Autism and Change

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

David Bowie: “Ch-ch-ch-anges-”

Autism: NOOOOOOOO!

Yes, this week we’re going to talk about autism and change! 😂It’s a well known fact that autists do NOT like change. We like routine, structure, predictability- we like to be in control.

Historically, I’ve never been the greatest with change. As a child I went into a full-scale meltdown when the school banned chocolate (it’s pretty hilarious when I picture my 11 year old self wailing “I’m a chocoholic!” at the teacher!😂), I couldn’t sleep for 2 weeks after my sister changed the angle of her bed; worse still when we sold my family home, it took years to get my head round the loss. Sure, it may have only been 4 miles up the road, and I still went to the same school, but this one simple shift was as if a ton weight had been dropped on my fragile, pubescent head.

New things can be a lot more complicated for an autist than the average person. You have to consider the sensory implications- how might a new smell affect you; will the taste of this new food make you sick; will this new top make you want to rip off your own skin? Last year I tried paint-balling for the first time without pausing to think of any potential sensory issues. The noise of the guns, the overpowering smell of the mask, the pain when I got hit- I was completely overwhelmed! I had to be removed within 10 mins after having a meltdown behind a tree! At least I drove myself there so I could make a quick escape to the PS4 to shoot things from the safety of my couch instead 😉

It’s not that an autist is not capable of change, it’s just oftentimes it can be a lot easier to stick with the status quo for fear of the unknown.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! I know I like a particular dish at a restaurant, so why would I rock the boat and risk an adverse sensory reaction?

That being said, here are some tips to cope with change:

Take baby steps- you’ve got to learn to crawl before you can walk. Make small changes in your life and you’ll gradually learn to cope with bigger ones.

Challenge yourself- Setting goals to change something in your life can be a great motivator. Choosing to make a change on your terms can help to prepare you for the unexpected changes that life likes to throw at us.

Do the research– for any impending changes, take the time to educate yourself. If moving to a new place, familiarize yourself with the area- check out the amenities, the bus routes, use google street view to digitally walk around etc. The more you know about it, the sooner it becomes familiar which ultimately feels like less of a change.

Rewards and bribery– not always the best plan but it can help to incentivise behaviour change! As I’ve discussed previously, bribery worked to help me change my study habits as a teenager by trading hours of study for hours of gaming!

You can read more tips for coping with change in the link below:

https://www.autism.org.uk/about/behaviour/preparing-for-change.aspx

But might there be a scientific explanation for our struggles with change?

In 2017, researchers discovered that the posterior cingulate cortex of the brain is associated with changes in routine behaviour. As of yet this area has not been extensively studied, however the research would suggest that there is some level of dysfunction taking place in this cortex in the autistic brain. Current evidence indicates that there is poor connectivity, reduced metabolic activity and structural changes at the cellular level in the neurons within this region.

No wonder change is difficult if your brain is actively fighting against you! Perhaps the real change that is needed is our attitude towards an autists struggles with change; maybe then change won’t be so scary after all 🙂

Have a good weekend Earthlings! 🙂

Aoife