4 ms·

The Intense World Theory of Autism

gavinray 5y ago
I want to ask others if any of this hits home for them? I don't have an autism diagnosis, but many of the things in the article I do have a "formal" diagnosis for: "...the example of scratchy tags on the back of shirts, which might repeatedly draw the attention of a person with autism, yet be below the threshold where they draw the attention of most neurotypical people." In my teens I was diagnosed with "Tactile Defensive Disorder" for explaining to a psychiatrist why I always ripped the tags out of the back of my shirts and don't like putting lotion or other stuff on my skin. Then the amalgam of anxiety disorders -- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder. Really what it is, is that a lot of things are just sensorily overwhelming. Loud music, crowds of people (sea of moving colors), it's too much for me (unless properly inebriated). I don't know how it doesn't drive over people crazy, it's like your senses are being assaulted. Have a hard time watching regular TV/movies, I prefer animated things because there is too much detail and movement on the screen at once otherwise and I have a hard time absorbing both the dialogue and what my eyes are seeing. I like to sit at home quietly. Is anyone else like this?
- flyingfences 5y ago
  Anecdotally, N=1, I found myself nodding along through the whole article.
- convolvatron 5y ago
  not 100%. but this general idea resonates with me. one defining characteristic of austism is the unwillingness to meet someone's gaze when talking with them - one that I share. its simply too much. if I'm ordering coffee or talking to a customer I really don't want that level of visibility into their thoughts and emotional state.
- ebb_earl_co 5y ago
  I understand you; I have either Bose QC 35 or Apple's Air Pods Pro on hand at all times because sounds are what really do me in.
- awesomeusername 5y ago
  I always rip them out only to find the stub left over is often worse. One of life's great annoyances. Interesting comment re: TV. I'm in my 40s and have never regularly watched TV but never thought about why. Your description is good. It's just an overwhelming assault on the senses for very little in return
- eigengrau5150 5y ago
  I'm on the spectrum, but my experience isn't quite the same as yours. - tags on shirts don't bother me much. - I'm fine with loud music, especially European power metal, but I tend to keep the volume at 3 instead of going to 11 because I value my hearing. - I don't like being around lots of people, so I rarely attend concerts. - The voices of children, especially if they aren't using their indoor voices, pierces my head like a blunt icepick to the point of pain. - TV/movies/podcasts/audiobooks tend to bore me; I prefer to read and immerse myself in text. - I have a complexity jones. It's not really anxiety, it's just that the world wasn't made for guys like me and I don't really belong here. I feel like I'm just doing hard time on planet Earth for a crime I don't remember committing. Must have been pretty fucking heinous, though.
- solarmist 5y ago
  Yup 100%. I never made the connection to preferring animated media. Very interesting. Thank you for that insight.
ebb_earl_co 5y ago
As someone who was recently diagnosed with a high-functioning autism, I'm trying to find all the resources I can so this was a good read. Thanks for having shared

I want to ask others if any of this hits home for them? I don't have an autism diagnosis, but many of the things in the article I do have a "formal" diagnosis for: "...the example of scratchy tags on the back of shirts, which might repeatedly draw the attention of a person with autism, yet be below the threshold where they draw the attention of most neurotypical people." In my teens I was diagnosed with "Tactile Defensive Disorder" for explaining to a psychiatrist why I always ripped the tags out of the back of my shirts and don't like putting lotion or other stuff on my skin. Then the amalgam of anxiety disorders -- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder. Really what it is, is that a lot of things are just sensorily overwhelming. Loud music, crowds of people (sea of moving colors), it's too much for me (unless properly inebriated). I don't know how it doesn't drive over people crazy, it's like your senses are being assaulted. Have a hard time watching regular TV/movies, I prefer animated things because there is too much detail and movement on the screen at once otherwise and I have a hard time absorbing both the dialogue and what my eyes are seeing. I like to sit at home quietly. Is anyone else like this?

flyingfences 5y ago
Anecdotally, N=1, I found myself nodding along through the whole article.
convolvatron 5y ago
not 100%. but this general idea resonates with me. one defining characteristic of austism is the unwillingness to meet someone's gaze when talking with them - one that I share. its simply too much. if I'm ordering coffee or talking to a customer I really don't want that level of visibility into their thoughts and emotional state.
ebb_earl_co 5y ago
I understand you; I have either Bose QC 35 or Apple's Air Pods Pro on hand at all times because sounds are what really do me in.
awesomeusername 5y ago
I always rip them out only to find the stub left over is often worse. One of life's great annoyances. Interesting comment re: TV. I'm in my 40s and have never regularly watched TV but never thought about why. Your description is good. It's just an overwhelming assault on the senses for very little in return
eigengrau5150 5y ago
I'm on the spectrum, but my experience isn't quite the same as yours. - tags on shirts don't bother me much. - I'm fine with loud music, especially European power metal, but I tend to keep the volume at 3 instead of going to 11 because I value my hearing. - I don't like being around lots of people, so I rarely attend concerts. - The voices of children, especially if they aren't using their indoor voices, pierces my head like a blunt icepick to the point of pain. - TV/movies/podcasts/audiobooks tend to bore me; I prefer to read and immerse myself in text. - I have a complexity jones. It's not really anxiety, it's just that the world wasn't made for guys like me and I don't really belong here. I feel like I'm just doing hard time on planet Earth for a crime I don't remember committing. Must have been pretty fucking heinous, though.
solarmist 5y ago
Yup 100%. I never made the connection to preferring animated media. Very interesting. Thank you for that insight.

ebb_earl_co 5y ago

As someone who was recently diagnosed with a high-functioning autism, I'm trying to find all the resources I can so this was a good read. Thanks for having shared