As a 44 yr old male who only got diagnosed 5.5 yrs ago, I encourage you to pursue the goal of writing a book. I'm the sort of person who would happily pay money for it. I believe most neurotypical people do their best to understand us but it's only people with ASD who can fully understand the condition which offers extreme difficulties but also extreme strengths & talents with typically less in the middle. The keyword being extreme or intense which can be advantageous but also a hinderance.
Thank you David, Suzie and Daemon 😊😊 It really does feel like living parallel to society. Thoughts and ideas in ‘my’ stream are so completely different from those in the ‘regular’ stream. I feel I am observing a play I am not part of, and at the same time I don’t want to fall into the easy trap of feeling sorry for myself, because I often realize the brilliant place my mind is, and the joy that I am able to experience from it. It warms my heart you responded so kindly to my comment. 🪴🌸
I know someone who has autism and a personality disorder with narcissistic traits. She uses her autism as the excuse when she is lashing out at others. Autism in itself doesn’t mean someone is self aware and taking responsibility for their behaviour.
Being on my own Autism journey and only being diagnosed at 40, i completely understand where Chris is coming from when he finds everything overwhelming when it comes to public spaces. I am also a nature seeker, I am more at home among the trees and sounds of nature than I am anywhere else. To finally see someone explain this in an easy to understand way is simply a breath of fresh air. Suddenly I don't feel so alone. Thank you
Trains are absolute hell for me. People talking loudly on the phone; people walking past who are wearing strong perfumes and aftershave; the lights in the carriages dimming and brightening according to the light outside; people brushing past me when I try to leave the train; and, of course, my favourite: every single carriage smelling of the on-train toilet. The joys of daily commute.
@@Alrightythen-es4gv Yeah thats one of the biggest issues with busses for me, they're way busier and they also don't tell you when your stop is so it makes me feel stressed. I always use a travel app on the bus
I cannot even work a job that requires me to commute via train or bus. Not unless i cater my schedule to the least busy hours and ask an employee for assistance. I cannot ride busy trains without disassociating. I can't hear or remember which stop is mine because my brain is so overloaded with information.
I'm the same. The thought of using any public transport literally makes me ill. It's too unreliable and crazymaking in the UK, so I'm saving up for a car.
Once or twice ive moved carriages so many times because of assorted dense perfumes/screaming kids/loud voices/body odour im worried ill end up driving the bloody thing
I think the discrimination is the worst. I am forced to mask who I am to fit in, to get jobs, to get friends. I use ear plugs, noise canceling headphones, but I will always be a freak to people. Do you disagree?
Seriously felt when he said about the market being an overstimulation. Somehow harder when you know it's coming. I wanted to walk away and I'm not even there.
I truly wish this full program was available outside of the UK. I’ve watched every clip multiple times already and would love to see the entire documentary.
I recently went from doing gardening therapy to doing a very strenuous training course involving hiking, mountain biking, canoeing and manual labour. Yet, I am way less stressed despite having sore muscles! Because I can walk to this place instead of getting the bus. I'd rather be physically tired than mentally tired
The sensory joy and comfort are wonderful. I marvel at things like dew drops on moss, the wind in trees, the patterns of waves, and my neurotypical friends and families just don't see it, but autistic friends do. For the bad stuff - I limit exposure, use ear plugs, sunglasses etc. It helps. I wouldn't change how I am, but I would change some social space design. I think it would benefit us all to have more sensory-friendly spaces and that there are things that impact non-autistic people too, it's just less obvious.
Same. :)x I'm much more in tune with the natural world and its rhythms than the human-made world and all its stresses and pressures. It's too fast for me.
I’m neurotypical, at least I think I am, and I love those things too; the sound and smell of the sea, bees humming among the flowers, looking at the clouds or the stars. In summer I often go cycling, and there is nothing I like better than cycling through the meadows and being completely on my own. It helped me tremendously after my son died, because I often couldn’t bear to be in the company of other people.
I got diagnosed Autistic @ 37, , growing up NT ( Neurotypical ) I had to learn to be okay with certain situations like a busy world and I remember my parents getting me my first Walkman that was it , I used / still use loud music to calm me in busy, loud situations. Everything is better and easier, when I am plugged into sound / music in my ears.. I hate shopping or traveling without being plugged in.. I also don’t like being in situations that are too quiet because sudden noises seem so loud , so even at home I use headphones to drown out noise.
