(I am not a psychologist nor medical doctor, so the discussion is an opinion based on decades of living with Autism without knowing it until recently. What is going to be covered also includes my neurodiverse buddies who have ADHD or AudHD – you know who you are. )
Over the years, there have been many contributors to the discussion about Autism. Not the ones developed by the upset grandparents or parents, nor of the cold, hard scientific and psychological communities, but by those on the front lines. The people who live day in and day out with the brain dysfunction that is now understood as “Autism”.
Oh so many times has the neurotypical world refused to understand the many difficulties that people with unseen differences have to undergo due to ignorance or presumptions! Among them are the occasions in which the unseen brain begins to misfire, overwhelmed at the amount of stimuli it receives all at once, or the demands that prevent any semblance of stability in the neurodiverse person’s world.
What appears to be “temper tantrums” or unstoppable crying, uncontrolled rage, or other the like are not what they appear. Now that the children who were undiagnosed Autistics are becoming diagnosed adult Autistics, the understanding of the just what is happening has become an interest in their differently wired brains.
Dr. Amen…
Various parts of the brain would “light up” on the scans when the ADHD symptoms were triggered. Sometimes certain foods would set the brain aflame. Other times it was certain stimuli, like loud noises or bright, flashing lights.
What was interesting was that, compared to neurotypical brains (those without the ADHD symptoms) would not have the same parts of the brain light up. Often, they were able to absorb the sensory inputs and move on with their life.
But those with the neurodivergent brains couldn’t move on. Their brain became overloaded and the individual would be seen having signs of distress.
The studies with Autistic people reflected similar brain misfiring. When they became overwhelmed with certain sensory stimuli, they would, also, begin to unravel.
Epileptics…
Society has come a long way in accepting the struggles of those with Epilepsy. Decades ago, those who have this disorder were institutionalized, believing that they were crazy.
But science has since discovered – and taught the public – that the brain simply had a bad wiring setup which, when triggered, resulted in uncontrollable seizures. The person would lose all control of themselves, becoming disengaged with what was going on around them. They would fall to the floor and thrash about like a possessed beast. When they came out of the seizure, they would often be embarrassed, and would take a long time to recover from the toll it took on their mental, physical, and emotional state.
Society has come a long way in accepting the struggles of those with Epilepsy.
Through the discoveries, medicines have been developed to help control the epileptic events. And other research has shown that certain dyes and chemical additives in foods will trigger them as well.
The brain disregulation has very few warning signs. Episodes will come on suddenly, so the individual is often not allowed to drive a motorized vehicle, citing safety of the public as a great, and understandable, concern.
What has this to do with Autism?
Maybe nothing. But maybe everything.
There are now researches being conducted that are tentatively linking Epilepsy with Autism. A certain gene (SCN2A mutations) have been discovered in both the Epileptic and Autistic person. The seizures found in children with Epilepsy and those with Autism are tracked and studied as new drugs are developed to help them with their problems.
This isn’t to say that the Autistic person and one with epilepsy have the same disorder. It’s just that a light had dawned on me when I was listening to a new player to the Autism Spectrum platform that there were similarities.
Autistic Seizures?
When the Autistic brain becomes overstimulated and overloaded (and there is a host of reasons this may occur), the person begins to show symptoms of distress. The body begins to tighten. Skin becomes prickly or itching. The gut becomes disregulated. The person no longer can hold a conversation or logical thought. They are on the tipping point. One more trigger and they become uncontrollably undone.
As I was talking to my daughter one day, I mentioned the feeling of undergoing these problems. The individual who is being overwhelmed may not initially show signs of distress outwardly. They tend to mask the symptoms as long as they can, hiding them underneath false bravado and smiles, but inwardly are containing a ticking time bomb in their heads.
Something began to click in my head about what was going on. The brain was literally having some sort of seizure…
One more trigger and they lash out, begin crying, whatever their body decides to unleash when the Amygdala sends the signal for a “Fight or Flight” emergency.
Something began to click in my head about what was going on. The brain was literally having some sort of seizure – the overload – that shut down any connection to the frontal lobe of the brain. The person would become disengaged with their ability to stop any irrational behavior, much like an Epileptic during a seizure.
Then it dawned on me. That was what these episodes reminded me of. I had a friend who was epileptic, and the dots began to connect. What was going on inside of my head wasn’t that far off from his experiences.
So what are these episodes and what can be done about them?
Those who have high IQ’s and are high functioning Autistics will have a better time figuring out for themselves the warning signs before they occur. Those who are their partners and loved ones can participate in their discovery as well.
And those who are caregivers to a high maintenance Autistic people might be able to help mitigate the triggers for their patients by tracking what might be patterns in those triggers leading up to an episode.
But what do you do to figure it all out?
For those who have Autism and those who care for an autistic person, I would like to present this video to touch the surface of what is happening to trigger these events. This presentation from a newly diagnosed Autistic give guidelines that will help both the Autistic person and those who love them the chance to heal and recover when those episodes occur. And to give understanding so that the Autistic person will have the proper and necessary support they need to go through their hardest times.
I can’t say enough about how much we need the voices of people like Chris and Debby to give not only understanding of the overloaded brain, but also take it to the next level. I hope that it will help those who suffer from these problems, and see that there is real hope in getting through the episodes when they occur.
Give your feedback and suggestions in the comments below. And support their efforts in getting the word out. We are not “disabled”. We are human beings inside flawed bodies – with flaws that aren’t seen with the visible eye.
Unless you’re looking for the clues.