Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello again!
I have recently learned about autistic inertia thanks to Pete Wharmby's book Un-typicaI and have realised this is something I really struggle with but hadn't really given it any thought, until now.
Very briefly Autistic inertia, for anyone who doesn't know, is a difficulty switching tasks (even if you want to). Here's some light further reading - https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-autistic-inertia/
The example Pete gave in his book so perfectly encapsulated my experience, reading a book but wanting a cup of tea. In this example, I can see myself getting up, making the tea, and then sitting and enjoying the tea while I continue to read. I am happy to get up and make the tea but I just...don't. I want to but something blocks me from switching my focus from reading to getting up and making tea.
Of course, this is just one example that doesn't have any major ramifications but it does impact other areas of my life. I wondered whether anyone had any tips or tricks for getting through this? If you also experience this, how do you switch tasks effectively?
this all makes total sense and has helped to 'name/put words to' another bit of what I experience, I hadn't really thought about this aspect of my behaviour before as part of my autism/adhd and just put it down to being lazy or procrastinating
I found this thread extremely interesting. I hadn't heard the term autistic inertia before I came across the thread, but it describes my 3 adult autistic children extremely well, although they have it in different forms. The form experienced by the youngest of the 3 is not mentioned in the thread. He experienced it in his job, which he has now left. If he was focussing on a task, he did not like being told to switch to another task, to the point of shouting in anger and being sent outside for shouting. He would then have to come in to work on the Saturday to complete the tasks he didn't get done because he was sent outside and that also upset him.