I had absolutely no idea that the intense annoyance and overwhelming i feel when outside (around people) sounds are bombarding me was linked also to the intense pleasure and joy that I get from listening to music, or the sounds of walking through the woods on my own. If Neurotypical people don't get that joy from sound then I'll stay as I am, I have headphones for outside people!
I used to get headaches as a child when my mother walked us through perfume departments even briefly. I go to a small grocery store co-op, instead of a big store. I shop at a tiny hardware store, instead of big box stores. I get sensory joy from playing music, or hearing music in machinery, or listening to wildlife, but humans I tire of very quickly.
yes!! thats why i hate noise, but also i love the sound of the wind and rain and birds and all of nature and why i write poems about it. this is my experience in everyway. I freak out in supermarkets and towns and cities and artificial places. The sounds of nature are balenced. My worst sound is leaf blowers and chain saws. It makes me feel so overwhelmed its untrue. I need low sensory at home and around me.
I am autistic and a gardener and I like using the blowers but at the same time I am always anxious and nervous because I presume everyone is going to be as disturbed by the sound as me : D Its funny though loud traffic urgh, metal concert? Hell yeah!
leaf blowers 😞That noise permeates building, windows, and my body. I also love leaves and humus, and how leaves cover the ground and stay season to season. Leaf blowers are my enemy
I’m an illustrator who’s autistic; I hate sudden noises and certain textures in food and change in routine. I’m only 20 and an afab trans person and accepted I was autistic at 18 years old. My way of managing “everyday life” is by wearing headphones with my favourite music on, wearing my favourite clothes and having a to do list. I sometimes want to draw what everything feels like. And like Chris, going to a market creates mass sensory overload; the noise of lots of people shopping and the occasional yell of someone promoting their goods and the intense gathering of colour and the crowded area. It’s overwhelming but I love going to markets that have a stall with my special interests on; I love music especially collecting CDs so if I know a market has a music stall I will try and go to it :)
Aren't CDs a bit antiquated nowadays? The majority of people use streaming like Spotify for music nowadays and don't care about physical media in current year. It's a very hipster thing to do, I guess
@@unicorntomboy9736 yes but I love CDs for that reason. It makes it more exciting for me. Apparently, portable cd players are becoming more fashionable too
I hope this explanation will help people understand autistic children having meltdowns in supermarkets. As a parent of 2 autistic children. I remember the shame I felt as people tutted and commented while my youngest particularly, screamed and shouted in the shops. That was before we had a diagnosis of course.
Gee I can totally relate to this ... Supermarkets are a nightmare for me I can hear everyone and everything in any size room ... My sense of smell is mind blowing too ! I've had to move to the countryside because road noise where I lived was giving me migraines... woodlands are havens because the sounds are beautifully calming !.
I'm 26 and autistic. I am most sensitive to sound, but I suffer from chronic pain largely in response to my sensitivity to bright lights. It's so hard spending time with my non-autistic friends. They always want to take me to bright, noisy places that overwhelm my brain. I went to a busy restaurant yesterday for the first time since discovering I was autistic (I've always generally avoided them, so I haven't been to one in years) and I started to disassociate in the middle of my breakfast because I was so overwhelmed with the onslaught of noise. That being said, even with all my sensory pains, I feel bad for them for not being able to enjoy the world the same way I do. Its worth the pain. Especially when I'm out in nature. I visit my local state park every single weekend as long as it is sunny. I am well known in my area as someone who always wears headphones in public. It helps me drown out sensory pains with more pleasant sounds. But when I visit my local park, putting headphones on is out of the question. I need to hear the waves lapping along the shoreline, the leaves rustling in the trees, the birds cawing, the rabbits racing through the brush, etc. I feel so profoundly at peace when I am out in nature. I could spend hours out there with my sketchbook, drawing whatever catches my eye. When I manage to drag my allistic friends to the park with me, it's hard for me not to feel a twinge of pity. They wouldn't be so bored if they could see and hear all the beautiful things I was experiencing.
Can confirm. I once didn't leave the house for about a month. Not because I wanted, but because I had to due to the sensory input outside. The modern world isn't very friendly to the autistic experience, although I would argue, that it isn't very friendly to neurotypical people either.
