Shutdown and meltdown: understanding autistic crises
In the collective imagination, an autistic person is someone withdrawn, exceptional at math, calm, and rocking back and forth. What…
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Autistic burnout: when the body says stop
Autistic burnout, in a few words, feels like a long-term complete shutdown. It often follows sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload…
When love becomes sensory overload
A former friend once asked me how I perceived being in love. I replied that it was “a whole lot…
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Manic Obsessions vs Autistic Special Interests
Florent What is the difference between a manic obsession and an autistic special interest? On paper, the distinction seems simple. In reality, it is not at all. This confusion is common, including between bipolar disorder and autism (ASD), even among healthcare professionals. I have experienced it myself from the inside.
Double-edged creativity: when autism and bipolar disorder intertwine
This article follows the one describing graphorrhea. In August 2019, the manager of Nintendo-Master.com (which I had completely redesigned and then left five years earlier) calls me for help: the site is collapsing in terms of traffic, plagued by a whole range of bugs, and needs another overhaul. I have just been hospitalized for the first time and have developed a full manic episode. Out of love for the site, I jump at the opportunity: it’s time to put my skills to use again. En garde!
Journey #3: The Diagnosis of Autism
My autism diagnostic journey began relatively early: the first atypical signs were spotted by my mother’s doctor when I was 18 months old. Apparently, I was sorting and organizing toys instead of playing with them in his waiting room. He then told my mother to keep an eye on me. And then… nothing for 20 years, before I received my bipolar diagnosis, was identified as very highly gifted thinking it explained my atypicalities, and finally discovered the missing piece — autism — at age 25.
World Bipolar Day: raising awareness in one day for something that lasts a lifetime
Today is World Bipolar Day. And honestly, I don’t really relate to it. I’ve never changed my profile picture to add a small ribbon, I’ve never used it as an opportunity to raise awareness, and I’ve never taken part in events around this day. Although I understand that it may be meaningful for some, I’ve always struggled to see the value of these awareness days.
Pause — Autisticisms #3: False Patterns & Real Error
Many autistic people have a strong ability for pattern recognition. In 2025, I realized that I primarily think this way.
This pattern-based thinking is formidable.
Sometimes even… too much. The Autisticism that follows is a perfect example.
Journey #2: Identifying Giftedness
“What do you think about the outcome of these tests?” the neuropsychologist in charge of my IQ assessment asked me. I will always remember that moment. At that instant, I hoped that identifying giftedness would be enough to rule out the bipolar cause. So I answered, naturally, that I suspected a confirmation of giftedness. I was right. I was formally identified as very highly gifted by a neuropsychologist… and I believed it would resolve all my difficulties.
Early warning signs of autistic burnout
Autistic burnout may seem to occur suddenly. However, it is often preceded by progressive signs. These signs resemble those of burnout once it is fully developed, but they appear more slowly and in a less intense way. They are mainly distinguished by their gradual onset and their milder expression compared to burnout when it becomes fully established. This topic is rarely discussed in the literature, even though it helps warn of an approaching autistic burnout.
Manic graphorrhea: writing as I breathe
In mid-2025, a hypomanic episode began. It quickly turned into a full manic episode. The first sign, which went unnoticed: a compulsion to write. Mania did not generate creativity. It amplified it. It created an unbearable need to write continuously, to the point of forgetting to sleep. I wrote dozens of pages every day. Sometimes I tried to rest, only to open my eyes wide and open my laptop to unload new literary ideas.
My relationship with AI (and GPT as a therapist)
For about a year now, ever since I started using GPT, I’ve received various criticisms about my mentions of AI. They are varied: some question the way I use it to bring my imagination to life in my illustrations; others comment on the “psychological” feedback from GPT that I quote; and still others question its role as a proofreader. The topic is timely, so I thought I would clarify a few of these points.
Journey #1: The Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
My diagnostic journey began at 21. Well, technically, I saw a psychologist when I was 6. After only a few sessions studying me, she concluded that nothing could be done with me and the follow-up stopped. Stellar professional work, you might say (sarcasm). I still remember refusing to follow her instructions because they seemed absurd to me. At 16 and a half, I gradually developed grandiose ideas, I chained projects together, I drew, I wrote, my grades dropped. That turned out to be my first manic episode, sprinkled with a touch of psychosis. It was also the beginning of a long epic.