Autism and Obsessions, or are they Passions?
(Louise Page 2009)
Could what we, as parents, witness in our autistic children as
obsessions, really be the indicator of passions and innate talents?
Could these passionate interests become an area of expertise for the
autistic person who is now a child and soon to grow towards adulthood?
Should we discourage what appear to be obsessions by ‘training' for
reduced behaviours in these areas and hope to influence the child to
become more generalized (normalized) in their daily behaviours?
If we do aim to divert energies away from such passions, could we be
halting or stifling that serious endeavor of intrigue and a natural gift
towards nurturing a potential genius in a given ‘area' or natural
inclination of interests? If not genius in potential, perhaps a natural
progressive and intensely personal interest which could open up a field
of exploration (career wise?) in the future?
Could that
intrigue with lineated toys; the spinning top; curiosity with the shape
of things; what sounds things make; the feel of an object; the rhythm
‘read' in music; bugs in the garden; the weather patterns; the lure of
the sea; the patterns, colours and feel of paint on a canvas; the
beautiful pitch of a constantly practiced singing voice; relentlessly
digging holes in the backyard after the discovery of an intriguing
‘object' in the first hole dug; the repetitive plucking of the strings
of a violin........and so on..., be the beginning of an amazing future
in design, physics, writing music scores, entomology, meteorology, art,
opera, oceanography, archeology, concert violin and so on......?
Just as we should assist our autistic children with daily living,
educational, social, behavioural skills for example, to enable them to
achieve a quality, healthy, happy and safe life experience (serving to
enhance their important rightful place and acceptance in this world);
which could mean temporarily and momentarily diverting their attention
from those passionate interests to acquire or improve on such skills.
Passions are not a sign of bad behaviours or necessarily responding
anxiously and negatively to a stimulus. Though a retreat into a
passionate area of interest may be in response to stresses or anxiety; a
place of familiarity and comfort to escape unwanted, undesired or
overwhelming stimulus.
The
intensity of this retreat can be detrimental to the individual's wellbeing
if, for
example, the passion involves potentially
risky physical activity. One example of this, which I can use to
explain what I mean here is – an experience of a young autistic man,
whose passion is building, repairing and riding motorbikes. One day he
felt so sensorally overloaded with various stressors, that he jumped on
his motorbike and went flat-out down the local freeway; endangering his
life and that of others. Luckily he returned home safely. Fortunately
too, he realized that such an action was not the best choice of response
to his anxieties.
Another example, is where a young
autistic boy, who had a fascination with all things to do with planes
and helicopters, felt upset with those around him at school one day. So
upon hearing and seeing a large plane fly above him, he decided to
follow it – completely absorbed with its' sound and movement. He crossed
roads without looking for traffic and ended up in the next town.
Fortunately he stopped in his tracks, not moving, when it had gone out
of sight and sound. Also, and most fortunate of all, a kind passer-by
recognized his school uniform; phoned the school and the police, and
this young lad was returned to the safety of his school and relieved
mother.
Most passionate interests are usually safe in
nature and an incredibly important and intrinsic element in an autistic
person's life.
We should not confuse them (passions)
with 'poor' behaviours which need ‘rectifying' or dulling for what may
be considered ‘normalization'. Behaviours which may be deemed injurious,
unsafe or unhealthy, for example, need to be addressed with the
autistic person/child. Discovering the cause of the anxieties or
concerns which produce such responses/behaviours must be ascertained and
the appropriate assistance provided to the autistic person to reduce or
eliminate them, for the quality of life.
Healthy
passions can be nurtured along with providing a balanced life skill set
of conditions and experiences to assist our autistic children grow and
prosper in this sometimes busy, confusing, unforgiving and overwhelming
world.