I still am a mystery to myself. I was one of those people who got diagnosed with autism young-I was 2 years old when I was diagnosed. I am now 24. I haven’t had a real meltdown in a looooong time (it used to be worse when I was younger), and honestly, talking about masking and overstimulation is very relatable to me. When I was younger, I used to become overstimulated during parties and in crowds and rooms with little kids-I’ve learned to handle it a lot better than before. I used to be scared of the blender, hand dryer, or anything sudden-which has gotten better over the years, and I wouldn’t wear clothing that was itchy with a tag in the back. I have sensitivity issues in regards to people putting things in my ear or in my eyes. I didn’t like it when certain songs were on the radio that I did not like (much more of a rock and roll gal than pop). I think I was much more severe when it comes to public places when I was younger compared to now. I’ve been fine with the market relatively well. Never really have been overstimulated there. Surprisingly enough, I can handle some loud noises that I prefer just fine (I love rock concerts) and all that…
Hi, I’m an Occupational Therapy Student in my final year at University and I have a teaching session using a focus area. I chose young people aged 15-25 with ASD and transitioning into employment because there is a lot of stigma, lack of employment opportunities and support with modern adjustments. Would you consider giving me some of your time to answer some questions? I have ADHD and I have a child with ADHD and Autism, so this is super important that we get some information out there directly. If this would be ok? Id love to put a set of questions to you and see how you either felt gaining employment or how you still feel about it and how as professionals and society we could ensure the pay gaps and opportunities are there in equal amounts and in a way you do not need to suppress your own needs. Would you be interested in sharing your story?
thanks to the BBC for encouraging acceptance and educating the masses on autism. i was late diagnosed 5 years ago, when i was 32. i'm 37 now and have had to essentially relearn who i am. or rather, accept who i am. i've been self-employed 11 years and i'm a successful creative writer. i've also run 29 marathons. but somehow i couldn't walk down a busy high street without wanting to cry. the sounds, smells, unpredictability of people. contrasting signs / colours / fonts etc. i thought i was going mad. then slowly i started to piece together my life struggles - from when i was a young teenager, and it all became abundantly clear. the hyper fixations, the sensory intensity, the struggles with friendships / relationships / being misunderstood. i'm hoping this show underlines to people the importance of accepting invisible conditions. too many times has autism been portrayed as a children with learning difficulties. while they obviously have a place too, there are millions of people like me who are 'high functioning' and just left to get on with it. if you're autistic - i highly recommend 'adult with autism' podcast / youtube and private therapy if you can afford it, NHS wait list if you can't X
Its also worth noting that there's a certain smuggling-in of "defaultness" or "correctness" when it comes to what 'neurotypicals' experience or how they operate. What they call "blocking out" or "focus" some might call "situationally unaware" or even "lazy/oblivious." It isn't uncommon that this "blocking-out" actually works against people such as with public thefts or saftey issues. Basically, I'm sceptical that this 'oversensitivity' is even a flaw or fault given that if places and people weren't quite so horrible in the first place, would it even come-up?
I see your point but as an autistic person, who's thought a lot about this, I can tellyou it would still be a problem. Thunder storms can be painful. Certain clothing, for example wool or felt, can make my skin feel like it's burning. I get meltdowns from the heat in the summer. Obviously if people weren't always forcing us to eat or wear certain things or go certain places that would make life so much easier. However, we would still be disabled.
@@reeveharper6061 In those cases, perhaps you have a point of some kind, but I'm talking about most (and I hate even using this word but) 'mild' cases etc.
@@satyasyasatyasya5746 I usually think of it as being a difference in attention regulation which can be enabling in certain circumstances and disabling in others relative to a neurotypical person. Some places like supermarkets I find really difficult particularly when I'm tired, but give me something to research or a problem to solve and I can focus easily on that often to the point where I'm oblivious to everything else.
@Satyasya Satyasya uhm according to the health care workers who have assessed me my autism is "mild". I lead an independent life, I can drive and I get high grades and my autism is still always disabling to some degree, regardless of the people around me.
If 95% of people are a certain way, it IS the default, regardless of whether the other 5% are suffering from a defect or are experiencing the next stage in human evolution.
Thank you for discussing the topic of autistic overstimulation. Some of us are sensory-seeking, some are sensory-avoidant, but usually we are both at the same time in a unique combination in each individual. We are not a monolith.
