Sensory issues and... self-esteem?

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27 Apr 2013, 3:01 pm

I recently found an article that argues that the cause behind some of the same problems we face is not, in fact, the sensory acts themselves but rather the deeper problems undergone that piled up:

Quote:

In a small child, a shutdown may be triggered because of a simple breakfast issue (e.g., they were given something they don't like). In this case, the cause may actually have nothing to do with breakfast at all - but rather it may be symptomatic of the youngster's frustration at not being able to make himself understood.

What does a shutdown look like in Aspergers adults?

In grown-ups, shutdowns can result from extreme events (e.g., losing a job, marriage break-up, etc.), but they can also have very small triggers, which simply remind the Aspergers adult of a larger pain (e.g., a small incident at work can provoke some long-term insecurities and cause a retreat).

http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2010/02 ... tdown.html

What do you think?

I've noticed before that on the rare occasion that I do get some of my worst problems solved, I appear to be less autistic and vulnerable to rather unremarkable stimuli.

Verdandi
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27 Apr 2013, 3:09 pm

My shutdowns don't remind me of anything like that.

paxfilosoof
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27 Apr 2013, 3:11 pm

Maybe this helps?

Verdandi
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27 Apr 2013, 3:26 pm

Helps with which?

I've read the post more thoroughly - My shutdowns are not focused on emotional pain - they're primarily due to sensory overload. Talking to me in a shutdown is a good way to make my shutdown worse.

I don't know, it reads like this is someone interpreting autistic people's actions into a framework that makes sense to her. It is similar to my other experiences trying to explain shutdowns to people - they always want to turn shutdowns into something that they are not, at least something they are not for me.

I am curious if she asked any adults about shutdowns to inform her statements, and what they said if she did.

animalcrackers
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27 Apr 2013, 3:30 pm

Neither my shutdowns nor my meltdowns have anything to do with mood, loneliness, or self-esteem/self-worth, as that article suggests. They aren't a psychological response/maladaptive coping mechanism.

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paxfilosoof
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27 Apr 2013, 3:32 pm

Verdandi wrote:

Well, the overload I think is not always the same. It depends on the level of stress, what you eat, etc.
The box try to explain that, see for more detials: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt229680.html

Verdandi
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27 Apr 2013, 3:36 pm

paxfilosoof wrote:

Well, the overload I think is not always the same. It depends on the level of stress, what you eat, etc.
The box try to explain that, see for more detials: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt229680.html

My overload is not always the same, no, but the biggest determining factor for how susceptible I am to overload seems to be experiencing overload. That is, the more I experience, the more likely I am to experience it. Stress does make me more vulnerable to overload, and overload causes stress, which also makes overload easier.

I still don't recall ever having a shutdown that involved painful emotions.

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28 Apr 2013, 1:39 pm

I've had shutdowns from emotional triggers before. It's nothing like that.

What they're talking about sounds nothing like a shutdown.

Verdandi
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28 Apr 2013, 2:07 pm

I should correct myself - I have had shutdowns triggered by emotions, and reported one when I first started posting here. However, it was not like that described on the linked blog.

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28 Apr 2013, 8:43 pm

I don't have a self-esteem problem, I have an autism spectrum disorder.

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