passions?

You are probably aware that your interests are more than just hobbies, a convenient pastime, or a forgotten collectible hidden in the bottom drawer – they are often a huge source of autistic joy and purpose! But do you know why? If not, welcome to the world of monotropism!

Being monotropic  – our interests pull us in more strongly than most (polytropic) people and we often focus on a single or a few attention tunnels. This leads to very intense immersive experiences inside our current attention tunnel – meaning everything outside that exact moment can almost cease to exist. Earlier in the EF section, I mention feeling stuck in between tasks, well being monotropic might be why! Focusing on a single attention intensely means we may need more time to shift our processing resources on to new ideas or activities. ( Do you hate interruptions?)

Being monotropic has implications far beyond our passions if you begin to think about an interest as anything that can capture your attention – to put it simply fewer things capture our attention (but when they do, they do so intensely!) Let’s think about what that might mean for you (there are many examples, but here are just a few):

Do certain sounds feel incredibly irritating – are you unable to tune them out?

Do you seek details and patterns?

Do you have a need for routine or predictability? If so, this can reduce the need to switch attention tunnels at short notice.

Do you forget to eat, drink or go to the toilet when in a flow state? I know these signals are more than merely annoying when in flow but it’s really important to address them – maybe schedule key breaks and reminders to check these needs?

Do you feel emotions really intensely? Being monotropic is characterised by intensity of feeling wherever our current focus is and that includes our emotions. This may feel like big (autistic!) joy. If you resonate with this, I am glad you experience big joy too! Or alternatively being monotropic may mean an inability to switch our attention from negative feelings (inertia is a common result of being monotropic). 

Just to clarify, being monotropic doesn’t mean you will feel negatively but rather you may keep thinking about the same thing a lot.

 If you recognise that your attention gets hooked on negative feelings, it’s important to acknowledge that. Is there a way you can switch attention tunnels, if needed?

When explored through a monotropic lens, I think our experiences as autistic people begin to make sense. We can begin to ask ourselves why we have certain needs and not just be satisfied with knowing them but instead truly benefit from understanding our autistic experiences. I hope you feel similarly!

 I hope this 2-part series helps you to begin to explore, understand and ultimately appreciate your own autistic identity. If this is too much information all at once, you can use it as a resource to come back to and reflect on your own needs at your own pace.

After all, the Maori word for ‘autism’ is ‘takiwatanga’ meaning ‘in my own time and space!’

References

Monotropism – https://monotropism.org/

#executiveFunction #monotropism #workingMemory

Attention tunnel wombs

About Viv Dawes

I am late identified AuDHD with a PDA profile. I am a lived experience author, trainer and consultant and originally trained as an artist in the 1980s. As well as my work as an author and trainer I am a keen photographer.

Thinking about how deep attention tunnels can be like a wormhole or a womb that we can become lost in. This is both a blessing and a curse. Not being able to enter the warmth of a womb and getting lost in something (a passion, interest, cause) can be utterly terrifying but equally we can become stuck there- the idea of leaving it is equally awful.

By: Viv Dawes
License: All Rights Reserved

#attentionTunnels #monotropism

Monotropism Reflected in the Communication Style of Artistic Expression

Becca Cook is an AuDHD artist, animal communicator, and writer.

Monotropism is a cognitive tendency often present in autistic individuals, characterized by an intense focus on one or two interests at a time. My attention feels like a narrow beam of light, bright, deep, and consuming. This focus creates a rich inner world, one where thoughts and emotions spiral into deep connections of complex understanding. While this kind of focus can seem limiting to those who process information in a more multi-tracked way, monotropism has its own unique power. It creates depth, meaning, and complexity that might not be reachable through broader, surface-level engagement.

Artistic expression, in my experience, becomes more than a medium, it’s a language. I often say artistic expression is my second language, my first being energetic communication and third being language and words. Artistic expression is a bridge between inner experience and outer reality, where the intensity of focus condenses into a form that can be shared with the world. I have always felt communication through traditional verbal or social means can feel restrictive. Words often feel too linear, too fragile to hold the weight of multi-dimensional thoughts and emotions. But art? Art is a vessel wide enough to carry that depth.

Art made through monotropism tends to be layered and complex. The work may not be consciously planned, but emerges as a natural outcome of deep immersion. Like the fruiting body of a mycelial network, what appears on the surface is just the culmination of much deeper, hidden processes. This artistic communication often feels oracular, holding meaning that even I may not fully understand until later. The art becomes a mirror, a map, a code. It’s a kind of communication that is less about explaining and more about revealing, with layers of interpretation available to anyone who looks deeply enough. In my experience art is a way in which I communicate with myself, primarily in feelings and emotional states.

When I work on an art piece, I rarely start with a specific goal. Instead, I follow the pull of my focus, allowing the process to guide me. The art grows organically, shaped by my emotional and intellectual rumination. It feels like dreaming, where symbols arise naturally, carrying insights that only make sense with time. Often, I’ll finish a piece and only later recognize what it was expressing. Sometimes, I realize it predicted patterns or trends I wasn’t aware of at the time. This is not about mysticism but about how deeply the monotropic mind processes information, connecting threads beneath conscious awareness.