I did chuckle at the quiet "ohh god" as he entered the market. The energy it takes to cross that line is underestimated by a lot of autistic people let alone neurotypical people...but what are we supposed to do?...live in a parallel world?...this is why we mask, to get on, to fit in, almost in denial of our true selves. Its like having a mobile phone where hidden apps drain the battery from 100% to 25 in 30 minutes and not knowing why
I experience sensory overload nearly everyday 😢 However, I don’t have Autism nor do I have ADHD. Although sensory overload is unbearable it is also a gift because we also feel more of the beautiful things. ❤
Both programmes were excellent. I didn't expect them to be. The BBC do love their anchormen, however Chris has done more, in my humble opinion, around autism than all his narrating over frolicking badgers. Nice one Chris and The Open University too.
What annoys me is that a market isn’t a natural environment for a human. Nature is natural and our heightened sensitivity is useful in this environment. Yet as usual it’s autistics who are wrong 🙄🙄🙄. I find that I can block things out more easily when I’m with someone…if I’m on my own I can’t cope with a busy shopping centre but if I take someone with me I’m ok.
@@Cholesterol-w1j you are clearly a troll, replying to other peoples comments with lazy insults instead of making an actual argument. hope you are mentally okay. wendy: dont let others bring you down, if you need to have a 'sensory break' then its nothing to be ashamed of, and its not your fault. i experience the same thing. just do what you need to do
I love the sound of waves and the feel of the sea as it was a lack of responsibility and being parentless out there, feeling all the sensory noises and knowing there is safety away from everything
I really love this program. It makes me feel so seen and understood which I don’t get a lot here😭 @3:10 he’s so real I literally love the comforting feeling I get when I’m in nature or near nature(?) i can’t describe it but the wind, sound of the trees, birds, etc make me so warm
This has been my experience ever since I can remember, specially smells and noises. Food textures is also a tricky one. I recently got a not Covid virus that made me lose my sense of smell and taste and I was surprised at how easier it was suddently to eat and not be bothered by certain sensations.
I'm autistic and I actually struggled following what the interviewer and interviewee were saying because of the background noises and movement and that was without the smells, lights and other sensory input that being there in real life would've caused.
Echolalia is the repeating of a noise or word, possibly phrase. To most people pointless, strange and out of context. That's if they don't understand how a person's autism affects them.
I have autism, i was having an awful time in school and had to come out. My special interests are very special to me and i feel hurt if anyone question them. Nature is a place that in my opinion, seems more tolerant of different neuro types than places like cities or other manmade places
Yes, it is...! I am not autistic, but the sound of an animal eating or of a bird grinding its bill, I find that highly enjoyable, though for me that may be because I know that it means that the animal is content. I've always loved the sound of rain, too. You don't have to be autistic for that, but if you think a little about what this lecturer just said about how someone who's autistic said that immensely enjoys the sound of the feet of geese on fresh snow, you can start to get a glimpse of what he meant.
I can relate so much to this. I love touch, smells of dirt and trees, the ocean, the sound of wind. I do think neurotypicals seem to be so numb to it. They also aren’t bothered by loud bass, repetitive sounds, high pitch sounds, etc.
I don't know if I am autistic. I have never been diagnosed but when you showed the way you see trees, it may me think how I see lines in everything (windows walls etc..) I just have to try and join them all up with a single line and have done so all my life. I thought everyone did this. I have never really had friends because I find it so stressful to have to be social situations (and yet I became a manager never really quite sure how I did this but it really took a toll on me and led to alcoholism. I have 5 autistic grandchildren. I am only half way through the first episode and had a mini melt down as I call them. I asked my dad if as a kid did I walk or run on my tippy toes all the time and he said yes I did. 3 of my grandchildren did this. I have always preferred books and my own company. Also I hate music especially bass noise it makes me feel like my head will explode.
Havent been diagnosed as ive chosen not to but im the same , going to busy places is fine for maybe 10 minutes then i just want to go home, i feel like i cant think and i panic about multiple situations that could happen and over think things . I love being away in nature, all my hobbies are focused in nature, i get a sense of peacefulness that i cant experience anywhere else a sort of euphoria where i ca 4:15 n feel i can finally breathe .
