By Guest Writer Nick McAllister
Christmas. It’s a time that strikes fear into many an Autistic person as we are bombarded and overwhelmed with sensory information.
As Autistic people, we take in so much sensory information through our eyes, ears, muscles, joints, and skin, and we use those sensations – we integrate them, modulate them, analyse them, and interpret them — for immediate and appropriate everyday functioning.
So, when an Autistic person experiences too much sensory stimulation, this causes their central nervous system to become overwhelmed and unable to process everything. It can be best described by the following quote;
It’s like a physiological ‘traffic jam’ in your central nervous system and the sensory overstimulation causes a physiological response and sometimes even a sensory meltdown.
Shopping centres are the worst place for an Autistic person to be, especially around the Christmas period. As soon as you enter one of these places I know that I am being intentionally slaughtered with bright lights and music to influence my buying decisions.
Add to that the loud PA announcements, songs blaring out about happy families, crashing trolleys, temperature changes, smells from the bakery, deli, gardening department, butcher, seafood, staff with their large oversized trolleys parked in aisles in the way, filling shelves that you have to carefully manoeuvre around… It attacks me from all angles.
But what can you do?
Since you asked, here’s my Christmas survival guide for the Autistic person.
Create routines for stability
Create new or build upon existing routines, and if there are any changes, be sure to address the changes as quickly as possible. Let the Autistic person know what’s happening and why the change. If you can, let them know in advance, so they have time to process it and not become overwhelmed on the day.
Sensory time out
Schedule time for a nap and make sure you take a sensory time out. You can leave the room and/or situation if things get too much.
Make sure you know where your sensory box is and that it is stocked up with the items you know will calm you down. You could also create a calming corner (if you don’t already have one) so it is ready in case you need it.
And if you don’t have a sensory or self-soothing box, why not try making one?
Identify, discuss and work on potential sensory triggers in advance
Identify potential sensory triggers, and discuss expectations and any solutions in advance. For example, a noisy, crowded shopping mall could be a trigger. Expectations could revolve around the time spent there, and problem-solving could include negotiating stores differently or discussing an exit plan.
Managing stressful situations
There are four key skills to managing stressful situations. Some may be more useful in certain types of situations.
Awareness skills
Awareness means getting a clearer understanding of the situation and how it affects a person.
Acceptance skills
Acknowledge you are getting stressed and be realistic about its effects on you. For example, what aspects are in your control, which are out of your control and which are important and unimportant.
Coping skills
Prepare to cope with stressful situations. Learn various strategies and identify the changes you can make to control the situation and reduce your stress levels.
Action skills
Actively make changes to counteract or reduce your stress levels and anxiety.
Learn to apply slow breathing as needed e.g. when feeling stressed, angry, or anxious. A good breathing technique is essential for good mental and physical health. It can help to alleviate your stress levels and any feelings of overwhelm.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Focus on your breathing pattern.
- Identify whether you are breathing through your chest or stomach.
- Avoid taking short, shallow, and rapid breaths from the upper chest.
- The aim is to breathe deeply and slowly through your nose.
- You should feel greater movement in the stomach than the chest as you inhale and exhale.
- Practice breathing exercises every day.
You can get yourself into a relaxed state by:
- Getting comfortable, scanning your body for tension, and relaxing your muscles one by one
- Imaging a favourite peaceful place – this could be real or imagined
- Focusing your imagination using all five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch
- Repeating affirmations such as ‘I am letting go of tension’; or ‘I am feeling peaceful’.
Strategies for managing anxiety
When you understand and acknowledge you are experiencing anxiety, the next step is to identify the triggers and situations that are the root cause of your anxiety.
This is where keeping a diary can be an extremely useful tool. Keeping a diary and writing down exactly how you felt during a certain situation should enable you to see the following:
- What was the situation? What happened?
- What was the trigger?
- When did it happen?
- How anxious did I feel on a scale from 1-10?
- What steps did I take?
- Was I with my carer/support worker or a group of friends?
- Did I alert someone I was feeling anxious?
- Had I informed them that I experience anxiety, and did they know what steps to take?
- What steps did they take?
- What did I do to resolve the situation?
- What can I do to prevent anxiety the next time I am out in a social situation?
You can modify the above to best suit your situation. The biggest benefit of keeping a diary is that you can use this as a reference tool, and this will assist you in managing your anxiety better.
Here are some additional tips to help you start journaling for anxiety.
My advice is not to be too hard on yourself.
Remember that whatever reactions to situations you may have as an Autistic person, it’s perfectly normal and part of who you are. You have the tools and the strategies to deal with things, but if things happen that are out of your control, just know you know what to do and how to take care of yourself.
About the Writer
Nick McAllister, Disability Affairs Reporter with ABC Perth and a blogger. I was diagnosed six years ago and set up my blog www.autisticnick.com as I wanted to educate people and give an insight into what everyday life is like for an Autistic person. You can connect with me on Facebook here, and read more from me on my blog and ABC Perth.