In this way, monotropism becomes an artistic strength. It allows for prolonged immersion, enabling me to build work that carries a kind of depth not easily reachable through fleeting, surface-level engagement. Each piece is multi-dimensional, layered with emotions, concepts, and connections. It becomes a conversation with the self, but also with the world an offering for others to explore and interpret.

My approach to art created through monotropism doesn’t aim to please or entertain. It isn’t designed for quick consumption or easy interpretation. Instead, it holds an invitation to slow down, to feel, to notice. It asks the viewer to enter into its depth, to experience the layers of thought and emotion woven into its creation.

This is why artistic expression is one of the most authentic and powerful forms of communication for my monotropic mind. It’s not about conforming to linear explanation but about holding space for complexity. It’s about allowing the unconscious to speak, trusting that meaning will unfold in its own time, in its own way.

In a world that often rewards speed, efficiency, and clarity, monotropic art defies these expectations. It values depth over breadth, process over product, patience over quickness. It holds the quiet power of being wholly present with one thing at a time, allowing that presence to shape what is born.

#art #monotropism

It's Autism Day/Month, and I keep telling people they need to learn from autistic people... But what do they most need to know? It's funny, none of the key autistic theories about autism are just about autism: #Neurodiversity, #Monotropism, #DoubleEmpathy. oolong.medium.com/506c7d649823

Autistics on Autism

It's Autism Day/Month, and I keep telling people they need to learn from autistic people... But what do they most need to know? It's funny, none of the key autistic theories about autism are just about autism: #Neurodiversity, #Monotropism, #DoubleEmpathy. oolong.medium.com/506c7d649823

Autistics on Autism

It's Autism Day/Month, and I keep telling people they need to learn from autistic people... But what do they most need to know? It's funny, none of the key autistic theories about autism are just about autism: #Neurodiversity, #Monotropism, #DoubleEmpathy. oolong.medium.com/506c7d649823

Autistics on Autism

It's Autism Day/Month, and I keep telling people they need to learn from autistic people... But what do they most need to know? It's funny, none of the key autistic theories about autism are just about autism: #Neurodiversity, #Monotropism, #DoubleEmpathy. oolong.medium.com/506c7d649823

Autistics on Autism

It's Autism Day/Month, and I keep telling people they need to learn from autistic people... But what do they most need to know? It's funny, none of the key autistic theories about autism are just about autism: #Neurodiversity, #Monotropism, #DoubleEmpathy. oolong.medium.com/506c7d649823

Autistics on Autism

Hooray! My episode with @scrappapertiger.bsky.social on Nic King & @katefoxwriter75.bsky.social's podcast, Neurotypicals Don't Juggle Chainsaws, is out today! We talked about #monotropism, privilege, #WeirdPride and more... open.spotify.com/episode/3Ef5...

We Welcome Special Guests, Fer...

In Which We Answer Some Questions

Here are some questions posed to us for inclusion in an allied organization’s newsletter. We cover community art, direct giving, research, ableism, and more.

Table of Contents

• The artwork on your website is amazing, where does it come from?
  • Featured Art
  • It’s gonna be an art party.
• What is your latest research on?
• What does direct support look like for your organization? The website mentions a lot about mutual aid?
• How can individuals reading get involved in mutual aid in their communities?
• What are some wins you want to share with the community at large?
• What are some barriers you want the community at large to know about regarding ableism?
• How can we best support Stimpunks.org?
• How can Non-Disabled People show up better? And love better?
• I love how activist research is also about transformative action. Can you speak more to this?
• The ideas of community, interdependence, and the political really spoke to me, can you speak more on this?
• “We recognize that there is no justice that neglects disability.” (Philosophy – Stimpunks Foundation)
• I really like these ideas: Community is resistance. Asking for help. Showing up to give help. Collaboration.

The artwork on your website is amazing, where does it come from?

Our art comes from our community. We practice constructionism and actively engage in constructing things in the world. Practicing our art makes our souls grow.

Featured Art

Description: A bursting kaleidoscopic geometrical form with 4 sides of symmetry pointing angularly to each of the four corners of a square shaped canvas against a dark grey textured wall. There is a small red shaped plus at the very center, surrounded by orangish-peach and periwinkle butterfly like shapes at 45 degree angles from each other aligned to the mid center going up and also to the sides. The butterfly shapes are encased in a deeper red flower like shape before a region of light blue geometric textures. Near the corners are feathered white, dark grey-purple, burgundy and orange feather like edges.

Our featured artist is Adriel Jeremiah Wool.

Adriel Jeremiah is an computer programmer with a deep background in origami and folding. This artwork is an extension of a world view involving folding; often involving higher dimensional spaces. Many of these designs contain the mathematical magic of the transcendental numbers of nature, and all of them are the extension of the provisions of space itself; to be both physically folded, and conceptually folded, circularily and across many levels of expression.Shop Art by Adriel

His spectacular new piece derives its color stream from a fluorite crystal that has a spheralite imperfection / inclusion (the red, purple, and orange).