Perfume/aftershave feels like a punch in the face and I get really angry and need to remind myself that it isn't an assult. Also used to hardly eat as well because of textures and smells of food
I have not been diagnosed and so don't want to claim I am autistic, but believe I do exhibit some traits. I feel complete sensory sound overload at all times in public spaces, unless they are fairly empty, e.g. an extremely early morning café. Streets, buses, shops of every kind stress me out and I have to rush in and out as quick qs possibly to stop myself getting anxious and stressed. The only way I can enjoy public spaces is if alcohol or bit of a doob is involved (clubs, pubs, bars, etc), but because I am trying to blank out my surroundings I often get very drunk haha! I also feel extremely at ease in nature, the smells, sights and especially sounds all seem to come together into some sort of symphany and it almost feels like a delicate tune that finally allows myself to be at ease. Furthermore, I have realised throughout life I went from one extreme of being a trouble making daredevil child, to a social recluse and now am probably the most adept at being charasmatic, friendly and sociable of anyone I know, though I had to craft this identity and sort of fake it till I made it, I now feel at peace with this extrovert piece of myself. I think I've struggled a lot in my life with balancing the ADD characteristics and autistic aspects of my brain as at time they seem completely parallel to one another - afterall, how can I love to socialise whilst hating social spaces? I wish there were better facilities and benchmarks in place to identify and give us advice from an earlier age so I might not feel so different and alone as a 10-21 year old. I am now 80% comfortable with it as a 23 year old, but wish there were better insights for well-behaved, intelligent teens that quietly struggle as they are not deemed troublesome.
As a young naturalist who’s very much hoping to get a job in nature, and is currently trying to get an autism diagnosis, Chris for me is probably the kind of person I aspire to be- I met him at a bird watching event when I was a little kid, I think there’s an awkward looking picture of me with him somewhere (it’s evident that neither of us particularly like photos haha).
Yes iexperiences like this can be challenging and overloading, but t is also exciting and stimulating like going to a funfair. I go in for the experience now and then but avoid as a routine that overloads. You can choose to enjoy powerful sensations while avoiding those that totally overload.
Im slightly autistic but I also have sensory overload from sights, sounds, thoughts. Its not that I cant take it, its that all of this is just really taxing to my brain. I am always tired or on edge because of our capitalistic consumer world. I am very empathetic though. The saying that autists are sociopaths is wrong. Baseline is that I'm always so aware and busy with everything that I'm absolutely tired really quickly. Theres so much to think about, and you want to think about everything, but that is actually not a healthy thing to do. I work for max 20 hours a week and even though I am smart and talented, I really could not do more than 20 hours.
I believe the non autistic person hears and smells just fine - the difference may be the sounds and smells are expected so they are not irritating our senses. screaming and crying and bad smells bother most people
I’m deaf and I’m HFA and ADHD. Sensory is one thing that’s overload for me. Everyday outside in stores. Social. It just make me looking around too much. Always looking. Looking. Not just like can chill and rest. When I had episodes. I didn’t realize that I was hiding in small spaces where my girlfriend would find me. Few times I would hide in bath tub with lights off.. Eventually she’ll calm me down. Anyway I really wish I could able to hear sometimes you know. Like they said about hearing wind on trees. Hearing water running things like that.
I don’t eat anything at all (pasta with cheese, nuggets most of the time) and ended up anaemic bc of my sensory issues with foods and being a picky eater. 💀
I LOVE severe storms. Rainstorms windstorms and snowstorms. They scatter neurotypicals and the world becomes lovely. Earthquakes not so much. Earthquakes make neurotypicals scream even louder than usual.
I'm very easily startled by unexpected noises. I suspect that my grandma was also on the spectrum, and she was the same way. She had a really loud doorbell, and I remember hearing her yell from being startled when we would ring the bell.
Oh goodness I’m not autistic but I couldn’t stand the noise of the place. I do get a feeling of having to get out of such places. Going to the countryside is wonderful but going to a shopping mall is torture.
I get overwhelmed in crowded and noisy places to a degree where I stop seeing and hearing things that is obvious to everyone else. For example, I was waiting in a line with my boyfriend at the time outside of a shopping center. When we got home he said something about an ambulance. What ambulance? Apparently there was someone screaming and an ambulance that showed up right next to the line and I somehow filtered that out completely. But at the same time I felt that i could hear too much of everything around me. Its like tunnel vision but with hearing.
