Aspie Anxiety in the Time of COVID 19
“…nearly half of those with ASD also have some sort of anxiety by adulthood.” Louise Bedrossian, 2015 Fear and Our Brains After our brains respond to fear there is […]
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“…nearly half of those with ASD also have some sort of anxiety by adulthood.” Louise Bedrossian, 2015 Fear and Our Brains After our brains respond to fear there is […]
“…nearly half of those with ASD also have some sort of anxiety by adulthood.” Louise Bedrossian, 2015
Fear and Our Brains
After our brains respond to fear there is a period of de-activation or calming down. In individuals on the Spectrum the initial response to fear results in less of an initial activation. Bedrossian states, “this suggests that people with ASD are slower to differentiate safety vs. danger.”
Brains, Fear and Anxiety
Put another way: Aspie’s brains develop differently. Neurotransmitters develop differently. Brains respond differently to certain cues. Because individuals on the Spectrum have some difficulty reading cues for fear and for safety this may lead to anxiety.
Aspies react differently
Aspie’s have difficulty perceiving social cues. Aspies experience sensory sensitivity. Aspies find change to be difficult. Enter the Pandemic! Picture yourself as an Aspie student: middle school,
high school, college level. Anxiety for Aspies might be triggered by: crowded places., loud sounds, smells, change in routing, changes that are part of everyday in life in school and college settings.student
And In the Time of COVID 19
Imagine that you are a student who has had a change in a learning environment due to the Pandemic. Imagine that you are a student who has had a change in living situation as well. Both of these can be anxiety producing especially for Aspies.
Consider the class format has changed, assignments are different, group learning has changed. Other anxiety producing triggers which include learning how to schedule one’s time that was previous scheduled by virtue of the learning environment: getting to a class, etc.
Additionally Aspies may or often experience anxiety around socially interacting with others: meeting with advisors, teachers/ professors, other student s and study groups.
We are Here to Help
Connect Therapies offers support in the form of individual therapy to learn coping strategies. We are here to help you lower anxiety during this time of change. We understand that changes in your daily routine, living and study situation and changes in interaction with others can cause anxiety.
I recently found a new resource that offers virtual support for Aspies and their families. Take a look : https://www.aane.org/
Contact Connect Therapies counselors at 970 286 0054
or via email: sally@connecttherapiesllc.com.
Or fill out the online contact form found under the Contact Us tab.
Filed Under: adult ADD, anxiety, ASD, Autism, COVID, natural supports, Pandemic, parent support, stess relief, Stress, therapy Tagged With: #anxiety, #Aspie, #autism, #Boulder, #college, #connecttherapies, #Highland, #learncoping, #onlineschool, #pagosa Springs, #remotelearning, #social anxiety, #telluride, ASD, coping
Anxiety is sometimes caused by our thoughts. Thoughts are not facts. It is a worthwhile exercise to STOP and ask, “Is this thought true?”
If you are feeling upset by your thoughts you might try this. Write down how you feel when you have this troubling thought. Some people have a tendency to write down more thoughts. Make sure you are using feeling words and not thinking words.
Feeling Words:
Angry, fearful, excited, disgusted, bewildered, crappy, disgusted, exhausted, emotional, guilty, hurt, lonely, confused, miserable, nervous, overpowered, pissed, etc.
Hopeful, happy, knowledgeable, loved, awesome, ambitious, brave, kind, empowered, sexy, valued, wise, wonderful, etc.
Thinking Words:
hope, prefer, wish, want, know, wonder, am worried that, I am, I can’t, I know, shouldn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t, won’t, no one, I’m not etc.
You can learn how to change your thoughts and change how you feel.
If a memory comes up in which you felt the way you are feeling today, write it down. Reflect on what helped you to calm down.
Was it a positive activity that helped to comfort you or perhaps you need to find new ways to find comfort or even to resolve feeling surrounding a traumatic memory?
Was it a negative activity that calmed you or brought you comfort and over time has become just a bad habit? There are ways to disconnect current behaviors from the trauma of the past. There are ways to disconnect that bridge. Once that bridge is broken there is a new freedom and ability to move forward into a new future.
If you would like help in lowering anxiety or even disconnecting the bridge to past trauma please contact us at Connect Therapies. 970 286 0054 call or text We are on several insurance panels and take RMHP Medicare and Medicaid. Let us help you live your best future.
Filed Under: anxiety, stess relief, trauma Tagged With: #anxiety, #Boulder, #Highland, #mental health colorado, #online therapy anxiety, #pagosa Springs, #telluride, #therapy colorado, colorado therapy, feeling words, feelings, habits, memory, therapy help, thoughts, trauma
Create. Have fun. Lower your heart rate. Raise the happy hormone levels (dopamine). Lower cortisol levels (many benefits). Look Happier. Use line, shape, color. Write, draw, collage, paint, embellish. Find a way to get clear. Reduce Stress. Find Calm. Manage Pain. These are all genuine benefits that may be had by participating in visual journaling! […]
Create. Have fun. Lower your heart rate. Raise the happy hormone levels (dopamine). Lower cortisol levels (many benefits). Look Happier.
Use line, shape, color. Write, draw, collage, paint, embellish.
Find a way to get clear. Reduce Stress. Find Calm. Manage Pain. These are all genuine benefits that may be had by participating in visual journaling!
Try writing, creating, drawing each day for at least 15 minutes. Try to set aside the same time every day. Spend the first 5 minutes jotting words, ideas, brief thoughts. Then add to these words in any format that begins to fill the page. There are no wrong answers. You can use your favorite pens, crayons, paint for mark making. You can cut and past from magazines, junk mail, old photos. Add embellishments that you can attach with glue or stitching. If the blank page has you stuck simply draw one line: any kind of line anywhere across the page. Add to this line. Take it from there....
Here are some suggestions for journal topics if you need a focus to guide you.
dreams
food
finances
goals
solitude
love
design
beauty
ugly
coincidence
rooms
weather
pleasure
pain
connection
color
routines
nature
sounds
change
Keeping a visual journal can become a daily practice. It might be that you just use it to help you through a particular time, as a means of centering, grounding or creating calm or to explore a theme.
If your journal brings up emotions and you feel you might gain from additional support Connect Therapies is here to support you. Give us a call. We offer sliding scale for private pay and due to this time of distancing, quarantine, unemployment and g change we are offering a substantial discount.
If you are having suicidal thoughts call or go to the nearest Crisis Center or call the National Suicide Crisis Line 800-273-8255.
Filed Under: art therapy, creativity, grounding, journal, routine, stess relief, visual journal, writing Tagged With: #anxiety, #artjournal, #arttherapy, #connecttherapies, #pages, #stressrelief, #visualjournal