let's read about Autism and the Highly Sensitive Person

hello beautiful people welcome back to my book club I'm kind of joking but not really I feel like you guys kind of understand the sarcastic humor of an autistic person on today's episode I will continue reading from the book Divergent Mind by Genera nirenberg of course I will leave a link to her book in the description box down below if you want to continue reading this book yourself on your own time today I will be concentrating on the segments of the book where she talks about HSP which is the highly sensitive person and also autism these are parts of the books that I found very significant because she does list some of the characteristics of these types of people and I thought that it was really helpful for me to read it but other than that sit back relax and enjoy me reading this book to you guys people described Elaine Aaron as a shy quiet introverted child who feared putting her face underwater while swimming she decided to study psychology partly in response to the dissonance she felt between her internal experience of the world and the way the world seemed to respond to her her studies and her interactions with her own clients helped her arrive at a framework for thinking about her particular makeup she was highly sensitive the defining characteristic of HSP is a depth of processing taking time to perceive and process external and internal input be it sound light feelings or new information and explanations Aaron found in her research that about 20 percent of the population is HSP to some degree that number is split evenly between men and women and 30 percent of hsps are extroverts her coining of the term highly sensitive person has helped thousands of other therapists researchers and lay people to better understand their own makeups and the makeups of those in their lives I don't remember the exact moment in college when I first found out about HSP but as long as I've known the term I knew I was highly sensitive over time I followed Aaron's work and we later became friends and colleagues in my interviews with her Aaron talked about how important it has been to keep the HSP idea and inquiry within the realm of Science and academic research over the years other writers have put forth similar sounding names and ideas but Aaron has been able to straddle the medical study of hsps via brain Imaging and maintain a clear narrative description of what the experience is like for people who identify as HSP having a sensitive nervous system is normal Aaron writes in the highly sensitive person it's a basically neutral trait in the book she details what the trait is how to figure out whether you possess it and ways to handle heightened sensitivity and over stimulation in a world that is often too fast too bright too loud and simply too much what seems ordinary to others like loud music or crowds can be highly stimulating and thus stressful for hsps Aaron acknowledges the challenge of being sensitive and some of the stigma that may be attached to the label but in her research she has found that when hsps try to mimic others and what they perceive as normal or expected of them such as tolerating bright lights and loud music they become exhausted burned out depressed or developed symptoms such as headaches and fatigue this is because what is moderately arousing for most people is highly arousing for hsps hsps tend to shut down faster than other people but as in the case of many other neurodivergencies the gifts of hsps are vast they tend to excel in Psychology writing art and music and as entrepreneurs because their nervous systems are more attuned to subtleties in the environment they excel in perception detecting nuances and understanding others in some of her recent studies Aaron has found that being more responsive to their environments may have served as a survival mechanism for hsps historically and today brain Imaging studies show that hsps process stimuli more elaborately and that some brain regions are more active in the integration of sensory information awareness and empathy other Studies by Aaron and colleagues indicate that hsps have a longer pause to check time that is they respond to new information by taking time to scan for nuanced details and thus take longer to reach conclusions or process information statements from Aaron's HSP questionnaire indicate some of the defining characteristics of HSP I am easily overwhelmed by strong sensory input I seem to be aware of subtleties in my environment other people's moods affect me I find myself needing to withdraw during busy days into bed or into a darkened room or any place where I can have some privacy and relief from stimulation I am particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine I am easily overwhelmed by things like Bright Lights strong smells coarse Fabrics or Sirens close by I have a rich complex in our life I am made uncomfortable by loud noises I am deeply moved by the Arts or music my nervous system sometimes feels so frazzled that I just have to go off by myself I am conscientious I startle easily I get rattled when I have a lot to do in a short amount of time when people are uncomfortable in a physical environment I tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable like changing the lighting or the seating I am annoyed when people try to get me to do too many things at once I try hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things I make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows I become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around me being very hungry creates a strong reaction in me disrupting my concentration or mood changes in my life shake me up I notice and enjoy delicate or fine