Published on 12, July, 2020
My son is 23 years old, diagnosed with autism aged 5. He had done well in a special primary school, struggled but got through secondary school. He was very stressed by school by the time he finished, he refused to do a preparatory course for college, I was happy to give him a break and for a while he kept up some hobbies and had no problem going outside. Sadly, the pandemic gave him the world exactly as he would like it to be, everything closed and no one coming to the house. It has really set him back, he now refuses to go anywhere. I am so worried for his future, what will happen to him and will he be looked after by social services should anything happen to me, my husband died suddenly two years ago. I cannot force my son to go out, he helps with house work a bit and plays video games and that's it, I am struggling.
Might he try CBT? The longer he avoids it, the worse the problem becomes. Small steps over time, and he might really make progress. I guess he needs to find something that catches his interest so he has to leave the house to participate. A companion might be helpful with this. Do you have a dog? Taking it for a walk would be very beneficial and something easy to work up towards,
Very much in agreement with you, I stress that I also understand all the other interventions in the conversation I understand them very well not only having read but lived them. I think CBT when adapted to the autistic spectrum is very helpful. I recommend: never accept that an autistic person closes himself in reasoning of this type. It is necessary to react immediately: always in a kind and sensible way. But decided. He is 23 years old: he used the road of isolation. Instead it really has enormous possibilities of being helped and it can be done In the meantime, I would ask a psychologist, for example, how to communicate with him in the most appropriate way to help him.