AJ describes what these fractal pieces are in this accordion. Their construction will broaden your perspective on perspective.My artwork is digital photography in a world where objects exist in more than 3 dimensions, and where no known means of physical representation has yet been discovered to exist.

AJ is a regular contributor at Stimpunks. He kindly licenses his work as free cultural work. He helps us tell our stories with his art, music, photography, videos, audio engineering, poetry, prose, and lived experience.

AJ has a gallery in Ketchum, Idaho. Drop by if you’re around. He tries to make it a welcoming third place.

Stimpunks is gently debugging society.

The charity protects, helps and comforts individuals, while pointing out library-level flaws in some of the concepts that end up harming those individuals.

This help is profoundly wonderful, morally and functionally coherent to great need, and as true as a pure circle in its cause-and-effect form.

Adriel Jeremiah Wool

The artist hopes to convey this: that the universe is given forth folded and unfolded. Although explicit understanding helps, it is too cumbersome, and should only provide refinement to something already greater that exists.

That greater thing is what was given to the artist first by the practice of origami. An enlivening of the intuitive mind, experience with a universe of many dimensions, and the promise of creation revealed when one folds a flat square into the likeness of a higher dimensional thing. That inspiration reaches a young mind in a powerful way.
The artist wants the viewer to see proof of what their intuitive mind already knows is true, the universe is a multidimensional phenomenon and the ability to understand its nature already exists within us each.

The artist hopes the viewer will be inspired to seek the understanding of freedoms available to the individual inspired by the exposure to artistic expressions, and of a nature of dimensionality unimaginably greater than the object presented here.

Adriel Jeremiah Wool

A time has come to again look at changes in the way technology allows us to see the world and experience it. First was the human eye, with a lens made of flesh. Later humans developed a replacement for the eye but in the form and fashion of the lens of the eye; this time it was made of glass doped with metals to enhance its control of light. To see, the human eye has a retina filled with responsive cells which look for contrast and color.

Technology has allowed us to create a replacement for the retina called a CCD with metals which respond to color and report those values to a microchip which converts them to bits and bytes for storage. I will present to you the same extension of sight by explaining how the images you will see come into existence.

In my artwork the landscape is created via the execution of a seed of a formula, allowed to grow and flourish in a mathematical set of steps. In a similar way, crystals grow underground in a cave over many millennia but they follow a seed of a universal pattern related to their atomic structure and facilitated by the chemical nature of their environments. In our regular world, we have 3 directions we can move, forward-back, up-down and left-right, but these crystals can move in another set of directions allowed by the universe and mathematics. They are, and must be considered elements of nature, and it follows that the methods used to convey them must be considered legitimate tools of expression. 

A crystal starts at a virtual geometric position, a virtual center, then it mathematically and procedurally grows outward and inward according to a seed formula. However it exists in a dark world devoid of light and color; it is only a cloud of form. As an artist, I create an eye with a lens which follows the same mathematical processes as the lens of a camera and the eye itself. I situate the virtual eye to be gazing upon the crystal as I create sources of light which will illuminate the crystal and reflect light back to the lens.

As an artist I imbue color to the crystal, I imbue reflectivity, I imbue refractability, and I imbue density or transparency exactly towards the same purpose as a painter would do, in combining pigmented oils on canvas with a brush in his or her hand.

My artwork is digital photography in a world where objects exist in more than 3 dimensions, and where no known means of physical representation has yet been discovered to exist.

Adriel Jeremiah Wool

It’s gonna be an art party.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZRFkJsGNjI

We’re gonna make, make something great for
All of us to see and appreciate
It’s gonna be an art party
It’s gonna be an art party

Come on over it’s time to start
It’s a great big party where we make and share art

Art Party (feat. Portugal. The Man & Paul Williams) – YouTube

What is your latest research on?

Monotropism, neuroqueer learning spaces, and Cavendish Space.

What does direct support look like for your organization? The website mentions a lot about mutual aid?

Direct support includes, first and foremost, giving people money with no strings attached. Folks know what they need and how best to spend the money. We also help people navigate our systems by filling forms and making calls for them. We provide warm lines and peer respite. We practice library economies, competency networks, sharing spoons, and support swapping.

“Mutuality is a feeling, an action, and a relationship based on shared benefit between individuals and groups in a society. It materialises in many, many ways and is arguably a universal constant of our human nature. We rely on mutuality to survive and progress through our day to day life.” (Andrewism)

“When systems of power fail, it is mutuality—neighbours helping neighbours—that holds communities together.” (Andrewism)

How can individuals reading get involved in mutual aid in their communities?

Start with pod mapping.

1. Find a few people.
2. Identify your zone.
3. Invite neighbors.
4. Get a name.
5. Have conversations.
6. Support each other.

Source: Mutual Aid 101 – Google Slides

What are some wins you want to share with the community at large?

Our Map of Monotropic Experiences has been widely shared and incorporated into care settings and training.

