Kaelynn Partlow had her time in the spotlight as one of the subjects on season one of Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, a reality dating show that follows people with autism on their search for love and romance. After the first season, she ultimately did not return to the series, but continues her work as a behavior technician, therapist, and autism advocate. She helps educate her nearly one million followers about the challenges and struggles of living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Occasionally, however, she also gets to talk about the lighter side of things. Partlow says she’s grateful for her ‘autistic joy’ Living with autism isn’t easy. It’s a spectrum, and the symptoms are wide and varied. In general, people with ASD have difficulty with interpersonal interactions and reading social cues. They can also struggle with overstimulation and sensory issues, have trouble with executive functioning like planning or finishing tasks, and can suffer from deep burnout from trying to mask their condition from neurotypical folks. ASD is considered a disability, but, because of how a brain with autism works, it also comes with a few strengths. The most discussed ASD positives are that people with autism have exceptional memory and recall, brilliant pattern recognition, and a refreshing sense of honesty and straightforwardness. But there are other, less publicized silver linings, too. In a recent Instagram Reel, Partlow writes, “Sometimes… maybe even most times, autism SUCKS, but, the capacity for immense joy should not be overlooked.” The video montage shows her gleefully running and skipping, playfully hopping up and down, eating snow, spinning in circles, and physically expressing her happiness in no uncertain terms. “Autistic joy is NOT ‘cringe,'” the caption reads. View this post on Instagram What autistic joy may feel like Some limited research shows autistic joy is real and powerful in some people. Along with their difficulties, many people on the spectrum can also possess an incredible capacity for feelings of overwhelming happiness. It’s not something usually associated with the mainstream understanding of autism. However, the people who participated in a recent research study published in Disability & Society describe it vividly, noting it can be triggered by engaging in special interests, being in the right environment, or even specific music: “I have kinaesthetic synaesthesia and feel the music move through my entire body and my entire being shift its internal rhythm to that of the music,” said one. “Driving in my car along clear roads listening to music and getting goosebumps – The feeling of being free and totally detached from the world,” said another. “I’m obsessed with music, love for every note in the song is combined with the movement in my body, I can hear every single instrument separately and together in my head,” another added. The research is limited, but the anecdotal evidence is hard to ignore. It’s not only from Partlow, either. Prominent figures in the autism community have expressed the same. Emily Katy, a bestselling author with autism and ADHD, wrote that, to her, autistic joy feels like, “being flooded with warmth, like sparks travelling through your body, your surroundings melting away and the joy being all you can focus on, being completely consumed by the feeling of joy, like every part of your body is tingling, needing to move and stim to release the feeling.” She added that it can often be overwhelming or exhausting. Complex reaction reveals the stigma people with autism face Partlow’s video received hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of comments across platforms. Many people with ASD were thrilled to finally discuss the intense happiness they often feel: “Having autism has been hard but when I’m happy, the intensity of the happiness makes it all worth it. It’s a euphoria that just explodes out of your body,” one commenter wrote. “I have autism, I definitely get this. One time at the beach, I was standing in the ocean and as the waves were crashing into me, it started to rain. I love the feeling of water, so the combination of the waves and raindrops just sent me into a whirlwind of euphoria,” another added on Facebook. But as the post spread far and wide, plenty of people chimed in to call Partlow’s behavior in the video performative, fake, or even annoying. “Well kinda yeah it is it’s completely inappropriate for a public setting,” one commenter noted of her jumping and skipping around with enthusiasm. View this post on Instagram Autism is an incredibly wide spectrum, and no two people will experience joy or any other emotion in the same way. But deep, full-body euphoria is a real phenomenon for many people like Partlow. Interestingly, the research study noted that autism itself doesn’t inhibit joy nearly as much as masking, “toning it down,” or struggling to be accepted in neurotypical spaces does. Partlow makes the point perfectly in her video: there’s a lot that’s challenging about living with autism, but we shouldn’t forget that, quite often, the only thing standing in the way of someone with ASD being overwhelmingly happy is the pressure to express it in a way that everyone else finds acceptable. For her part, she refuses to tone it down, whether people find it “cringe” or not. The post ‘Love on the Spectrum’ star reveals secret benefit of her neurodivergence: Autistic joy appeared first on Upworthy.