Time to change perception about the relationship of autism to change?

pietro_21 said:

There is far greater understanding to be gained about the range of autistic experience. Perhaps with an initial overview similar to pyschometric typologies (that we may have a preference for one thing/behaviour over another).

yep same wavelength -

before I replied to you I just put this in another message:

"I figure that if I grew up and lived with only autistic people then they would just be people - ok maybe observations and analysis would find subgroups - that's what people do.  

Still,  do sometimes wonder what that world would be like?

Maybe a better place :-)"

:-)

Absolutely. I always step it if I see this happening to others, but these do not seem to be widely held values.

Often I have been made to feel guilty or embarresed about my identity, a feeling of repression.I believe this is as a result of opression in the environments I have been in. A type of manipulative force in the background.

There is far greater understanding to be gained about the range of autistic experience. Perhaps with an initial overview similar to pyschometric typologies (that we may have a preference for one thing/behaviour over another). And so much scope withing the experience of each individual and how they are empowered to express themselves (when they are considered and treated as equal- in the workplace or society generally). There is space for everyone to communicate very few people are heard - this needs to change.

Not really but I've been herded, for creatures so famous for going their own way, cats are very good at herding others. Bt sometimes I've travelled as part of a pride

Thanks pietro_21 

We're on the same wavelength I believe.

Sensitivity and creativity are strengths and it is cruelly ironic that this correlate with vulnerability to increased attack.

I have recently learned to consider social behaviour both on a micro and macro level.  Your recommendation is that it be achieved on the macro level as I understand it.

Either ends of the spectrum societal change is often slow that is true -  there are so many threads in the pattern.  Finding the optimum ones to loosen and redress is hard - especially since access to them is culturally restricted.

On the other hand societal change can be rapid in critical times of crisis.  Who knows?

Change can be painful yes - here's to less pain and more gain!

Best Wishes

This is so well worded as to not really be a question.  Let's not pretend for a nano second there is not a problem.

Its how people see and relate to us. Specifically how those who do not want to relate to us have tried for so long to put people into little boxes. It has suited them to do this in order to self-acheive in society. Vain self important people who want to be seen by many others to be doing better things. 

It's easy to forget how historically people were enslaved or institutionalised for being seen to be different neurologically. We were all once oppressed and then took or were taken advantage of in someway.

But we are not living in prehistory, we are highly evolved and should be putting that awareness into prevention not repetition of those behaviours. So these boundaries which are being trampled on, need to be respected. Otherwise it is holding human development back. 

I have come to realise that sensitive and creative people are far stronger human beings. At the same time this puts them in the firing line because they have gifts everyone wants.

For change to work; It needs to be institututionally communicated accross industries to all of us. Because there are people who are ignorant everywhere.  And people will always avoid change where they can because it can be painful, so whatever happens it is proabbly going to be a slow process.

I think this is called "negativity bias" 190E(Taylor’s version) with noticing bad things more.  I've read that this is "hard wired" in our brain so we learn to appreciate threats more than rewards (eat too much poisonous food and the chances of learning again are zero - eat too much good food not so much of a problem to worry about...)   I have read that this can be more present for autistic people due to past adverse experiences, social challenges, and higher rates of anxiety or depression.  I guess a solution is being able to get less adverse experiences and social challenges?

Thanks ArchaeC   :-)

I think sometimes when change is needed as a good thing we see all the reasons ita bad becuase let’s say moving house or moving away from a person your brain is hardwired to remember the good times more or perhaps wirh some yours i wire to see the bad things more and your making a bad change seem good

TheCatWoman said:

I think the hardest thing to get ones head around is that the only constant is change

At all levels we are subject to the change of entropy every minute of every hour of every day our whole lives (the aging process for example), so it is really counterproductive to fight it - learn to find positives to look into, find ways to bring the best of what we knew before with us and embrace it.

It is a bit like a roller coaster ride, you can scream with excitement, wave your hands in the air and enjoy the thrill of it or you can cling on in fear and dread, hating every moment of the ride.

Both ways you still get to the end of the ride in exactly the same time but one is fun and exciting and one isn't. It is all a state of mind and unlocking the ability to find the fun in life is a game changer.

Thank you for summarising that Phased . Seeing how you and others feel about ‘resistance to change’ has been empowering. 

I think the hardest thing to get ones head around is that the only constant is change, whether thats imposed from outside, how our attitudes, like and dislikes change over time, to changes in the weather.

I dont' think it's only ND people who suffer from imposed change, everyone does, sometimes its good and sometimes not and sometimes it dosen't make much of an impact.