What are some barriers you want the community at large to know about regarding ableism?

We live in an age of mass behaviorism. Behaviorism such as ABA and PBS are rife in education and healthcare settings. “Behaviorism is a dehumanizing mechanism of learning that reduces human beings to simple inputs and outputs. There is an ever-growing body of research suggesting that behaviorism is not only harmful to how we learn, but is also oppressive, ableist, and racist.” (Human Restoration Project)

Behaviorist education is ableist education. Behaviorist healthcare is ableist healthcare.

How can we best support Stimpunks.org?

• Read our website.
• Share our website.
• Amplify us on social media.
• Give whatever you can, be it time or money or attention.

• stimpunks.org
• RSS Feed
• WordPress
• Bluesky
• Gravatar
• Threads
• Mastodon
• Tumblr
• GitHub
• Twitter/X
• Facebook
• Patreon
• YouTube
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Counter Social
• Raindrop.io
• Mail

How can Non-Disabled People show up better? And love better?

We exist as friction. Load-share the burden of existing as friction.

• Promote and practice access intimacy instead of forced intimacy.
• Question the narratives of wellness, and engage in critical wellness instead.
• Reframe yourself and others. Help people reframe from the pathology paradigm and medical model to the neurodiversity paradigm and biopsychosocial model. This is hard and important work necessary to all other work. Change the narrative. Start reframing.
• Advocate for accessibility at school, work, and in your community.
• Be a threat to inequity in your spheres of influence.
• Combat the myths.
• Use and promote Identity First Language.
• Elevate care as infrastructure. Stimpunks exists because our systems effectively don’t.
• Celebrate our interdependence!

I love how activist research is also about transformative action. Can you speak more to this?

“three characteristics that delineate activist research from other types of research:”

(1) combination of knowledge production and transformative action;

(2) systematic multi-level collaboration; and

(3) challenges to power.

(Denisha Jones)

A hallmark of good research is that it embraces epistemic justice and rejects scientism.

Another hallmark of good research is naming the systems of power. If you’re not naming the systems of power in your research, you’re missing a vital component.

The ideas of community, interdependence, and the political really spoke to me, can you speak more on this?

In the past, the disability rights movement focused on independence, including it as one of the pillars of the ADA. Disability Justice moves away from independence framing, because independence is a myth.

“I am fighting for an interdependence that embraces need and tells the truth: no one does it on their own and the myth of independence is just that, a myth.” (Mia Mingus)

“Access intimacy is interdependence in action.” (Mia Mingus)

“It is time to celebrate our interdependence!” (Jorn Bettin)

“We recognize that there is no justice that neglects disability.” (Philosophy – Stimpunks Foundation)

Working at my org I really believe this and feel that everyone who works here also believes this. We cannot neglect disability in our policy and conversations and our care. If you have anything to add to this.

There is no path to justice that does not involve direct confrontation with ableism and inaccessibility. To neglect disability is to neglect two of the major forces of injustice.

Ableism is at the root of all -isms.

“Ableism is what makes all other “isms” effective.

White supremacy is the goal, ableism is the toolkit.” (Imani Barbarin)

“…so much of what disability actually is, is just humanity; and so much of what ableism is, is a humanity heist.” “Ableism enables all forms of inequity and hampers all liberation efforts.” (Talila A. Lewis)

Disabled and neurodivergent people are always edge cases, and edge cases are stress cases.

We choose the margin, because design is tested at the edges.

“Living as we did on the edge we developed a particular way of seeing reality. We looked both from the outside in and from the inside out. We focused our attention on the centre as well as on the margin. We understood both.” (bell hooks)

“No one knows best the motion of the ocean than the fish that must fight the current to swim upstream.” “By focusing on the parts of the system that are most complex and where the people living it are the most vulnerable we understand the system best.” (Tressie McMillan Cottom)

I really like these ideas: Community is resistance. Asking for help. Showing up to give help. Collaboration.

I think if we’re going to have a future we need to embrace and act in these ideas. How would someone start if they are new to these ideas and new to community engagement?

Find people with which you share a concern or passion. You can do this via the pod mapping described above.

“Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.” (Wenger-Trayner, E. & Wenger-Trayner, B. 2015)

• Find your people.
• Communicate.
• Iterate.

“Through free association, people will find those of mutual interests in every sphere of life to form groups on the basis of their affinity.” (Andrewism)

#ableism #accessIntimacy #accessibility #activistResearch #affinityGroups #art #behaviorism #biopsychosocial #care #cavendishSpace #community #competencyNetwork #constructionism #criticalWellness #directSupport #disabilityJustice #edgeCases #edges #education #epistemicInjustice #equity #forcedIntimacy #framing #identityFirst #interdependence #libraryEconomy #monotropism #mutualAid #mutuality #neuroqueerLearningSpaces #pathologyParadigm #peerRespite #podMapping #power #scientism #sharingSpoons #supportSwapping #warmLines #wellness

Map of Monotropic Experiences

Monotropism seeks to explain autism in terms of attention distribution and interests. 