I am myself autistic, and I get overwhelmed when I have to focus on things that are around me in all directions and feel calmer if the things are in front of me. But then, I should also mention that one of my eyes is very poor in function, so that could have a part in the play.
I'm diagnosed autistic and think I must have an auditory processing disorder because I can't pick conversations out of the background noise or music, which is why I've never been keen on pubs and parties. Smells can sometimes get to me - although I like to eat fish, the smell of Tesco's fish counter can actually make me retch.
When I was in school, I often didn't eat lunch, because I thought the cafeteria food was gross. I remember nearly vomiting when I just smelled instant potatoes cooking.
What about someone who can go out into the world and be ok with everything except that they want to go home at a time due to mental and physical fatigue, but they notice that everyone else still has energy and wants to stay out longer, while I’m screaming in my head that I want to go back home. I often fantasize about having a sensory depravation room because I just want everything to go away, everything seems like too much and I’m exhausted and just want to rest. I’m not diagnosed with ASD but I’ve always wondered
Anyone else here freak out in wide open spaces like big fields with windmills or high places with no trees, voids, planes etc? Give me a fireplace or forest and I'll just sit there for days not caring about anything.
I'm on the spectrum (diagnosed in 1996). Sometimes, I feel it borders onto other illnesses. During queues, traffic, crowds, I become egocentric. I tell myself and close friends "I'm above this. This is beneath me. We're better than this". I think egoccentrism as I don't feel the need to manipulate others like marcissists do. I even think things like "this dull grey British weather is on par with these nobodys while a blue-skied Mediterranean climate would be more on par with myself".
I am autistic, I live in Chile, I am a professional, with specialized courses and I feel that this country is never going to give me a space to enhance my talents or anything...I want to have an opportunity, that someone sees potential in me and takes me out from this hole
The instrument with which we perceive also filters certain stimuli. To see Eternity in a grain of sand is not a handicap . Its there , the mystery of existence, whether we are cognitive of it or not and besides our spin or level of excitation. Being vanilla and masking is not the way to go...let your hair down....after all we are all on the Spectrum.
I wonder if it is the modern world that can be unnatural to humans who are sensitive? For instance, all the lights, sounds of traffic, adverts, signs and man made things trying to get your attention. But all the detail in a natural space will fill you up rather than aggravate you.
@@RioRavHi, can you explain what you mean by switching? I’m asking because to my memory my sensory experience was suppressed as a child (probably due to trauma) in my late 20’s I started to become hyper sensitive and with age it seems to just get stronger. I find it to be a blessing and also a ‘curse’ only depending on how I interact with the environment.
I wonder what effect, how much time children spend sitting down between four falls in "class rooms" being under-stimulated in their senses, has on them and their development?
I had no idea a non autistic person could blaock a huge amount of stimulation out. I thought they were just more able to deal with it. Maybe that is what is meant (?)
Chris, do you know any excellent Solicitors who deal with the Court of Protection and Judicial Re Judicial Reviews? Fighting for freedom for my Autistic Relative, with Autism myself … a challenge but I’m not giving up ✨⚖ All ideas welcome. And brilliant that you keep pushing forward regardless ⭐
This is why I listen to the musical genius of Thomas Bergersen (and his music production company Two Steps From Hell). TSFH has a youtube channel where you can listen to all his stuff. Miracles. Away With Your Fairies. Sun and Moon. Made of Air. Stronger Fater Braver. You're welcome.
Could Dr Luke Beard (the one in this video) contact me please about a man who has undiagnosed autism and William's syndrome kept as his father's slave in diabolical conditions all his life and now in his 50's. I am desperate to help but am hundreds of miles away and am kept out of the vacuum due to the father's coercive control. Father now insane and keeping son in his (father's - hoarding deathtrap). Thank you. R.
It also seems to be the case tat while one sense is stronger and results in overstimulation, another can possibly be weaker. I have very sensitive hearing and get overstimulated from lots of noise, but I also have no sense of smell. Why I think this has to do with my autism is because I can still taste just fine.