Just wanted to say thanks for your responses to this post pietro_21 ArchaeC TheCatWoman Expecto_Patronum 190E(Taylor’s version) Damojo 

I'm working my way through how poorly managed organisational changes at work impacted me (and the service the organisation provides) over many years.

As anyone who's been thro' this will perhaps appreciate going back over stressful experiences is itself stressful and this is not the first time I've had to do it.

Thanks all for spending the time to respond.

Your comments much appreciated.

If I may make my own precis of these?

pietro_21 said

people are trying to make sense of their own experience

ArchaeC said:

issue is unpredictability of things

“Fiercely independent” would describe me, although I can’t see how you get that from obstreperous. 

Thecatwoman said:

most people have change foisted upon them with little or no consultation and it adds to a general feeling of the world being out of control

"resistance to change" lable, is a power trip, think about the sorts of people and thier agendas who use this sort of thing? How often is this lable used to discriminate or punish people? Often people might be unaware of any changes made and then get discriminated against because of it.

190E(Taylor'sversion) said:

"as long as I have weeks or months or on rare occasions days notice can be ok"

Damojo said:

"My problem isn't with "change" per se, it's with "unpredictability". The one tends to lead to the other if it's not managed carefully."

"I think predictability is important for a monotropic brain. If I can only focus on one or two things, then I need everything else to happen predictably, so my focus is not diverted. If I cannot focus on what I need to focus on because my limited attention resources are being dragged to things that are happening in ways I did not expect, then I'll start to get overwhelmed and stressed really quickly. I can usually manage, but I'm not functioning nearly as well as I would like. I'm also probably starting to give off the "weirdo" vibe, as I haven't got the resources left to keep the mask in place."

Expecto_Patronum said:

"It's things being unpredictable that I really struggle with. Not knowing what to expect. Or just not making sense. If a change makes sense I'm far more able to manage it. Changes that don't make sense baffle and irritate me. I also do much better with a reason why. If I know why something is changing it's much easier. I do benefit from some processing time for change too, again I think because it lets me know what to expect."

Out of this

The clearest thread is about the need for predictability in autistic life.

Having the change make sense as being a positive one, understand why it is necessary and having enough time to process what is happening is critical.

Consultation and involvement in the change planning is critical for autistic people.

When change is not managed carefully it causes stress which can overwhelm an autistic person's capacity to manage to "keep their sh1t together".

What is called an autistic persons resistance to change is often a way of discriminating/punishing and bullying them. 

The solution to all this might be summed up in an assertion that:

When positive change is necessary for society and for individuals, autistic people thrive when involved in decision-making and given ample notice and time to adjust at their own pace.  

This assertion I would add does not only hold for autistic people.

Google comes up with this:

The assertion that positive change is essential for growth and that people thrive with involvement, sufficient time, and notice for adjustment aligns with principles of change management and psychology, highlighting the importance of participation and autonomy in successfully navigating new situations, fostering better outcomes for individuals and society. 

Google also comes up with this:

Autistic people act as regulators of societal change by bringing unique perspectives and needs that push for greater acceptance, inclusivity, and structural adjustments within society.

If only our collective voice could be listened to and respected!

(hehe - any experience of herding cats TheCatWoman )

Thanks again and best wishes :-)

Yeah like at the moment my housing want to move me at their timescale but I need at least 2 months notice if it’s going to mean moving jobs A so I can secure a new job and an my weekly budget is done that far ahead right Joe and a new job will mean a monthly budget again 

ArchaeC said:

I can’t see how you get that from obstreperous.

obstreperous: noisy and difficult to control

I don't think it's much of a stretch if you dial down the pejorative sense of "obstreperous". Fierce people can be noisy. Independent people can be difficult to control.

“Fiercely independent” would describe me, although I can’t see how you get that from obstreperous. 

I wasn’t noisy as a child although I was very disorganised in some aspects of my life, yet neat and precise in other areas.

ArchaeC said:

obstreperous

I love that word. I often read it as "fiercely independent".

TheCatWoman said:

I think a lot of change is for the sake of being seen to be doing something

Like when a company gets a new CEO who decides that what the company needs more than anything else is a new logo or a shorter name. Then pays himself (it's usually a "he") a big bonus for executing the rebranding so successfully.

It sounds like you are describing Capitalism.  Most of the issues are to do with inequality, people wanting more than other people. Not happy when they don have what they want all the time. Its not a safe world for people who are trying to make sense of their own experiences. The risk in civilised countries should be minimal, but the above is making everything turn on an axis.

With autism I think that preparing to go out is difficult, if there are added threats then it/they are avoided. Monotropism I have been reading about lately as its something I do a lot, putting almost all ones eggs in one basket, even if one way works is never good only in the short term.