OSF Preprints | Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Monotropism in Autistic and Non-Autistic People: The Monotropism Questionnaire

This map highlights 20 common aspects of monotropic experience.

How many do you experience?

Created by Helen Edgar of Autistic Realms in collaboration with Stimpunks.

Inspired by the fabulous Map of Procrastination by Gemma Correll, I have created a map of monotropic experiences that reflects the main issues that impact my own life.

Curious to know what you would add or take away from this if you are Autistic/ADHD/AuDHD and resonate with this theory.

–Helen Edgar

License: “Map of Monotropic Experiences” by Helen Edgar is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Table of Contents

• Areas of the Map
• Learn More in Our Glossary
• What is Monotropism?

Areas of the Map

1. Attention Tunnels
2. Penguin Pebbling Cove of Friendship
3. Tendril Theory (@EisforErin)
4. Mountains of Ruminating Thoughts
5. Cyclones of Unmet Needs
6. Rabbit Holes of Research
7. Infodump Canyon
8. Rhizomatic Communities
9. River of Monotropic Flow States
10. Campsite of Cavendish Spaces
11. Meerkat Mounds (Gray-Hammond & Adkin)
12. Riverbanks of Monotropic Time
13. Shark Infested Waters of Neuronormativity, Behaviourism & Double Empathy Problems (Milton, 2012)
14. Beach of Body Doubling
15. Burnout Whirlpools
16. Panic Hills of Low-Object Permanence
17. Forest of Joy Awe and Wonder
18. Lake of Limerence
19. Tides of the Sensory Sea
20. Sudden Storms of Unexpected Events

Learn More in Our Glossary

• Attention Tunnels – Entering flow states – or attention tunnels – is a necessary coping strategy for many of us. Flow states are the pinnacle of intrinsic motivation. (Murray)
• Penguin Pebbling – “Penguin pebbling” is a little exchange between two people to show that they care and want to build a meaningful connection. (Edgar)
• Tendril Theory – When I’m focused on something, my mind sends out a million tendrils of thought, expands into all of the thoughts & feelings. When I need to switch tasks, I must retract all of the tendrils of my mind. This takes some time. (@EisforErin)
• Rumination – When your thoughts are all swirly and you just keep chewing on the same thought over and over and you can’t stop thinking about it and it’s distracting you and sometimes even putting you in a really bad mood or making you irritable. (Chipura)
• Unmet Needs – Mismatch between the areas we actually receive support, compared to the areas we would ideally like support. (Cassidy, et al)
• Rabbit Hole – “Down the rabbit hole” is an English-language idiom or trope which refers to getting deep into something, or ending up somewhere strange. (Wikipedia)
• Infodumping – Talking a lot about a topic in great detail.
• Autistic Rhizome – A growing and evolving network of Autistic communities with no hierarchy or dependence on anothers existence. (Edgar)
• Flow States – Entering flow states – or attention tunnels – is a necessary coping strategy for many of us. Flow states are the pinnacle of intrinsic motivation. (Murray)
• Cavendish Space – Psychologically and sensory safe spaces suited to zone work, flow states, intermittent collaboration, and collaborative niche construction. (Boren)
• Meerkat Mode – Heightened state of vigilance and arousal that involves constantly looking for danger and threat. It is more than hyper-arousal, it is an overwhelmed monotropic person desperately looking for a hook into a monotropic flow-state. (Adkin)
• Monotropic Time – When absorbed in our special interests or passions it can feel like entering a portal. Normal time can feel like it is dissolving, the outside world may feel like it is melting away. This can be really rejuvenating for the sensory system and help to recharge the bodymind. (Edgar)
• Neuronormativity – Neurormativity is a set of norms, standards, expectations and ideals that centre a particular way of functioning as the right way to function. It is the assumption that there is a correct way to exist in this world; a correct way to think, feel, communicate, play, behave and more. (Wise)
• Behaviourism – Behaviorism is a dehumanizing mechanism of learning that reduces human beings to simple inputs and outputs. There is an ever-growing body of research suggesting that behaviorism is not only harmful to how we learn, but is also oppressive, ableist, and racist. (McNutt)
• Double Empathy Problem – The ‘double empathy problem’ refers to the mutual incomprehension that occurs between people of different dispositional outlooks and personal conceptual understandings when attempts are made to communicate meaning. (Milton)
• Body Doubling – A “body double” is a person or even pet who is present with us while we work. This provides a gentle form of accountability — their presence serves as a reminder of what we’re supposed to be doing so we’re less likely to get distracted. (McCabe)
• Burnout – Autistic burnout is a state of physical and mental fatigue, heightened stress, and diminished capacity to manage life skills, sensory input, and/or social interactions, which comes from years of being severely overtaxed by the strain of trying to live up to demands that are out of sync with our needs. (Raymaker)
• Object Permanence – Autistic children have difficulties with their understanding of: what’s here, what’s now, what is permanent, and so on. (Lawson)
• Autistic Joy – Autistic joy is one of our favorite things about being autistic. It can be intense as a meltdown, but filled with overwhelming happiness and excitement. When we experience joy, we feel the excited vibrations throughout our bodies. To release the energy, we do a “happy stim.” We will jump up and down, excitedly flap our hands, sometimes even dance. (Blackwater)
• Limerence – Limerence is a state of involuntary obsession with another person. The experience of limerence is different from love or lust in that it is based on the uncertainty that the person you desire also desires you. (Psychology Today)
• Sensory Experiences – Neurodivergent people are hypersensitive to mindset and environment due to a greater number of neuronal connections. They have both a higher risk for trauma and a large capacity for sensing safety. (Elisabeth)
• Unexpected Events – If an autistic person is pulled out of monotropic flow too quickly, it causes our sensory systems to dysregulate. This in turn triggers us into emotional dysregulation, and we quickly find ourselves in a state ranging from uncomfortable, to grumpy, to angry, or even triggered into a meltdown or a shutdown. (Rose)

