Cass Cosens
All April, we will be discussing the neurodivergent experience to spread awareness and educate those who are uninformed. We encourage everyone to read!
Autism, also referred to as Autism-Spectrum Disorder or ASD, is a lifelong developmental disability that causes deficits in social interaction and communication skills. Many autistic individuals may struggle with understanding social cues or reading facial expressions. Difficulties with sensory processing disorders, object permanence, anxiety, and depression are also common. Symptoms of ASD can look like: excessive worry or anxiety, performing repetitive behaviors, like fidgeting, to relieve anxiety or for entertainment, perfectionism, unusual sleeping or eating habits, becoming upset due to minor changes, echolalia, difficulty maintaining eye contact, over/under-reactions to senses, etc. The list of symptoms and behaviors of people with autism is extensive and thorough. Autism is highly heritable, but can also be developed due to trauma.
Many autistic people experience sensory overload, things like noise, smell, touch, and bright or discolored lights can be painful and aggravating or disruptive. These struggles can make it hard to complete tasks and get through the day. Many people with ASD go through emotional meltdowns or shutdowns. Both are responses to intense overstimulation and both are equally exhausting and they can last for hours. Meltdowns happen when the individual loses control, for example: lashing out physically or verbally. Meltdowns in young children can be misinterpreted as temper tantrums. A shutdown appears less visible and oftentimes goes unnoticed. In my episodes of shutting down, I feel extreme confusion or loss of direction due to my inability to complete a task. This is mostly due to overwhelming sensory issues. In most cases I’m not sure how to react or handle how I feel, so the only thing I can do is shut down. That makes me feel trapped. Although, my experience is one of many, so I cannot speak for all autistic people.
There are strengths as well as challenges, though. One of the most common strengths seen in ASD people is our attention to detail. Our brains are able to pick out small details quicker than a neurotypical person. And like neurotypical people, autistic people gain much pleasure from pursuing special interests or hobbies. This is fundamental to maintaining good mental health. Having the ability to focus on a heightened capacity can help them do well academically or in a job setting. It’s common to prioritize those interests over the other aspects of our lives. Many autistic people are able to lead independent and successful lives, while others may need more accommodations to help them thrive.
Society is not very nice to people with disabilities in general. The conflicts with being autistic in a world that was not structured to be accessible looks like hiding behaviors and mannerisms to blend in with neurotypical people and/or neglecting our needs. This is known as masking. And it’s exhausting. Masking can be seen as the cure to autism because it appears to the public that the ‘problem’ of neurodivergence is gone, but that is wrong. There is no cure. There are treatments that may help ASD individuals cope. Now, you may be asking what treatment for autism looks like, but that is not an easy answer because autism is not curable. Generally, treatment is used for the other disorders that can develop. Like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more.
I would like to conclude by saying that autism is not a tragedy and it is not something to be ashamed of. It is a different way that the brain functions. There are many misconceptions and history to autism that can be really difficult to find or acknowledge, especially when there are so many websites and organizations that promote negative attitudes towards the ASD community, as well as the eradication of autism as if it is a disease. If you would like to learn more about Autism, I’ve listed below the resources I used. I suggest seeking out sources by autistic people for accurate research. Hearing or reading about autism will help expand understanding of the actual autistic and neurodivergent experience rather than promoting stereotypes and harmful mindsets.
Resources:
Autistic Voices:
TED Talk: What it’s really like to have autism by Ethan Lisi 2021
TED Talk: Autism As A Power Instead Of A Setback by Pranav Bakhshi 2021
TED Talk: The world needs all kinds of minds by Temple Grandin 2010
TED Talk: Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females by Emmy Peach 2022
TED Talk: Playing to Our Strengths: Neurodiversity & Education by Christy Hutton 2016
Other Informative Resources:
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