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Searching for scary image

NAS23822

Hi, my Daughter is 12 years old and was diagnosed with Autism at 4 years old.  She has developed  over the last 12 months or so a huge fear of Wonka and everything associated with it.  For the past two days she keeps searching for a certain image which is when the girl turns into a blueberry and this makes her shake. cry and even made her physically sick last night.  She keeps searching the images and when I ask her why she says her brain is telling her to do it.  Has anyone had any similar experiences as I am at a loss as to what to do.  Thank you 

  • I am sorry to hear you Daughter is distressed over this gathering experience and for this length of time too, plus, that you have been working so hard (doing your best: faced with such a difficult situation).

    Our rules mean members here must not offer medical advice.

    However, I signpost that the NHS advice to adults supporting children in such situations; makes it clear that it is correct to seek help from a healthcare professional (with my best wishes to you both):

    "

    1. If your child says that they are hearing voices or experiencing other types of hallucinations which they are finding confusing or worrying, it is important to get help, support and advice. Call NHS 111 mental health triage service as they can provide advice, support and guidance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Mental Health Triage Team has a wide range of skills, including on the phone brief psychological support and has access to key services and organisations that can offer mental health support to you and your child in your time of need. Just dial 111 or online at www.111.nhs.uk."

  • I think if you have something you can't process or quite figure out your brain keeps looping back to it. It wants to work it out.

    I have done this with distressing things because my subconscious knows there is something it wants to know. It is also a kind of self-induced repeated exposure therapy type thing, each time I encounter it it slowly becomes less of a problem.

    Also note that scary images release dopamine (along with adrenaline and cortisol). Which is related to reward. Autism is linked to insufficient dopamine.

    I realise most of my coping strategies were related to dopamine seeking activities.

    Your brain is clever and does things without you being fully in control.

  • Hi there. To me this sounds like an auditory hallucination. I’m not qualified to say but I was told by the psychologist I saw at the time when I was 16yrs old. I still suffer with these voices myself. I find the best thing to do is to distract with something completely different with whatever is disturbing. Maybe try and get her to listen to some music, or play some games or go out for a walk or something. I know it’s easier said than done and I hope your daughter will get over this soon. Keep telling her that turning into a blueberry is not possible IRL! Must admit that film isn’t my kind of film anyway and scared me as a kid too.