COVID Conundrum: How to Navigate the Virus with Autism
"As a person with Autism, routine is paramount." -Guillermo Guzman
(Getty Images)
Texas — Well, after three years of running away from me, it finally got me. Either from an airplane ride or my visit to a restaurant, COVID-19 caught up with me. I awoke in a coughing fit, sweating profusely and stressing out on the night of Jan. 14. The next day, I went to the doctor to discover my malady only to return to find out that it was COVID. I got an excuse from work for a week and stayed in a room away from others at home.
The question then arises, how did I survive the isolation? Let me recount the tips I used that could help you as well!
Hobbies
What can one do when isolated at home, do what makes you happy!! For me, that was playing copious amounts of video games and building model kits. Currently, I have been playing through “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora,” “Destiny 2,” and of course, “Starfield.” It’s all about comfort and being kind to yourself so you don’t lose yourself in isolation.
TV shows and movies
God bless the creators of Discord because they made it so I can share the screen. This way, I could see some of my favorite shows with my girlfriend while still in isolation. Some of the shows and movies I saw were “The Bear,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” and a rewatch of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” Either way, it was watching new things that interest me, or comforting shows and movies that I remember watching. To reiterate point one, do what makes you happy, even while sick, it is still time for self-care.
Routine
As a person with Autism, routine is paramount. Waking up at decent times, getting food, etc. This is one of the things that kept me sane, while I tried to differentiate it sometimes, I still kept the rubric equal, give or take a few extensions. I didn’t have any work so it was the time to relax a bit, go to bed later, or things to that extent.
While being sick is an awful thing to experience, I hope these tips will give you some help if you ever feel the way I felt.
Guillermo Guzman (he/him/they) is a Texas-based nerd who loves talking about video games, autism, and entertainment. Follow him on Instagram: @boofy_booferson and X: @Dimpy_Tenders.
Edited by Nykeya Woods