On interests, or obsessions

[xenith]

One of the things that came up when Wendy Lawson came to the adult support group was about working with interests. One of them things that seem obvious or maybe it isn't.

It was a social gathering--sitting around the table with afternoon tea and people talking about themselves. Wendy refers to neural-typical people as generic, and those on the spectrum are name brands. She talked a little bit about very recent research with brain scans. And she talk about teaching people and encouraging people to work within their interest areas. Or obsessions if you want.

OK that seems obvious, because we all know people learn better when they're engaged with the material, but it's more than that.

Imagine you're in a world where everything is uncertain, every person you talk to might say something you don't understand or do something you don't know how to react to, or expect you to do something you don't understand or see need for, or tell you're wrong when you're not; and every situation could turn wrong; and every place has uncertainties hiding in the corner or the ground the might disappear from under your feet. Even at home, someone might knock on the door or ring up. Stressful. Tiring. Anxiety-causing.

Now imagine a place in that world were you can feel, maybe not safe, but on solid ground. You know how to negotiate this place, and you have the tools or weapons or armour to deal with (most) things that come into the world. That is the area of obsession. The life raft on the ocean of life :)



(Userpic: playing quoits on board a ship is harder than on land, because you have to account for the ship's movement, but you're moving with it. Even from a close distance, it's easy to misjudge.)

Comments

[eneit.livejournal.com]

One of the reasons Jase is doing so well this year is his teacher is tech savvy, and puts his work on the iPad, which he can understand.

I have a couple of poems saved, that were written by teens with autism trying to describe the effects to NT kids, would you like to see them?

[monissaw.livejournal.com]

Yes, please.

I find it very hard to write about. Partly because you need to know that something is different in order to be able say that it's different. But mostly because there's always this constant feeling that "everyone knows that" so why bother writing it? Interesting writing exercise :)

[eneit.livejournal.com]

I took copies of these poems up to the school for World Autism Awareness Day, I'd love to see something you did *hugs*

What is Autism?........... ♥

IMAGINE if…You had a bee buzzing around your head
And someone asked you to say the alphabet backwards
IMAGINE if…You were in the middle of a really loud rock concert
And someone wanted you to name all your aunts and uncles
IMAGINE if…You were wearing three pairs of gloves.
And someone told you to eat a box of raisins one by one
This is what things are like for me, a lot of the time.
I’m autistic....

Your brain is like the inside of a computer, full of connections and wires.
With messages to your body whizzing around telling you what to do.
My brain looks the same as yours, except some connections work really well, and some work really differently.

And my brain wires can get crossed really easily.
So, if I’m doing something a bit funny looking… try not to laugh at me. It’s just one of my brain connections clearing itself out.

And if I tell you something over and over… just ask me to stop repeating. It’s just one of my wires plugged into the wrong socket.

And, if I freak out at some sound that you think is really normal… maybe help me get away from the sound. It’s just because my ears have their own unique volume control.

And, if you think I’m ignoring you… I’m not. I’m probably just focused on something else, like a tiny spider on the ceiling on the other side of the room.
Autism is a different way of seeing the world. And seeing things the way I see them is awesome, but it makes me really tired sometimes. So, I might not always understand what’s going on.

And, I might need time by myself to think things through. Or, I might crash or jump or swing for a while to straighten myself out. Don’t worry if I don’t always do things the way you do.
Try to imagine what it’s like inside my head, then you’ll see…
I’m not being rude
I’m not being naughty
...I’m not sick...
I’m autistic......and I’m just being me. ♥

By Chris Evans

[eneit.livejournal.com]

My Name Is Ryan (autism poem)
My name is Ryan; I'm different to you
I don't see the world the same as you do.
You see a classroom and I see a chair
I don't always notice what else is in there.
Too much information keeps coming my way
... It's so hard to cope with, day after day.
You show me so much that I don't always see
One step at a time is the best thing for me.
Bright lights and loud noises upset me so much
An unusual smell, or somebody's touch.
When you look in my eyes and I'm looking away
I'm not being rude if I don't hear what you say.
I'm not being awkward; I'm just doing my best
I'm striving so hard to be just like the rest.
The times when you think I've not really tried
If only you knew how that hurts me inside.
I want you to like me the way I like you
If only you saw things from my point of view.
Your life and my life both run parallel
Yours seems like heaven, mine's sometimes hell.
Whenever you're frustrated at the things that I do
Remember
You could have been me and I could have been you...

[monissaw.livejournal.com]

Oh, they are lovely and sad.

I don't have anything. Just what's in my head, and some things I play with in fiction, and what I write here.

[eneit.livejournal.com]

you don't have anything ... yet. I suspect when you have something to say, you'll say it.

[monissaw.livejournal.com]

I suspect you're right :)