When My Body Says No: An Autistic Moment in the Drive-Thru Something small happened at Zaxby’s today, but it made me realize something important about myself. I was in the drive-thru, just expecting my usual. The girl working the window wasn’t the one who handed me my drink—this time, it was a guy. I think he’s the manager or something. I’ve seen him there before, and he’s done this before too. He’s not rude or mean, but…I just don’t like him touching my stuff. It’s not all guys. Other restaurants have guy workers, and I’m fine with them. It’s him . Something about him just makes me feel off. And I finally noticed that. When he tried to hand me my drink today, I just stared at him. Didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just stared. He stared back and asked, “Are you going to take it?” Still, nothing from me. I had my autism shirt on under my work uniform (which was unbuttoned), and the girl standing beside him leaned in and whispered something in his ear. He backed off. Handed her t...

My First Day on Sertraline: Buzzing, Hyper, and Sensory Chaos My First Day on Sertraline: Buzzing, Hyper, and Sensory Chaos So, I started sertraline this morning—and wow, it’s been interesting to say the least. It kicked off with this weird whole-body buzzing sensation. The only way I can describe it is kinda like the sensory overload buzz I sometimes get, which of course made me panic a bit until I googled it (thanks, Internet) and found out it can be pretty common when you first start taking it. Ain’t that nice. By the time I got to work, I figured it’d go one of two ways: either I’d be super drowsy or bouncing off the walls. Turns out, it was the latter. I had a ridiculous amount of energy—like, borderline hyper—which lasted almost until 5pm before the crash finally showed up. Honestly, I’m really hoping that doesn’t keep happening, because it’s exhausting in its own way. To add to the chaos, I accidentally took my morning dose of ...

Chronicles of a Quiet Fighter: My Journey So Far Hey, I’m Caleb. I’m autistic and navigating more challenges than most people will ever see. This is my story so far — what I’ve been through, what I’m still pushing through, and why I refuse to give up. Life hasn’t exactly been gentle. I’ve dealt with depression, anxiety, severe sleep apnea, insomnia, high blood pressure, periodic limb movement, and binge eating disorder. Some days, it feels like my body and mind are in constant battle with each other. But those challenges are only part of the picture. What people don’t see is the fight behind closed doors. Living in a house where my mom and grandmother constantly argue, where emotional manipulation is the norm, and where I’ve had to learn to shield myself to protect what mental peace I can find. It’s draining. It’s loud. And it chips away at you in ways that are hard to describe. Financially, things haven’t been easy either. Right now, I’m pursuing bankruptcy because I’ve been b...