sense tastes sounds works of art I find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once I make it a high priority to arrange my life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations I am bothered by intense stimuli like loud noises or chaotic scenes when I must compete or be observed while performing a task I become so nervous or shaky that I do much worse than I would otherwise Aaron's research and coining of the term HSP was the first time that the quality of sensitivity was addressed in scientific literature without being pathologized and it initiated a rapid fire connection among women around the world who immediately saw themselves in her descriptions and consequently formed a kind of tribal Bond of belonging under the banner of HSP as Aaron is a woman herself and her studies include many female participants there was no risk of male-dominated research the same goes for the language and vocabulary Aaron uses and that is now widely accepted feelings and experiences of sensitivity as you can see from the list above are stated neutrally without judgment a person with so-called classic autism is what many doctors and lay people describe as socially awkward in their own world and lacking empathy and normal or appropriate social interaction this pathologizing language describes a person in terms of individual norms and expectations we don't often stop to think about what is happening in society on a larger scale that would generate such a description or make such a person sound so bad only when we step back and examine the behaviors from a non-stigmatized perspective can we realize that people describe this way aren't bad they are merely different in fact many people in the autistic Community like to flip the script and point out how awful neurotypical culture and expectations are think Small Talk social niceties herd mentality compliance and other unpleasant or taxing behaviors that are deemed normal while figures like the professor and author Temple Grandin have brought attention to the gifts of autism our culture as a whole remains steeped in images and definitions that see this kind of neurological makeup as a defect more and more we are appreciating the fact that the range of autistic experience is vast necessitating the use of the label spectrum and autistic Advocates are now speaking out and challenging pervasive false Notions this is most apparent on Twitter where autistic culture thrives in autistic individuals all over the world share personal stories and insights on their own terms and in their own voices nothing about us without us is a popular slogan instead of being studied from the outside autistic people are giving voice to their experiences on their own terms Twitter is a perfect vehicle for this where no stone is left unturned and no question is too cumbersome why is the rate of suicidal ideation higher among the autistic population why do autistic individuals prefer that the month of April be called autism acceptance month rather than Autism Awareness Month the idea that autistic people lack empathy for example is often countered on Twitter with people sharing how in fact it's their own overabundance of empathy that causes them to shut down emotionally and Retreat there's no lack of empathy but too much of it how's that for reframing what I heard in researching conducting interviews and Reporting on the autistic experience is that sensitivity features prominently in autism and is both a strength and a challenge in the case of autistic women many of whom have been sensitive their entire lives but not known they were on the autism spectrum the question of utilizing and managing sensitivity is tricky because many have been told were taught that something is wrong with them as a result many have experienced shame depression and severe anxiety author Samantha Kraft who is autistic and is often a go-to resource for women wondering whether they are also autistic has compiled an unofficial list that she says is a springboard for discussion and more awareness into the female experience of autism this can be helpful because the authors of the DSM are often changing its scope and many doctors and therapists are at a loss regarding how to diagnose here are some abbreviated items from her list regarding autism and Asperger's seeing things at multiple levels including their own thinking process escaping in thought or action to survive overwhelming emotions and senses continually analyzing existence the meaning of life and everything escaping through fixations obsessions and over interest in subjects through imagination fantasy daydreaming and mental processing often getting lost in their own thoughts and checking out imitating people on television or in movies experiencing trouble with lying escaping through imagined or real relationships finding it difficult to understand some human characteristics such as manipulation disloyalty vindictive behavior and retaliation escaping into other rooms at parties experiencing feelings of confusion and being overwhelmed being unable to relax or rest without having many thoughts experiencing feelings of being misplaced and or experiencing feelings of being from another planet Feeling Extreme relief when they don't have to go anywhere talk to anyone answer calls or leave the house but at the same time harboring guilt for hibernating and not doing what everyone else is doing isolated perceiving visitors at the home as a threat this can even be a familiar family member knowing logically that visitors are not a threat but still feeling anxious obsessing about the potentiality of a relationship with someone particularly a love interest or new friendship dreading upcoming events and appointments being confused by the