Do You Use Sign Language for Nonverbal Episodes?

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I've recently developed an interest in ASL (American sign language) and have been teaching myself via the internet. During my studies, I came across several sites which discussed the benefits of learning ASL for people on the spectrum, and one site which even taught a few basic phrases an autistic person might need, and could teach those close to them to recognise during nonverbal episodes, such as "I need to leave", "I need quiet," etc. I usually talk out loud to myself all day long (though I whisper and mouth things when I'm around other people so they don't think I'm crazy), and in an effort to practise more, I've started signing to myself instead of talking. I've discovered that I love the feeling of being able to express myself without needing to open my mouth; it feels safer somehow, like my verbal silence is a protective barrier, but my hands can still communicate what I want to say. Do any of you here use or prefer signing (ASL, BSL, SEE, etc.) as your primary method of communication? How does it work for you? My favourite sign so far is the one I learned for "autism" (apparently there have been a lot of different signs for autism over the years, so I just went with the one that didn't have the disclaimer that it was outdated and/or insulting (such as the old one which is essentially the sign for "narrow minded")). The way I learned it, "autism" is signed with the non-dominant hand making a C or cup shape against the chest, and the dominant hand sliding down into it, fingers first, with the back of the hand facing outwards, like a small animal diving into a hole.

I have an interest in ASL as well and also started teaching myself with free online ASL lessons. I think for me, personally, it would be a great option because it takes less energy to sign than to speak when I am overwhelmed and when I get selective mutism. The only problem is that I only know a couple of people who sign so no one in my inner circle would understand ASL. They would all have to learn it too. But I still want to learn it and eventually get fluent.

I don't because if I can't speak then I don't tend to be able to communicate in other ways apart from shaking/nodding my head or growling.

Hmmmm...

If a hearing person learned ASL I suppose that they could use it to say profanity. In theory you could vent without offending the hearing coworkers in your office (they cant hear you cussing, and even if they saw your gesticulations most wouldnt be able to read your gestures). But would that have the same emotional release as verbal cussing?

PewDiePie is a Swedish guy who speaks English as a second language, and does Youtube videos of himself playing video games. And he swears like crazy in English, but when he's really scared or frustrated he switches to swearing in Swedish. So I suspect a hearing person who learnt to swear in ASL would still swear in English when the emotion is particularly strong.

I have a keen interest in this too, and have been trying to teach myself as classes are stupidly expensive for some reason, but it is hard to make it fluent and coherent without a teacher / group. I have a speech disorder and I hate talking. Someone rather unkindly told me I talk like Jar Jar Binks. Signing feels much more natural.
My favourite sign so far has been the sign for "grass" for some reason. If love to be fluent in sign,both for me for autism reasons and I'd like to work within the deaf community, having a connection with someone with a severe hearing loss.

For me, communication problems would be communication problems. When I have trouble, I get lost on words and it starts a very negative feedback loop on me. Words get dropped, incoming information is skewered and it becomes a jumble while I am trying to sort through things. So, I'm not sure it would matter what delivery method is used.

It depends how bad the episode is.

I have nonverbal episodes and non-communicative episodes. (My own terms.)

So, for some I can use BSL. Unfortunately almost no-one knows how to sign. My wife is now training to be a BSL interpreter though, so should be more useful soon.

I use sign language in everyday life, so yeah - I use it for non-verbal episodes, lol.

The Auslan sign for autism is the same as the sign used for 'puzzle'.
Dominant hand, palm facing side of head.
Wiggle fingers slightly as the hand moves in small circles.

Very interesting. Skibum and ConceptuallyCurious, I have the same problem in that, even if I did become fluent in sign, no one around me would understand it, so it would be largely useless. I suppose it could be used as a means of making it obvious that I can't speak at the moment, which may prompt someone to offer me a pen and paper. The only problem with this, and the reason I'm learning sign instead of relying on my text-to-speech apps on my phone, is because when I'm that panicked or agitated, I don't have the fine motor control necessary to type or write.

C2V, I have the same problem with ASL classes. I tried to take one at my university last summer, but because I had graduated, and was technically unenrolled, they wanted me to pay the enrollment fee again, which was over $2,000. Needless to say, I didn't have that kind of money to toss around, so I'm opting for the self-taught method until I can find a better alternative.

NaturalPlastic and Ettina, I think the whole being able to swear in ASL thing around people you don't want to hear you swearing is actually a good idea. I've been signing unpleasant things to myself about co-workers I don't like when they get particularly irritating, and I like being able to vent without their having any idea that I'm even saying anything.

Zkydz and Tetris, I have the same problem when I run into communication problems, during meltdowns, panic attacks, or just plain overwhelm. I get stuck on certain words, and can't make my mouth form the sentences I want, so I basically sound like someone with a severe stutter, or a totally mute person reduced to making a lot of nonsensical noise. I'm really hoping my hands don't give out on me during such episodes the way my mouth does, otherwise my learning ASL would largely be an exercise in futility.

Raleigh, that's very interesting, I've not come across that sign variation before. Do you have hearing problems, or can you just not speak? Is it hard getting people to understand you?

Sign language is an expressive language.
If a deaf person is pissed off, you're gonna know they're pissed off!
The expression put into the gestulations would give away their meaning.

@ StarTrekker
I'm hearing impaired and have trouble with speech.
I know a lot of deaf people and interpreters so I'm lucky in that I'm not short of people to sign with.

Has anyone had the ability to use sign language during a nonverbal episode? It might be helpful if one has to deal with a paramedic or police officer (hopefully at least some of them sign). I know the signs for hurt, doctor, and hospital, but I don't know any others.

I keep several note files in my iPhone with explanations of my autism, meltdowns, shutdowns, and emergency contacts. My iPhone unlocks with a finger scan so i don't have to remember the password, and then all I need to do is open the note files.

It's awesome you thought of that too. I'm hoping to go back to university for paramedics soon, and thought of this in the same principle as the usefulness of learning basic job-related phrases in the languages common to the area - it's ok, and we are paramedics, we're going to help you, etc. Just learning those things in the first language of people you may encounter who may be hurt or scared would mean a lot. You couldn't give less for the deaf / hearing impaired or nonverbal crowd, including autistics.

My wife now knows just enough sign language to use it. When I was younger I went to a school with a deaf unit, so I could use it there. It does help.

I've never used it with a paramedic or police officer, however. I very much doubt many sign. My area has a verified autism card scheme (you send them a copy of your dx and they send you a card) with explanations for emergency situations.

I do not use any kind of sign language, but has always been an interest of mine to learn- but with severe dyspraxia, I need someone to directly teach me.