What is Monotropism?

Monotropism is a theory of autism developed by autistic people, initially by Dinah Murray and Wenn Lawson.

Read about explanations and applications of the theory, its history, and what’s happening now.

Monotropic minds tend to have their attention pulled more strongly towards a smaller number of interests at any given time, leaving fewer resources for other processes. We argue that this can explain nearly all of the features commonly associated with autism, directly or indirectly. However, you do not need to accept it as a general theory of autism in order for it to be a useful description of common autistic experiences and how to work with them.

If we are right, then monotropism is one of the key ideas required for making sense of autism, along with the double empathy problem and neurodiversity. Monotropism makes sense of many autistic experiences at the individual level. The double empathy problem explains the misunderstandings that occur between people who process the world differently, often mistaken for a lack of empathy on the autistic side. Neurodiversity describes the place of autistic people and other ‘neurominorities’ in society.

Monotropism – the mind as an interest system

#attentionTunnels #behaviorism #bodyDoubling #burnout #cavendishSpace #flow #infodump #limerence #monotropicTime #monotropism #neuronormativity #penguinPebbling #rabbitholing #rumination #sensoryProcessing #tendrilTheory #unmetNeeds

Map of Monotropic Experiences

Monotropism seeks to explain autism in terms of attention distribution and interests. 

OSF Preprints | Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Monotropism in Autistic and Non-Autistic People: The Monotropism Questionnaire

This map highlights 20 common aspects of monotropic experience.

How many do you experience?

Created by Helen Edgar of Autistic Realms in collaboration with Stimpunks.

Inspired by the fabulous Map of Procrastination by Gemma Correll, I have created a map of monotropic experiences that reflects the main issues that impact my own life.

Curious to know what you would add or take away from this if you are Autistic/ADHD/AuDHD and resonate with this theory.

–Helen Edgar

License: “Map of Monotropic Experiences” by Helen Edgar is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Sticker and Poster

The map is available as a sticker and a poster in our merch store.

The map is available as a digital download in our virtual store if you’d like to print it for yourself. A training presentation to accompany the map is also available. Payment is optional but appreciated.

Table of Contents

• Areas of the Map
• Vocabulary of the Map
• Difficulties of Neuronormative Domination
• Flow States
• Stuck States
• Socializing and the Importance of Environment
• Using the Map
• What is Monotropism?
• Training

Areas of the Map

1. Attention Tunnels
2. Penguin Pebbling Cove of Friendship
3. Tendril Theory (@EisforErin)
4. Mountains of Ruminating Thoughts
5. Cyclones of Unmet Needs
6. Rabbit Holes of Research
7. Infodump Canyon
8. Rhizomatic Communities
9. River of Monotropic Flow States
10. Campsite of Cavendish Spaces
11. Meerkat Mounds (Gray-Hammond & Adkin)
12. Riverbanks of Monotropic Time
13. Shark Infested Waters of Neuronormativity, Behaviourism & Double Empathy Problems (Milton, 2012)
14. Beach of Body Doubling
15. Burnout Whirlpools
16. Panic Hills of Low-Object Permanence
17. Forest of Joy Awe and Wonder
18. Lake of Limerence
19. Tides of the Sensory Sea
20. Sudden Storms of Unexpected Events

