Youth Hub Team
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Shutdown
A shutdown is an involuntary response to overwhelming stress, sensory input, or demands. Unlike a meltdown, which is outward and intense, a shutdown is inward: a person may go quiet, stop moving, or find it hard to speak or act. Shutdowns are protective — the brain and body conserve energy when everything feels “too much.”
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Burnout
Autistic burnout is a state of intense physical, emotional, and cognitive exhaustion that can occur after prolonged periods of masking, sensory overload, or navigating environments that are not designed for an individual’s needs. It can manifest as reduced speech, difficulties with executive function (such as struggling to initiate tasks, plan, or make decisions), increased sensory
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Stimming
Stimming, short for self-stimulatory behavior, refers to repetitive actions that help regulate emotions, focus, and sensory input. Common stims include hand-flapping, rocking, tapping, humming, echolalia, or playing with textures. Stimming can express joy, manage overwhelm, or create a steady rhythm in a busy environment. It is a natural part of many autistic individuals’ lives and
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Meltdown
A meltdown is an intense, involuntary response to overwhelming stress or sensory input. It is not a choice, tantrum, or form of bad behavior. During a meltdown, a person may cry, yell, pace, engage in repetitive behaviors (often called stimming), or temporarily struggle to process language. Meltdowns serve as the body’s emergency signal, and support
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Special Interest
A special interest is a deep, focused passion that many autistic people have for a subject, activity, or hobby. It often brings joy, comfort, and a sense of identity. Special interests can lead to expert knowledge, creativity, and even careers. They are not “obsessions” or “fixations” — they are meaningful and valuable parts of autistic
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Gender Dysphoria
Gender Dysphoria, as described by the NHS, refers to a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense that it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily
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Genderqueer
Genderqueer is a term for people who “queer” their gender in some way. Genderqueer people fall outside cisgender norms, i.e., through being non-binary, gender non-conforming, or transgender. It is especially used in the specifically non-binary sense, referencing gender identity which is neither male nor female, is a combination of the two binary genders, or is
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Homophobia
Homophobia refers to harmful actions and/or attitudes towards gay or otherwise queer people. This can be further defined as a fear, hatred, or discomfort toward gay people. Homophobia is illegal in the UK, that is to say that acts of prejudice and discrimination based on a person’s sexuality are an offence. It is known that
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Orientation
This may be short for sexual and/or romantic orientation. A sexual orientation (or someone’s ‘sexuality’) refers to a person’s sexual attractions (or lack thereof) toward other people. It is not defined by sexual activity, which can be independent of a person’s orientation. Examples of sexual orientation can include: pansexual, heterosexual, asexual, etc. Someone’s romantic orientation
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Pronouns
Pronouns are words that can substitute for a noun. Personal pronouns are used to refer to a person when their name is not used. Pronouns are words we use in everyday language to refer to ourselves or others. They can be an important way to express gender identity. ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘she/her’, ‘he/him’ and ‘they/them’ are