All right, welcome to our fourth lesson. Our fourth video on considerations of the autistic mind here, we’re gonna get into some of the why that described the behaviors that you’re experiencing.
You might already have a pretty good sense of this from, from the previous videos, but we want to pull it all together in this one.
So if you have firsthand experience with autism or a DH D, you may have noticed that those on these spectrums need to have special handling and treatment. They need to have special accommodations or at the very least they need to do things themselves in a very special way, very rigid way, a very um disciplined, maybe way, very routine way.
This is because their brains are wired differently than neurotypical. And as a result, they may not understand things and they really don’t the same way.
One key difference in the brain of an autistic or a DH D person is the lack of more classically typical activation in certain areas. So the Amygdala responsible for processing emotions um is reduced that can lead to a difficulty in understanding and expressing emotions. It can lead to increased anxiety, it can lead to um difficulty being able to regulate.
On the other hand, there’s increased activation in the visual cortex which is responsible for processing visual information and is responsible for being able to catalog all of what’s going on for this. For this neurodivergent person as a visual image, this can lead to heightened sensitivity to stimulation such as bright lights or loud noises.
So now what we have is a setup where we have heightened sensitivity to lights and noises. And we have this emotional center that’s underdeveloped. And we have this emotional center that’s underdeveloped, responding and reacting, which increases the sensitivity further to input and visual stuff. Um like lights and loud noises which continues. It’s just a cycle. This is why somebody with these disabilities or disorders can ramp up so quickly.
I don’t like to even think about it as a disability or a disorder. It’s really a, it’s really a um a difference, right? But another difference is the reduced function in the language center of the brain. This can lead to challenges with communication and understanding language.
So combined with the increased anxiety and the stress loop that I was just talking about. Um it can create more stress in situations that aren’t stressful for neurotypical, especially if you’re asking this neurodivergent person to explain something that’s going on for them.
It’s important to understand what stress looks like for these people, what the signs are, especially in high levels and over long periods of time because stress over long periods of time isn’t good for anyone. Like it’s really not chronic. Stress is proven to kill people sooner. It’s proven to lead to unhealthy, you know, lifestyle habits, addiction, all these things.
When somebody with these differences is pushed past their limit, they may experience a very negative, emotional and psychosomatic response, like anger frustration, withdrawal, irritability explosion, right?
And between people, this can lead to huge misunderstandings and strained relationships. This can look like, oh, you’re mad at me. What did I do? This can look like um you’re frustrated at something that isn’t your fault or you’re um irritated at something that, that isn’t your um your um you’re irritated at something that, that isn’t irritate, it doesn’t irritate other people, right?
And it may also lead to this assumption that these people are unregulated and uncontrolled and they can’t manage themselves. So it’s important to find ways to manage stress and create a supportive environment for these people. And it may be above and beyond what you’re even expecting or wanting by understanding the unique perspective of autism and the differences in the brain functions that come with it.
You can better understand and support those on the spectrum. Remember those with autism are not lesser or different, they’re just, well, they’re not lesser, they’re just different. That’s what I mean to say. Jeez. Um they simply have a different operating system.
They have a different way of being to adjust and accommodate these cognitive differences and by understanding and embracing these changes, we can better support those with these neuro diverse issues.
Now, it’s really important that we have clear expectations and that we consider all of these things. Because if our expectations differ from their reality, we’re gonna continue to have conflict. And if we assume that they operate and that we operate, we as neurodivergent operate the same way as a neurotypical does that’s called ableism and ultimately leads to more of these same frustrations.
So I hope that these videos have been helpful and uh definitely take these things into your life, take them into your treatment of autistic people.
And if you want to know specifically and exactly how to do that, if you want to know how to manage, better, manage emotions, language, communication, um These visual maps, click on the link below this video because that’ll take you to a place where you can apply to work with some of our tools applied to have access to our tools, which is gonna require our conversation. We want to make sure that they’re the best fit for you.
And using these tools, you’ll be able to make unbiased decisions without stress, you’ll be able to sequence what you have to do to be the most motivating. You’ll be able to communicate effectively to other people and, and, and even to yourself over a period of time and you’ll be able to reduce things like time blindness, executive dysfunction and emotional regulation.
Because the truth is for us neuro divergence, these ways in which we operate are are normal. But all of the other ways of high productivity and high uh impact and making things be a high performance. All of those other methods, they’re not made for neurodivergent people, they’re made for people who don’t get overloaded as easily as we do. They’re made for people who don’t have such a fragile structure going on where they can go from 0 to 100 incredibly quickly.
So this suite of tools is made specifically for the neurodivergent mind. And I hope that by sharing this information, it provides a baseline for what is possible.
Thanks. And I hope to see you guys on the other side.
Part 4 of this course provides suggestions for further reading and resources for individuals and their caregivers to better understand and address the unique neurological differences that individuals with autism experience. It will offer a variety of resources such as books, websites, and support groups that can help individuals and their caregivers navigate the challenges that come with autism. The course will also provide information on how to access services and support, such as therapy, counseling, and educational programs. It will also discuss the importance of building a support network, including friends, family, and professionals who can provide guidance, support, and advocacy. The course will also touch on the importance of self-care for individuals with autism and their caregivers and provide information on how to find balance, reduce stress, and maintain overall well-being. It will also provide information about legal rights and accommodations for individuals with autism. Overall, Part 4 of the course aims to provide practical resources and information that can help individuals and their caregivers better understand and address the unique neurological differences of individuals with autism, and how to build a supportive environment for them.