Vocabulary of the Map

• Attention Tunnels – Entering flow states – or attention tunnels – is a necessary coping strategy for many of us. Flow states are the pinnacle of intrinsic motivation. (Murray)
• Penguin Pebbling – “Penguin pebbling” is a little exchange between two people to show that they care and want to build a meaningful connection. (Edgar)
• Tendril Theory – When I’m focused on something, my mind sends out a million tendrils of thought, expands into all of the thoughts & feelings. When I need to switch tasks, I must retract all of the tendrils of my mind. This takes some time. (@EisforErin)
• Rumination – When your thoughts are all swirly and you just keep chewing on the same thought over and over and you can’t stop thinking about it and it’s distracting you and sometimes even putting you in a really bad mood or making you irritable. (Chipura)
• Unmet Needs – Mismatch between the areas we actually receive support, compared to the areas we would ideally like support. (Cassidy, et al)
• Rabbit Hole – “Down the rabbit hole” is an English-language idiom or trope which refers to getting deep into something, or ending up somewhere strange. (Wikipedia)
• Infodumping – Talking a lot about a topic in great detail.
• Autistic Rhizome – A growing and evolving network of Autistic communities with no hierarchy or dependence on anothers existence. (Edgar)
• Flow States – Entering flow states – or attention tunnels – is a necessary coping strategy for many of us. Flow states are the pinnacle of intrinsic motivation. (Murray)
• Cavendish Space – Psychologically and sensory safe spaces suited to zone work, flow states, intermittent collaboration, and collaborative niche construction. (Boren)
• Meerkat Mode – Heightened state of vigilance and arousal that involves constantly looking for danger and threat. It is more than hyper-arousal, it is an overwhelmed monotropic person desperately looking for a hook into a monotropic flow-state. (Adkin)
• Monotropic Time – When absorbed in our special interests or passions it can feel like entering a portal. Normal time can feel like it is dissolving, the outside world may feel like it is melting away. This can be really rejuvenating for the sensory system and help to recharge the bodymind. (Edgar)
• Neuronormativity – Neurormativity is a set of norms, standards, expectations and ideals that centre a particular way of functioning as the right way to function. It is the assumption that there is a correct way to exist in this world; a correct way to think, feel, communicate, play, behave and more. (Wise)
• Behaviourism – Behaviorism is a dehumanizing mechanism of learning that reduces human beings to simple inputs and outputs. There is an ever-growing body of research suggesting that behaviorism is not only harmful to how we learn, but is also oppressive, ableist, and racist. (McNutt)
• Double Empathy Problem – The ‘double empathy problem’ refers to the mutual incomprehension that occurs between people of different dispositional outlooks and personal conceptual understandings when attempts are made to communicate meaning. (Milton)
• Body Doubling – A “body double” is a person or even pet who is present with us while we work. This provides a gentle form of accountability — their presence serves as a reminder of what we’re supposed to be doing so we’re less likely to get distracted. (McCabe)
• Burnout – Autistic burnout is a state of physical and mental fatigue, heightened stress, and diminished capacity to manage life skills, sensory input, and/or social interactions, which comes from years of being severely overtaxed by the strain of trying to live up to demands that are out of sync with our needs. (Raymaker)
• Object Permanence – Autistic children have difficulties with their understanding of: what’s here, what’s now, what is permanent, and so on. (Lawson)
• Autistic Joy – Autistic joy is one of our favorite things about being autistic. It can be intense as a meltdown, but filled with overwhelming happiness and excitement. When we experience joy, we feel the excited vibrations throughout our bodies. To release the energy, we do a “happy stim.” We will jump up and down, excitedly flap our hands, sometimes even dance. (Blackwater)
• Limerence – Limerence is a state of involuntary obsession with another person. The experience of limerence is different from love or lust in that it is based on the uncertainty that the person you desire also desires you. (Psychology Today)
• Sensory Experiences – Neurodivergent people are hypersensitive to mindset and environment due to a greater number of neuronal connections. They have both a higher risk for trauma and a large capacity for sensing safety. (Elisabeth)
• Unexpected Events – If an autistic person is pulled out of monotropic flow too quickly, it causes our sensory systems to dysregulate. This in turn triggers us into emotional dysregulation, and we quickly find ourselves in a state ranging from uncomfortable, to grumpy, to angry, or even triggered into a meltdown or a shutdown. (Rose)

Difficulties of Neuronormative Domination

There are many things that impact your ability to succeed in life and that affect your well-being if you are Autistic. This is due to the fact that the world is predominantly set up for the neuromajority of people, not the minority of Autistic/ADHD or other neurodivergent, disabled or marginalised groups. Historically, this has led to Autism research mostly being carried out by non-Autistic people with the aim of trying to fix Autistic people, to make them fit into neurotypical ways of being and to appear more ‘normal’ in society. As Ryan Boren said during a recent Stimpunks discussion, “Neuronormative domination is a public health crisis’, (Boren, 2025). We need to reframe our thinking and practice to ensure we are neurodiversity-affirming so that everyone can succeed and so that no one is left behind or stuck at the edges of society without support.

Outdated and inaccurate research influenced by non-Autistic perspectives has had harmful consequences for Autistic people. Viewing Autism through a deficit lens has led to a denial of autonomy and human rights, as Autistic individuals are perceived as abnormal and in need of correction. This has been reflected by the Shark-Infested Waters of Neuronormativity on the map. This water permeates all of society and seeps through the cracks, so people may not even notice its harm; yet it seeps through and affects families, relationships, work, education, health and social care settings.

We need to move away from deficit-based views of Autism and instead embrace neuro-affirming theories led by Autistic people such as the theory of Monotropism. By embracing neurodiversity and validating the lived experiences of Autistic people and listening to stories shared in community spaces, we can create an ecology of care and equity that supports everyone so we all have a chance to thrive.

