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INSIDE PERSPECTIVES of AS & Neurodiversity |
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AFFECTIVE CONDITIONS
PANIC, ANXIETY & PHOBIAS
Many on the Neurodiversity Spectrum suffer from panic attacks, anxiety and phobias of various kinds. Probably due to having a nervous system that is so receptive and finely tuned that it reacts as if it’s a matter of life and death to things which are not at all, or only mildly, stressful or frightening to the average person.
“My body was no longer in a state of hyperarousal. Before taking the drug, I had been in a constant state of psychological alertness, as if ready to flee from nonexistent predators. Many nonautistic people who are also depressed and anxious also have a nervous system that is biologically prepared for flight. Small stresses that are insignificant to most people trigger anxiety attacks.”
“Before I took Tofranil, my ‘engine’ was racing all the time, doing so many revolutions per minute that it was tearing itself up. Now my nervous system is running at 55 mph instead of 200 mph, as it used to. I still have nerve cycles, but they seem to go bewteeen 55 and 90 mph instead of 10 and 200 mph.”
- Temple Grandin, adult HFA from USA
Thinking in pictures may perhaps in itself be a feature that might add to anxiety and phobias by the vivid visualisation ability being so quick to conjure up unwanted images in one’s mind.
“Can it be that autistics have better visualisation ability, and if removing the necessity of it being reality-based, even better imagination? · Fear of thunder: sound sensitivity + hyperactive imagination = a vision of what may happen, even if highly unlikely. · Fear of crowds: light-, sound- & smell sensitivity + [physical discomfort being close to strangers] + lack of overview & manouvre space = stress + imagining what may happen = panic. · Fear of darkness: imagination may run wild and cause terror even if only about one’s own bedroom. · Claustophobia: physical discomfort + imagining one will never get out = panic. These phobias are not as common in non-autistics, probably because they are less prone to worry about things that haven’t happened and are unlikely to ever happen.”
- Micke, adult Aspie from Sweden
Anxiety and phobias should always be respected, since forcing a sensitive person into facing something frightening or stressful prematurely may cause trauma that could make them even more frightened.
To cure phobias, very good results have been reported by Cognitive Behaviuoral Therapy and Systematic Desensitization Therapy - if/when the person him/herself feels ready for it.
I used to have severe arachnophobia and couldn’t even see one on TV without having a strong reaction, but after I saw a TV program about desensitisation I started catching spiders and with two small plastic cups to throw them out instead of killing them. In this process my nervous system eventually got used to being close to them without going into red alert mode and now they don’t bother me much at all.
- Inger, site-author
There is also EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which is reported to cure even severe phobias in minutes - as well as anxiety, PTSD, addictions and many other emotional problems - by rebalancing the body’s acupuncture meridians in a specific way, and combining it with a little NLP for lasting results. Would probably be extra suitable for non-verbal autistics, but anyone with an emotional or other imbalance may be helped by it. It is very easy to learn and a free manual can be downloaded from the site. Just be aware that the mild tapping on specific points of the face and upper body can feel intrusive, stressful or even painful to a person with tactile hypersensitivity, so for that reason it may not be suitable for everyone. It is also easy to do on oneself.
For panic attacks I came across a technique called Panic Away. Unfortunately not free, and I haven’t tried it myself so I have no idea if it is as good as advertised. Thought I’d just mention it as another option to look into.
PHOBIa-MIMICKING PHYSICAL REACTIONS
Sometimes a child, non-verbal autistic and even an animal, will be misinterpreted as having anxiety or fear (= an emotional response) when they are only in physical pain, discomfort, dislike, or disgust. If a dog, child or autistic shows sings of stress, panic or has a meltdown, for example by a car ride or being around a vacuum cleaner, motorcycle, helicopter, boat engine etc., it is very likely the noise & vibration that is hurting its sensitive body and ears. If it refuses to enter certain vehicles, rooms, houses or other places, it may be the lighting, smell, colour, design, atmosphere or other feature that feels overwhelming/repulsive/uncomfortable/painful. This is perfectly healthy self-preservation against pain & discomfort.
Reminds me of a Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers cartoon where Fat Freddy’s cat is being taken along for a car ride and going bonkers in the back seat.
“Look, Freddy! The cat is scared, hehe”, says one of the brothers gleefully.
“Not scared, you idiot, I’m sick!”, thinks Fat Freddy’s cat, and promptly barfs in his lap...
DEPRESSION / DYSTHYMIA
Alarmingly many Aspies are or have been depressed. Having at one time or another been suicidal is more of a rule than an exception. Common reasons for depression in Aspies (listed in order of frequency among those I have asked):
· Feelings of hopelessness or frustration due to involuntary loneliness (lack of friends and/or partner) or inability to find a suitable job. (Most common reason.)
· Being misunderstood/mistreated/outcast by family and/or peers. Many may have developed PTSD or social phobia from having been more or less severely bullied or abused.
· Feelings of inadequacy due to lack of encouragement, being put down, or not having found a life situation where one's particular skills and personality traits are considered an asset.
· Emotional hypersensitivity. Innate tendency to take things personally that aren't meant to be, and being totally devastated when they are.
· Sensory hypersensitivity. Extreme stress due to noise, clutter, bustle, bright light, smells, ugly surroundings, pressure to hurry, perform or conform; for example at home, work or school.
· Chronic fatigue. Having gotten more responsibility than one is designed to handle (for some, just having children or an unsuitable job, may be way too much). Lack of sleep due to atypical sleeping patterns; malnutrition; chronic infections; toxic overload in the body; stress etc.
Other possible causes: |