I felt for you so much. This is why I don't go on holidays anymore. Everything about booking & traveling is so stressful; not to mention trying to do touristy things when you've got really band social anxiety & situational mutism, as well Autism & ADHD.
If I’d had to book things and plan everything and get around alone, there’s absolutely no way I would have managed it! Even the fun touristy things that I really enjoyed took SO much effort and we’re super overwhelming, still totally worth it, but it’s all just so much to deal with!
Yes, travelling cannot be done unless under the umbrella and care of other(s). General (including social) anxiety, situational mutism, then, for not having a psych to diagnose me, it seems like either add or central audio processinng disorder (it feels like the secoond, yet kinda like the first). Dana 💞 is going to have such an expanded life experience after this wonderful trip.
I travel regularly internationally, about 2x per year because I love trekking around the world and am retired. I love the destination once settled, but there and back remains a nightmare. I don't judge myself on whether its perfect but in terms of how much I can limit disasters. If there was a world worst traveller series I could take up an episode. At least my luggage gets lighter as I lose things. Ironically, travelling alone is easier for me, but this is only because I don't destroy anyones trip except mine.
Go you!!! Hope you enjoy the actual trip overall, despite the travelling crap. Ive left my home country once, never again, the stress of going through airport security and worrying I'm gonna miss the flight and get stuck somewhere is not my jam.
I’m pretty near the end of it now, and have had the BEST time, but am totally dreading the return flight 😩 I definitely would never manage it if I didn’t have my friend taking on all the logistics 😅
I loved the video. Thank you. Airports can make autistic people feel very vulnerable and can potentially be traumatic. I’m so glad that you could travel with someone you could rely on. I can cope on airports so when I got to travel with my autistic friend I was the one who he relied upon, and being his support during that time was truly fulfilling. I’m sure your friend felt the same.
Hey, Dana, I've done this too, but on smaller scale, I live in Australia, Adelaide, and my support worker took me across town on the train, to my local port (pt. Adelaide and Semaphore) and I found the navigation strange the first time; but as an Autistic person, a tip, do a trial run for the airport part of it, just to go there, and ask the staff about how to go about the navigation to where your future flight will depart; simple, short, and not so sensory loaded, plus if you go there for coffee, and take a camera, and photograph the surrounds, or innards of the stations, etc. it takes your mind off the stress, and give you the confidence to go out of your comfort zone a little further. ( also the coffee at the destination gives you a reward for doing it!).
soo relatable. i was just abroad with my partner and your airport experience is super nostalgic and i felt for you. im so grateful to you for vlogging like this! i know it can be a weird experience to see yourself but i just want to stress how important it is for humankind to have access to see what is autism for people who are more like us. Its hard and people dont understand because of the lack of representation! i strongly believe that we have to be the representation. so from one autistic girl to another ( my asessment is in 4 days!) im so proud of you for figuring out how to film and edit. and for creating this community. Thank Dana!- audhdwomanwaits x
I love looking out of airplane windows at everything small down below. Cities at night are awesome. I like clouds in the daytime. I take photos from planes when I fly. I hate going through security because I move a little too slowly and people get impatient with me.
It’s so amazing to see, I especially love thinking about how recently in human history it’s even been possible to see everything from so high up 😅 Im terrified of being too slow and having people get impatient so I really rush myself and get more stressed than I probably need to, but the alternative of being rushed by others is much more stressful!
I guess. I'm weird I traveled to central America and wandered around for 2 weeks. It was less stressful than being in my home country. The most stressful part of the trip was the getting on and off the planes and dealing with customs and making the flights
ONE TIP, have you ever heard of the "sunflower Lanyard"? it was created for just this circumstance, to aid hidden disability travellers, to identify (subtly) that you may need help, so the trained staff of railway/airports can assist in managing your anxieties, to make the trip more enjoyable.
