Social Insights
A high school student who is diagnosed with autism sends e-mails every week or so with observations about her life and the lives of several friends with autism compared to other high school students in her school and family. One topic that is of great interest to this young lady is that of social interaction. Today’s podcast shares some of her thoughtful comments about her actions and reactions in various social situations.
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Social Skills, Personal Interaction, Communication, Quality of Life
This perceptive young lady diagnosed with autism wrote an interesting observation recently. She said, “I had this idea earlier today about why people with autism seem to be off in space somewhere.” She went on to say that, although she is an active participant in classes at school, she feels as if she is actually on the outside looking in. “Sort of like watching a reality show unfold in front of your eyes,” she said. “You can see yourself in the classes and in the hall, but, in reality, you are just observing from the outside.”
Several weeks ago, my friend sent a message saying she had been thinking about why it seems people with autism don’t seen interested in hanging out with other people. She said she realizes it may seem on the surface that she doesn’t pay attention to other people. “But,” she said, “I think that we (people with autism) tend to spend time doing our own thinking and planning. It is like we pick our own topics to think about instead of just talking for long times about things we might feel are irrelevant.”
She also mentioned that sometimes people think she doesn’t want to talk to them, when, actually, she sometimes has trouble figuring out who people are. My friend wrote, “When I see someone out of context, I seem to pause for at least 3-5 seconds before it hits me of who it is. I started to really think about this ‘recognition delay’ when my Spanish teacher tapped me on the shoulder while I waiting for the bus, I turned around and stood there for 5 seconds before I realized it was my Spanish teacher, Mr. Perez. I think he was wondering why I just stood there and stared at him, so, after the weekend was over I told him, just in case he was wondering.”
Each individual diagnosed with autism sees the world from different perspectives, but these observations certainly help shed light on the unique viewpoints of people functioning on this broad spectrum. We welcome input from any individual who views the world through the lens of autism. Just click on the comments button or send a message to talk@FAQautism.com.
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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