Why Halloween Is Never Over at My Autistic House 🎃✨

In my house, Halloween isn’t a single day, it’s a lifestyle! Costumes, wigs, glitter, and props are everywhere, like confetti after a parade. For my autistic family, dressing up isn’t just play, it’s a full on experience that helps us connect to who we are and even heal old wounds.

Autistic people are often labeled as boring or unimaginative. Let me tell you something: that’s horse shit! The truth is, many of us dive deep into imaginative worlds and thrive on bringing them to life.

Take my autistic five-year-old, for example. He’s been obsessed (aka his "special interest") with Ghostbusters for years. He wears his Ghostbusters costume every single day. We’ve bought multiple versions to keep up with his passion, and together, we’ve built proton packs and gadgets as part of his art expression. Watching him immerse himself in his love for Ghostbusters isn’t just adorable, it’s inspiring. It reminds me to honor my own special interests and embrace the parts of myself that feel most alive when I dress up.

🎭 Costumes as Parts Work and Healing 🌈

Costumes in my house aren’t just about fun, they’re about healing. As a psychologist, I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy with my clients to help them reconnect with their inner parts and process deep trauma. For me, dressing up takes this even further.

Here’s why:

• Costumes allow me to embody different parts of who I am. Whether it’s a glittery fairy queen, a villain, or super hero, I get to express emotions and desires I might otherwise suppress.

• Dressing up creates a safe, immersive space for those inner parts to come alive.

• It’s not just mental, it’s tactile, sensory, and real. That dress, those props, that cape, they all make the emotions feel more present and give those parts of me the spotlight they deserve.

In therapy, I ask for "parts work" because it helps me unmask and reconnect to my core self. Costumes take that to another level. For autistic individuals, who often feel emotions and experiences more intensely, this kind of full-body immersion is nothing short of transformative.

🎉 Why Costumes = Freedom 🦸‍♀️

Growing up, I was the “people-pleaser” type of autistic person. I desperately wanted to fit in and avoid judgment. My mom, who we now believe was autistic (though she was diagnosed schizophrenic), was the opposite of me. She would prance around unapologetically in costumes and wigs.

As a child, I was mortified. Why couldn’t she just be “normal”?

But now, as an adult, I see her for who she really was: brave, unapologetic, and free. She used to tell me:

“Don’t let them take that away from you.”

It’s taken years, but I finally understand. Unmasking is an everyday struggle, but it’s also liberating. Costumes give me the freedom to express my true self. They’re my way of unmasking in a way that feels safe, playful, and empowering.

So if you want to wear glitter to the grocery store or sport a princess dress to the dentist, no matter what age, FUCKING DO IT!  Give yourself permission to wear the costume, but take off that nasty neurotypical mask.

💖 The Psychological Power of Costumes 🪞

Why are costumes so powerful? There’s a psychological magic behind them, especially for autistic individuals. Here’s what happens when we step into a character with all its props, clothing, and setting:

• We don’t just act; we become.

• This full-body experience heightens emotional engagement, helping us process feelings more deeply.

• For autistic individuals, who often experience the world in an intense, sensory way, this immersion can feel profound.

Costumes also provide a buffer between us and societal expectations. When I’m dressed as a glittery space traveler or a tiara-wearing queen, I’m not bound by anyone’s rules, I’m free. And that freedom isn’t escapism, it’s authenticity.

🚫 Let’s Stop Judging Joy 🌟

Here’s the thing: society has a bad habit of bullying people for stepping outside the norm. The autistic kids I work with are relentlessly teased for their unique passions. And as an adult who loves glitter and costumes, I still face judgment too.

But let me say this loud and clear:
Joy isn’t meant to be confined by someone else’s idea of “appropriate.”

If wearing a Ghostbusters jumpsuit or a tiara makes you happy, wear it. The world needs more unfiltered joy, and costumes are one way to reclaim it.

🕊️ Carrying the Torch of Unapologetic Living 🕊️

Now, I see my mom’s costume prancing for what it really was: courage. She gave herself permission to exist in a world that wanted her to shrink. And that’s the kind of unapologetic authenticity I want to model for my son and my clients.

We’re often told that autistic people lack imagination, but our creativity runs deep. It’s just that the world doesn’t always recognize it. Well, you know what? They can fuck off.

In my house, Halloween is never over. It’s a celebration of creativity, healing, and freedom. So go ahead:

• Wear the costume.

• Build the props.

• Embrace the parts of yourself that society doesn’t understand.

And most importantly, remember:

Don’t let them take that away from you. 💖

What have you let them take away from you that you are now reclaiming? What costumes do you like to wear??