You’re a rock star. I could never. And if I did *actually* make it to some foreign country I’d just cancel my return trip and be like “welp, I guess I just fkn live here now.” I’m proud of you. Dissociating or not you’re getting through the really hard bits and I hope the fun bits make it all worth it! Tell your friend I really like their Ditto sweater :3
Thank you 😭 If I didn’t have my cat Otis back home, I wouldn’t honestly be trying to live here just to avoid the flight back 😂 I joke, but I am absolutely dreading it lol
You GOT THIS! And once you’re home you can take as much time as you need to recover and be surrounded by the things that make you feel happy, safe and comforted. I’m sure Otis will be stoked to have you back, too! Kitty purrs can heal the soul 🩵
I remember the last time I flew to the US. I arrived in LAX airport at the same time as 10 other flights and it took just 2 hours to get from the plane to customs checks I kid you not. 2 hours standing a slow moving queue. Luckily my connecting flight wasn't for another 5 hours. It is even worse when you get to the customs agent and they take your picture and fingerprints and ask you awkward questions. I don't know why one agent asked me about my education but he wasn't happy about my answers and I got lead off into a holding area and I started panicking thinking are they going to deport me send me straight back home kind of thing. They did eventually let me go on my way though. I just think one of the TSA agents was having a power trip showing me who was boss kind of thing. Never had the guts to ask why they wanted to know about my education I just wanted to get out of there. I remember the man asking me why I was wearing a coat so I took it off and then he snapped at me why you take your coat off I said you told me to no I didn't kind of conversation. I just shut down at that point and just said okay. Sorry I am rambling will stop there. I just hate the American airport customs people, they think they are gods.
I’m so glad it’s not just me! Even with things like this trip, I feel like I look super independent, but am in fact entirely dependant on my friend for all the planning and logistics and organising 😅
I really hate travelling! Love seeing new places, but hate the travelling to get there & back. Sometimes it's so stressful coming back, I need another holiday to get over it!!
Good job!! 😊 I totally relate to dissociating most of the time. The planning, the separation from my things, the overwhelm... My parents live in another country so I'm kind "used" to that trip (even though it is exhausting) but a trip somewhere else is hell. I really want to go to japan this summer to meet a friend and I'm so anxious about it. This video really helped me realize i can do it, even if it's hard! Thank you! 😊
This was so good to watch, I felt so silly once turning up at the airport and realising I have Swiss arm knife on my key ring. Why didn’t I even consider this. I know what you mean about being searched, you feel like they are going to find something incriminating in your luggage even though you follow the law all the time. Also I’m so pleased there isn’t a sign saying to take all your clothes off because I would probably take that literally 😂 . It’s bad enough taking shoes off, belts etc and you feel rushed and stressed putting it all back on again. I always avoid the London Underground because it’s so noisy, stressful and I feel like I’m staring at everyone from feeling odd about the experience. Glad you had a great holiday otherwise.
I would love to travel, but the actual traveling part is just too much 🙃 Only times I've been on a plane for holidays is as a kid when my mum could just handle everything, I wouldn't be able to do it alone. Airports seam like they would be hell for someone whos AuDHD with PDA 😩. Well done for getting through it and you can do it for the journey back 💪
The whole "can't focus or process my surroundings" hit so close to home. I travel a lot and I'm surprisingly good with it, but the grocery store is so confusing and anxiety inducing.
If using a wheelchair got you that many perks maybe people would be faking needing it. But as a part time wheelchair user it does usually make everything take a lot longer and the few advantages you get aren't worth the disadvantages. I can't walk long distances so I do use my wheelchair in the airport. Once they pulled my chair to the side and specially scanned it for quite a while. That was nerve-wracking. Plus it is hard to explain that I can walk onto the plane. Once or twice they wanted to carry me on which freaked me out because I don't want them touching me.
