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Overview

Have you ever seen the film Rain Man? Or do you know someone with autism in real life? If so, you might have noticed that autistic individuals share some unique abilities and quirks. Some people can instantly solve complex math problems by just looking at them.

For some people living with autism, they may develop habits that are less socially desirable. This includes repeating the same phrase over and over again.

In this post, we’ll be looking at the reasons why people engage in seemingly inexplicable behaviors. They’re often just variations of common habits—like cleaning or organizing when they feel anxious—to cope with overwhelming thoughts or emotions.

The author will also discuss why subtlety is not a virtue among people with autism and how teaching autistic people to call 911 has unexpected challenges. The author will also explain why experts are sometimes the worst at helping those on the spectrum.

Big Idea #1: Instead of trying to control autistic people, we can help by understanding their behavior.

People with autism are difficult to predict. Their actions can be repetitive or inexplicable.

However, why does autism cause such symptoms? Autistic people have a difficult time regulating their emotions. As a result, all of their feelings tend to be more extreme. Just consider feelings like confusion, fear or distress; most people learn how to handle them at some point in life.

For people with autism, it’s hard to filter out all the stimulation they’re exposed to.

Some people have trouble dealing with their emotions. The inability to deal with those feelings is called emotional dysregulation. This happens when environmental changes or situations that engage an autistic person’s heightened senses spur the emotional dysregulation. When this occurs, you should find out what caused it and not try to fix the situation by dismissing or trying to “fix” their behavior.

When people with autism are anxious, they may act out in different ways. They don’t mean to be disobedient; rather, it’s an attempt to calm themselves down.

Take Lucy as an example. She is a child with autism who was being physically aggressive with her teachers. When the author visited her, it became clear that she had been playing games and changing the rules without warning, which caused Lucy to feel confused and panic. Autistic people need routines to give them a sense of reliability; therefore, maintaining a controlled environment is one of their primary coping strategies.

Big Idea #2: Listening to those with autism is a vital step in supporting them.

When most people are distressed, they react positively when those around them acknowledge and validate their feelings. Autistic people do the same thing.

To support those with autism, we must respond to their needs instead of expecting them to act the way we want. Jesse was a boy who had been through many schools and did not have any friends because he would often get angry and lash out at his classmates. The author met him when she was consulting for one of his schools in New England. He had trouble communicating what he wanted, which led to confusion and fear that made him angry so that he lashed out at others around him.

The author worked with therapists and teachers to help Jesse learn how to express himself. They also gave him a schedule so that his days would be more predictable. Through this, they helped him overcome the isolation he felt by giving him a sense of control over his life. With time, Jesse became comfortable and communicative at school as well as in social settings. He even began working at the school delivering mail through a device that helped him communicate better.