rules of accurate eye contact tone of voice proximity of body body stance and posture in conversation feeling anxiety knowing they have to leave the house and feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by the steps involved becoming exhausted by conversations preparing mentally for outings excursions meetings and appointments often days before a scheduled event continually questioning the actions and behaviors of themselves and others continually questioning next steps and movements training themselves in social interactions through Reading and studying other people feeling as if they are on stage being watched and or having a sense of always needing to act out the right steps visualizing and practicing how to act around others having huge compassion for suffering sometimes for inanimate objects practicing and rehearsing what to say to another person before entering a room being sensitive to substances environmental toxins Foods alcohol medication hormones Etc having difficulty filtering out background noise when talking to others questioning their purpose in life and how to be a better person having a continuous inner dialogue about what to say and how to act in social situations seeking to understand personal abilities skills and gifts feeling great peace of mind when they know they can stay at home all day feeling trapped between wanting to be themselves and wanting to fit in requiring a large amount of downtime or alone time imitating others without realizing it feeling guilty after spending a lot of time on a special interest rejecting and or questioning social norms disliking being in a crowd Mall gym or theater having a hard time feeling good about themselves being sensitive to sounds textures temperature and or smells when trying to sleep not understanding jokes adjusting bed clothes bedding and or environment in an attempt to find comfort remembering details about someone's life or details generally longing to be seen heard and understood relieving anxiety by writing or being creative questioning whether they are normal having certain feelings or emotions toward words and or numbers at times adapting their view of life or actions on the basis of others opinions or words experiencing simple tasks as causing extreme hardship viewing many things as an extension of themselves feeling emotionally challenged by new places disliking words and events that hurt animals and people feeling a sense of panic when faced with anything that requires a reasonable number of steps or amount of dexterity or know-how expecting that by acting a certain way certain results can be achieved but realizing and dealing with emotions that those results don't always manifest feeling anxious at the thought of repairing fixing or locating something believing that everything has a purpose avoiding mundane tasks having a difficult time making or keeping friends feeling overwhelmed by something as simple as a trip to the grocery store having a tendency to over share having a hard time finding certain objects in the house but clearly knowing where other objects are feeling anxious when unable to locate something or when thinking about locating something lacking impulse control when speaking perceiving situations and conversations as black or white monopolizing conversations and speaking exclusively about themselves overlooking or misunderstanding the middle spectrum of outcomes events and emotions having an All or Nothing mentality having difficulty recognizing how extreme emotions will affect them and being challenged to transfer what they have learned about emotions from one situation to the next overreacting a small fight might signal the end of a relationship or collapse of the world a small compliment might lead to a state of bliss always trying to communicate correctly wanting to know word origins and or origins of historical facts root causes and Foundations having trouble identifying feelings unless they are extreme noticing patterns frequently more easily identifying personal feelings of anger outrage deep love fear giddiness and anticipation that emotions of Joy satisfaction calmness and serenity remembering things visually seeming to others to be narcissistic and controlling Kraft also lists frequent co-occurring attributes including obsessive-compulsive disorder sensory issues generalized anxiety feelings of polar extremes and chronic fatigue and or immune challenges and as we have seen an autistic person might be misdiagnosed as having a mental illness autism is thus a living breathing group of attributes that gets missed as a diagnosis because it is Broad overlaps with many other traits and is steeped in media driven stereotypes many women are thus self-diagnosed for those who get a clinician's affirmation many different diagnosis may have been considered with autism as a kind of final question on the table therefore many women don't have an exhaustive understanding of themselves until later in their lives so I know I went through a lot of characteristics in today's reading and oftentimes when we do have a list of those characteristics we can feel a sense of disassociation from them because they just become words or statements and we may not understand how that personally fits into our own lives of course if you have the desire to join this discussion head on over to this video where we can deep dive into this talk together other than that enjoy your day you guys take care of yourselves

Channel: The Thought Spot

Views: 16,911

Keywords: asd, autism, autistic, actuallyautistic, autismawareness, autismacceptance, onthespectrum, neurodiversity, neurodiverse, nd, adhd

Id: YAvnqREVHg4

Length: 20min 16sec (1216 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 13 2023