My friend has to be super assertive about the accessibility they need to not end up using all sorts of uncomfortable devices, and often it’s really difficult to even get the information they need to be able to explain the accessibility they need, like people will ask ‘do you need help getting onto the plane’ and they have to ask multiple different questions to find out if there’s steps or a flat space, to be able to give a reply of what help they’ll need 😩 Even as someone just stood off to the side witnessing it, it’s exhausting, 100% not worth the occasional tiny ‘perks’, which are usually just people trying to make up for how crappy their accessible is anyway
I was stressing out watching this video. Don't think I would ever fly to the US, what with the TSA and all. Genuinely congrats on getting through it all
Not that I want to scare you but I am going through a stressful time with Universal Credit and the DWP. They have put a payment block on this month's payment because of the little savings I have. Not getting any money until I give them 4 months worth of bank statements and proof of my savings. My stress levels are through the roof right now you can imagine. Already missed 5 direct debit payments in my bank account because I didn't know this was going to happen until it was too late. How nice of the DWP to tell me, no, I had to chase them up about it. And because of the long holiday weekend I can't do anything until Tuesday at the earliest. I got no idea how I am going to pay for all the printing at the library. I am so pissed off right now.
welcome to the United States Dana! Question, I see that you have a Sunflower lanyard. D id it help? I am traveling from the US to Rome Italy this summer. Should I use a sunflower lanyard?
It definitely helped in England and Ireland, LAX was just grabbing the luggage and leaving, so didn’t matter either way. I would definitely wear it on the off chance it helps, but from my understanding it’s predominately only in the UK currently that it’s being actually talked about during training and the like, I think most other countries are less aware of it, but probably still worth doing!
Hey curious and you can ignore this if it's weird but are you part Danish? Anderson sounds a bit Danish to me amd and you mentioned living in Denmark? Hello from a British/German autistic. This sounds weird doesn't it lol
“So we work out to make almost an entire person” 😂 Love the Ditto sweater!
So proud of you Dana. Love your friend's Ditto sweater. (Yes, I'm American.)
I felt for you so much. This is why I don't go on holidays anymore. Everything about booking & traveling is so stressful; not to mention trying to do touristy things when you've got really band social anxiety & situational mutism, as well Autism & ADHD.
If I’d had to book things and plan everything and get around alone, there’s absolutely no way I would have managed it! Even the fun touristy things that I really enjoyed took SO much effort and we’re super overwhelming, still totally worth it, but it’s all just so much to deal with!
Yes, travelling cannot be done unless under the umbrella and care of other(s).
General (including social) anxiety, situational mutism, then, for not having a psych to diagnose me, it seems like either add or central audio processinng disorder (it feels like the secoond, yet kinda like the first).
Dana 💞 is going to have such an expanded life experience after this wonderful trip.
@@DanaAndersen Thanks for that.
We shouldn't be too hard on ourselves, I think, but you're a success confessing👍the real facts !
Airports are indeed complicated buildings
I travel regularly internationally, about 2x per year because I love trekking around the world and am retired. I love the destination once settled, but there and back remains a nightmare. I don't judge myself on whether its perfect but in terms of how much I can limit disasters. If there was a world worst traveller series I could take up an episode. At least my luggage gets lighter as I lose things. Ironically, travelling alone is easier for me, but this is only because I don't destroy anyones trip except mine.
Go you!!! Hope you enjoy the actual trip overall, despite the travelling crap. Ive left my home country once, never again, the stress of going through airport security and worrying I'm gonna miss the flight and get stuck somewhere is not my jam.
I’m pretty near the end of it now, and have had the BEST time, but am totally dreading the return flight 😩 I definitely would never manage it if I didn’t have my friend taking on all the logistics 😅
I loved the video. Thank you.
Airports can make autistic people feel very vulnerable and can potentially be traumatic. I’m so glad that you could travel with someone you could rely on. I can cope on airports so when I got to travel with my autistic friend I was the one who he relied upon, and being his support during that time was truly fulfilling. I’m sure your friend felt the same.
