Anxiety

At the risk of responding too often, I wanted to add a further thought on this. Confidence building may be a way of reducing anxiety. Spiralling anxiety undermines self-confidence and self esteem. The idea of underlying episodes in memory that NTs acquire to offset the uncertainties that underpin anxieties seems to me a very productive theme to explore.

One of the striking effects of university or college courses for people on the spectrum is that the regime contains less of the peer criticism and bullying that can exist in school environments. It is reassuring to watch people come in to university with rigid rouitines and senstivities, which seem to resolve themselves with the different atmosphere, but also because of the opportunities for confidence building successes and adventures. While these hopes can still be dashed, I've seen a number of people on the spectrum acquiring confidence and self respect and growing with it.

Certainly my own anxiety problems were very destructive and consumed vast amounts of time going over and over sequences of highly improbable outcomes, reinforcing negative feelings. I've gradually pulled out of this, over years of experimentation, by building up self-confidence. Looking at this I am acquiring reference points to offset the anxieties.

So there may be possibilities here in giving children opportunities to shine as much as possible to offset the neagtives which otherwise fuel anxiety.

At the risk of responding too often, I wanted to add a further thought on this. Confidence building may be a way of reducing anxiety. Spiralling anxiety undermines self-confidence and self esteem. The idea of underlying episodes in memory that NTs acquire to offset the uncertainties that underpin anxieties seems to me a very productive theme to explore.

One of the striking effects of university or college courses for people on the spectrum is that the regime contains less of the peer criticism and bullying that can exist in school environments. It is reassuring to watch people come in to university with rigid rouitines and senstivities, which seem to resolve themselves with the different atmosphere, but also because of the opportunities for confidence building successes and adventures. While these hopes can still be dashed, I've seen a number of people on the spectrum acquiring confidence and self respect and growing with it.

Certainly my own anxiety problems were very destructive and consumed vast amounts of time going over and over sequences of highly improbable outcomes, reinforcing negative feelings. I've gradually pulled out of this, over years of experimentation, by building up self-confidence. Looking at this I am acquiring reference points to offset the anxieties.

So there may be possibilities here in giving children opportunities to shine as much as possible to offset the neagtives which otherwise fuel anxiety.