Adult Asperger’s Video 3. Living in a Bubble – What is Autism Spectrum Disorder High Functioning Asperger’s (Part 2)
My name’s Anthony King and welcome back to my video series about mild autism spectrum disorder in adults based on my book “Living in a Bubble”. Let’s continue from where we left off in our last video together…
What specific challenges do people with ASD face when interacting?
The world can often be a very overwhelming place to live when you’re on the spectrum. This can cause stress and anxiety. Interacting with other people, including communication, interpretation, interaction (socially and in other ways) can be confusing and challenging. People on the spectrum often feel misunderstood, scared, ignored and like they don’t fit in. This can be compounded psychologically because you often can’t tell by looking at somebody or even interacting with them superficially whether they have ASD. Young children on the spectrum can be perceived as just “naughty”.
Social interaction and communication
People on the autistic spectrum often have difficulties interpreting things. For example, tone of voice, subtext, non-verbal and verbal communication and often take things literally, which can make it hard to understand certain types of sarcasm, expressions, phrases and jokes. It’s best to speak with somebody on the spectrum directly and clearly – although many people on the spectrum have a good grasp of sarcasm and are very humorous. Another thing which is quite common is for those with ASD to speak about the same thing a lot, often repeating themselves or what others have said. They might talk at length about their special interests (and usually have very good language skills) and sometimes need more time than other people to process and interpret what they have heard. This is why it’s usually important to speak in a direct, clear and consistent way to somebody on the spectrum because they might have difficulty in reading or recognising what’s going on inside the other person’s head, if it is not clearly stated. People with ASD might not recognise indicators and cues for emotions and feelings which can make it hard to interact with the world. Consequently, they may find it hard to make friends and form relationships and maintain them because they might appear to be insensitive and often reclusive or eccentric. Sometimes people with ASD want to make friends but just don’t know how.
The three Rs – Rituals, Repetitive and Routines
A person with Asperger’s will often have a routine or routines that can seem quite ritualistic. This is because it gives a little form and control to an often unpredictable and stressful environment. At least with a personal routine you can create the circumstances that you do control and can derive comfort from that. Repetitive behaviour might include eating the same meals at the same time every day, or sitting in the same chair on the train every day or dressing in the same type of clothes. A person with ASD is often more comfortable with rules and a framework which they can get used to because change can often be hard to process. Although, with prior notice and preparation, change can be more easily accepted.
Obsessions and special interests
Many of us on the spectrum have a special interest (or many special interests), which we have focussed on with a certain level of obsessiveness. This can be an unusual (possibly perceived as eccentric) talent like a musical instrument or learning about something; anything from aeroplanes to windmills! This level of focus and obsessiveness can often translate with the right assistance and direction into being an expert in certain areas or subjects.
Sensory issues (sound, light, smell etc.)
A particular issue for me, and many others with ASD, is sensitivity to certain sounds, noises and smells. This sensitivity means that a noise which most people might ignore can be painful and cause headaches and an inability to focus. Many people with ASD also have sensitivity to light which makes it hard for them too. All I ever read is, ‘Tips for parents with children with autism’ but what about us? What about adults on the spectrum who need some help and advice? So after exploring the areas outlined in more detail I will offer some practical advice for us, as adults, too.