Hey, Dana, I've done this too, but on smaller scale, I live in Australia, Adelaide, and my support worker took me across town on the train, to my local port (pt. Adelaide and Semaphore) and I found the navigation strange the first time; but as an Autistic person, a tip, do a trial run for the airport part of it, just to go there, and ask the staff about how to go about the navigation to where your future flight will depart; simple, short, and not so sensory loaded, plus if you go there for coffee, and take a camera, and photograph the surrounds, or innards of the stations, etc. it takes your mind off the stress, and give you the confidence to go out of your comfort zone a little further. ( also the coffee at the destination gives you a reward for doing it!).
soo relatable. i was just abroad with my partner and your airport experience is super nostalgic and i felt for you. im so grateful to you for vlogging like this! i know it can be a weird experience to see yourself but i just want to stress how important it is for humankind to have access to see what is autism for people who are more like us. Its hard and people dont understand because of the lack of representation! i strongly believe that we have to be the representation. so from one autistic girl to another ( my asessment is in 4 days!) im so proud of you for figuring out how to film and edit. and for creating this community. Thank Dana!- audhdwomanwaits x
I feel stressed just watching this! Airports are seriously the worst. Honestly well done getting though it.
I love looking out of airplane windows at everything small down below. Cities at night are awesome. I like clouds in the daytime. I take photos from planes when I fly. I hate going through security because I move a little too slowly and people get impatient with me.
It’s so amazing to see, I especially love thinking about how recently in human history it’s even been possible to see everything from so high up 😅
Im terrified of being too slow and having people get impatient so I really rush myself and get more stressed than I probably need to, but the alternative of being rushed by others is much more stressful!
I guess. I'm weird I traveled to central America and wandered around for 2 weeks. It was less stressful than being in my home country. The most stressful part of the trip was the getting on and off the planes and dealing with customs and making the flights
I’m with you on this! Parts of this trip have been pretty stressful, but it’s still the planes that are the worst 😅
ONE TIP, have you ever heard of the "sunflower Lanyard"? it was created for just this circumstance, to aid hidden disability travellers, to identify (subtly) that you may need help, so the trained staff of railway/airports can assist in managing your anxieties, to make the trip more enjoyable.
I’m wearing one for the majority of the video 😅
You’re a rock star. I could never. And if I did *actually* make it to some foreign country I’d just cancel my return trip and be like “welp, I guess I just fkn live here now.” I’m proud of you. Dissociating or not you’re getting through the really hard bits and I hope the fun bits make it all worth it! Tell your friend I really like their Ditto sweater :3
Thank you 😭 If I didn’t have my cat Otis back home, I wouldn’t honestly be trying to live here just to avoid the flight back 😂 I joke, but I am absolutely dreading it lol
You GOT THIS! And once you’re home you can take as much time as you need to recover and be surrounded by the things that make you feel happy, safe and comforted. I’m sure Otis will be stoked to have you back, too! Kitty purrs can heal the soul 🩵
I remember the last time I flew to the US. I arrived in LAX airport at the same time as 10 other flights and it took just 2 hours to get from the plane to customs checks I kid you not. 2 hours standing a slow moving queue. Luckily my connecting flight wasn't for another 5 hours. It is even worse when you get to the customs agent and they take your picture and fingerprints and ask you awkward questions. I don't know why one agent asked me about my education but he wasn't happy about my answers and I got lead off into a holding area and I started panicking thinking are they going to deport me send me straight back home kind of thing. They did eventually let me go on my way though. I just think one of the TSA agents was having a power trip showing me who was boss kind of thing. Never had the guts to ask why they wanted to know about my education I just wanted to get out of there. I remember the man asking me why I was wearing a coat so I took it off and then he snapped at me why you take your coat off I said you told me to no I didn't kind of conversation. I just shut down at that point and just said okay. Sorry I am rambling will stop there. I just hate the American airport customs people, they think they are gods.
i really relate to your feelings, attitudes here dear 💞 Dana
i'm not very independent in the world either at all
I’m so glad it’s not just me! Even with things like this trip, I feel like I look super independent, but am in fact entirely dependant on my friend for all the planning and logistics and organising 😅
@@DanaAndersen 🧡
I love so much that you're getting to do this!!! I am feeling vicarious joy. Have fun!
That’s so sweet 😭🥰 I am having possibly the most fun I’ve ever had!!
I really hate travelling! Love seeing new places, but hate the travelling to get there & back. Sometimes it's so stressful coming back, I need another holiday to get over it!!