Flow States

Monotropism is a neuro-affirming theory of Autism. Everyone benefits from flow states, but for Autistic people, flow is even more important. Everyone has a certain amount of energy and capacity to get through their days. For monotropic people (Autistic/ ADHD), their energy and attention resources are more focused on fewer things at any one time and flow states are essential to help you get through the day and balance your mind and body. Being engaged in a flow state if you are monotropic can feel like your energy is being restored.

We need to embrace flow states and our authentic Autistic identity. This will enable the river of monotropism to run through society, so Autistic people can thrive and not feel like they are constantly trying to swim upstream against the tide.

Really getting to know young monotropic people’s passions and centring their learning around their interests can be hugely beneficial. It enables greater academic progress and supports their bodymind, communication skills and sensory system. 

A happy monotropic bodymind = a happy flow state!

Sharing joy about your interests as a monotropic person is more than just sharing your hobby with someone; it can create deeper connections, which also allows your sensory system to become more regulated. A happy mind in a flow state generally means a happier body, and vice versa! Interest-led groups have been shown to be really beneficial for many Autistic people (Wood, 2018)

Stuck States

Being a monotropic person in a world that is designed for the benefit of the majority of polytropic people is exhausting. If you can’t access safe spaces, engage in your interests and feel connected, then you are more likely to enter a stuck state. 

If you are in a stuck state, it will affect your well-being. A stuck state affects everything, from how you experience and are able to understand and interpret your sensory needs (including interoception) to how well you can function and live the life you want. Stuck states are states of inertia, unable to start or may be unable to stop. You may feel trapped in a constant loop of ruminating thoughts.

Socializing and the Importance of Environment

By making changes to the environment in schools, workplaces, and other settings and providing opportunities that honour authentic ways Autistic people communicate and adaptations that may need to be in place to meet sensory needs it will benefit everyone. 

Embracing neurodiversity means embracing and validating the lived experience of everyone, including Autistic/ ADHD and other marginalised people. Enabling flow states and providing an environment where everyone’s well-being is supported will help whole communities to thrive. We need to listen to Autistic/ ADHD people and create a sense of pride around monotropic experiences.

Using the Map

• Where are you on the map?
• Where do you want to be?
• How can you get there?
• What support will you need?
• What is your biggest hurdle ?

What is Monotropism?

Monotropism is a theory of autism developed by autistic people, initially by Dinah Murray and Wenn Lawson.

Read about explanations and applications of the theory, its history, and what’s happening now.

Monotropic minds tend to have their attention pulled more strongly towards a smaller number of interests at any given time, leaving fewer resources for other processes. We argue that this can explain nearly all of the features commonly associated with autism, directly or indirectly. However, you do not need to accept it as a general theory of autism in order for it to be a useful description of common autistic experiences and how to work with them.

If we are right, then monotropism is one of the key ideas required for making sense of autism, along with the double empathy problem and neurodiversity. Monotropism makes sense of many autistic experiences at the individual level. The double empathy problem explains the misunderstandings that occur between people who process the world differently, often mistaken for a lack of empathy on the autistic side. Neurodiversity describes the place of autistic people and other ‘neurominorities’ in society.

Monotropism – the mind as an interest system

https://youtu.be/qUFDAevkd3E?si=ngjxiXDFn2E-v92J

Training

Our training builds on the Map of Monotropic Experiences to help reframe how we understand ourselves and Autistic people, not through the deficit-focused lens of traditional autism research, but through lived experience and Autistic voices.

Our open source training offers a radical, affirming reframe of Autism, grounded in the theory of monotropism — a way of understanding the deep, focused attention patterns common among Autistic and ADHD individuals.

Rather than seeing Autistic traits as deficits, monotropism recognises our monotropic “interest-based nervous system” as a natural and meaningful way of engaging with the world.

At the heart of our work is the importance of embracing authentic Autistic identity, not as something broken or needing correction, but as a valuable and vibrant way of being. Building strong community connections and validating lived experiences are central to this journey.

You’ll Learn To:

✅ Understand the theory of monotropism and the importance of flow
✅ Recognise how environments can create “stuck states”
✅ Explore the detrimental impact of neuronormative domination on Autistic well-being
✅ Create flow-supportive environments where ALL minds can thrive
✅ Understand intersectionality and the Double Empathy Problem for deeper inclusion
✅ Celebrate authentic Autistic identity and the strength of community storytelling and shared experiences

Perfect for: schools, healthcare settings, workplaces, and community networks.
A creative tool for reflection, connection, and meaningful change.

Timing and Preparation: The training content is approximately 4,000 words, designed to cover around 45 minutes of presentation time. Delivered live as a workshop with space for discussion and Q&A, it typically runs for 1-2 hours and can be expanded into a full-day session if preferred.

#attentionTunnels #behaviorism #bodyDoubling #burnout #cavendishSpace #flow #infodump #limerence #monotropicTime #monotropism #neuronormativity #penguinPebbling #rabbitholing #rumination #sensoryProcessing #tendrilTheory #unmetNeeds