Good job!! 😊 I totally relate to dissociating most of the time. The planning, the separation from my things, the overwhelm... My parents live in another country so I'm kind "used" to that trip (even though it is exhausting) but a trip somewhere else is hell. I really want to go to japan this summer to meet a friend and I'm so anxious about it. This video really helped me realize i can do it, even if it's hard! Thank you! 😊
Trippy and beautiful. Vision made me think of Poor Things film. really awesome. ❤
Happy Autism Awareness Month! Dana.👍
This was so good to watch, I felt so silly once turning up at the airport and realising I have Swiss arm knife on my key ring. Why didn’t I even consider this. I know what you mean about being searched, you feel like they are going to find something incriminating in your luggage even though you follow the law all the time. Also I’m so pleased there isn’t a sign saying to take all your clothes off because I would probably take that literally 😂 . It’s bad enough taking shoes off, belts etc and you feel rushed and stressed putting it all back on again. I always avoid the London Underground because it’s so noisy, stressful and I feel like I’m staring at everyone from feeling odd about the experience. Glad you had a great holiday otherwise.
I think also the inventor for noise cancelling earphones should have an obe. They are so good for travelling.
I would love to travel, but the actual traveling part is just too much 🙃 Only times I've been on a plane for holidays is as a kid when my mum could just handle everything, I wouldn't be able to do it alone. Airports seam like they would be hell for someone whos AuDHD with PDA 😩. Well done for getting through it and you can do it for the journey back 💪
Great video!😁
The whole "can't focus or process my surroundings" hit so close to home. I travel a lot and I'm surprisingly good with it, but the grocery store is so confusing and anxiety inducing.
This is great, can't wait for more stories
If using a wheelchair got you that many perks maybe people would be faking needing it. But as a part time wheelchair user it does usually make everything take a lot longer and the few advantages you get aren't worth the disadvantages. I can't walk long distances so I do use my wheelchair in the airport. Once they pulled my chair to the side and specially scanned it for quite a while. That was nerve-wracking. Plus it is hard to explain that I can walk onto the plane. Once or twice they wanted to carry me on which freaked me out because I don't want them touching me.
My friend has to be super assertive about the accessibility they need to not end up using all sorts of uncomfortable devices, and often it’s really difficult to even get the information they need to be able to explain the accessibility they need, like people will ask ‘do you need help getting onto the plane’ and they have to ask multiple different questions to find out if there’s steps or a flat space, to be able to give a reply of what help they’ll need 😩 Even as someone just stood off to the side witnessing it, it’s exhausting, 100% not worth the occasional tiny ‘perks’, which are usually just people trying to make up for how crappy their accessible is anyway
@@DanaAndersen Definitely!
the airport looks so complex... i would get lost for sure 🥶
I was stressing out watching this video. Don't think I would ever fly to the US, what with the TSA and all. Genuinely congrats on getting through it all
oh yeah they pulled me over for special inspection a few times, because they thought i was hiding something
Not that I want to scare you but I am going through a stressful time with Universal Credit and the DWP. They have put a payment block on this month's payment because of the little savings I have. Not getting any money until I give them 4 months worth of bank statements and proof of my savings. My stress levels are through the roof right now you can imagine. Already missed 5 direct debit payments in my bank account because I didn't know this was going to happen until it was too late. How nice of the DWP to tell me, no, I had to chase them up about it. And because of the long holiday weekend I can't do anything until Tuesday at the earliest. I got no idea how I am going to pay for all the printing at the library. I am so pissed off right now.
welcome to the United States Dana! Question, I see that you have a Sunflower lanyard. D id it help? I am traveling from the US to Rome Italy this summer. Should I use a sunflower lanyard?
you should wear your lanyard for sure. it may help people to help you access supports or accessibility features
It definitely helped in England and Ireland, LAX was just grabbing the luggage and leaving, so didn’t matter either way.
I would definitely wear it on the off chance it helps, but from my understanding it’s predominately only in the UK currently that it’s being actually talked about during training and the like, I think most other countries are less aware of it, but probably still worth doing!
Hey curious and you can ignore this if it's weird but are you part Danish? Anderson sounds a bit Danish to me amd and you mentioned living in Denmark? Hello from a British/German autistic. This sounds weird doesn't it lol