In my experience, I think Dr. Luke was wrong when he put the words into Chris's mouth, saying he was "seeking" the stimuli out in nature. It's just simply a better place to be if you can't filter shit out. Wouldn't you rather be in a comfortable environment where you don't have to work constantly to endure random sounds, lights, smells, etc? "I think what you're describing is a conscious effort of sensory seeking. If you identified something that soothes you gives you joy gives you comfort then you're then going to be hyperaware of that"... No. I am hyperaware of EVERYTHING and would simply prefer to be in an environment that isn't a hellscape, for obvious reasons. "Sensory Seeking" is different like the example he gave of sniffing the dog. That's something a person does, it's not just an environment they place themselves in... I wish I could watch this whole show. I'm trying to be polite here but Dr. Luke is simply wrong lol
He isn't wrong, I love going out to my woods with my dog as it is sensory seeking, the sounds are relaxing, the smells are different and I could sit there all day in quiet. Thay is sensory seeking. But so is having a heavy blanket on you for pressure, or listening to a type of music. It is a very personal thing to each individual. So to say that isn't sensory seeking is wrong.
Interesting, when in a place that you can hear everything outside and from neighbours either side of you , it has an affect mentally, and the longer it go's on the worst it gets ,and can affect you in many other ways. Tablets shouldn't be the answer, but neither should weed , or alcohol, tried for help , but seems people in autism fields , at least round me , dont understand the true affects it can have on a persons health. And just brush it off and say , your mentally unwell , which is totally wrong.
It’s a two edged sword. It seems like a contradiction. Loud sounds can be distressing to the same person who gets intense gratification from high pitched sound they make with their voice. This person taps diverse surfaces listening with their ear next to it for the sound in a sensory seeking behavior. Unfortunately there is a refusal to diagnose these precious children with ASD due to longer term funding implications. As children get older they have a right to know if they have autism, and be proud of how they are differently abled.
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I am 43, autistic, and feel completely invisible to society, yet I know I have talents. I am thinking of writing a book called “Invisible Me”. 😂
As a 44 yr old male who only got diagnosed 5.5 yrs ago, I encourage you to pursue the goal of writing a book. I'm the sort of person who would happily pay money for it. I believe most neurotypical people do their best to understand us but it's only people with ASD who can fully understand the condition which offers extreme difficulties but also extreme strengths & talents with typically less in the middle. The keyword being extreme or intense which can be advantageous but also a hinderance.
I would read it
ill buy it
Thank you David, Suzie and Daemon 😊😊
It really does feel like living parallel to society. Thoughts and ideas in ‘my’ stream are so completely different from those in the ‘regular’ stream. I feel I am observing a play I am not part of, and at the same time I don’t want to fall into the easy trap of feeling sorry for myself, because I often realize the brilliant place my mind is, and the joy that I am able to experience from it.
It warms my heart you responded so kindly to my comment. 🪴🌸
I feel the same, and mostly, that makes me feel free. Detached. But write that book!
It's always good to see folks help remove the stigma associated with autism!
WHY is there stigma??? We Autistics are great people. Everyone should love us.
@@Autism_ForeverNo, not necessarily. There are good and bad people, whether they are autistic or not.
@@therespectedlex9794exactly
I know someone who has autism and a personality disorder with narcissistic traits. She uses her autism as the excuse when she is lashing out at others. Autism in itself doesn’t mean someone is self aware and taking responsibility for their behaviour.
@@Autism_Forever A lot of people seem to find it difficult to deal with people who are different from themselves.
Being on my own Autism journey and only being diagnosed at 40, i completely understand where Chris is coming from when he finds everything overwhelming when it comes to public spaces. I am also a nature seeker, I am more at home among the trees and sounds of nature than I am anywhere else. To finally see someone explain this in an easy to understand way is simply a breath of fresh air. Suddenly I don't feel so alone. Thank you
Same. Diagnosed at 42.
😊 Grew up rural, loved nature from little on.
At the age of 40+, it’s worth considering whether an assessment for Autism is necessary? Asking for myself, Thanks
Trains are absolute hell for me. People talking loudly on the phone; people walking past who are wearing strong perfumes and aftershave; the lights in the carriages dimming and brightening according to the light outside; people brushing past me when I try to leave the train; and, of course, my favourite: every single carriage smelling of the on-train toilet. The joys of daily commute.
I prefer trains over the bus!
@@Alrightythen-es4gv Yeah thats one of the biggest issues with busses for me, they're way busier and they also don't tell you when your stop is so it makes me feel stressed. I always use a travel app on the bus
I cannot even work a job that requires me to commute via train or bus. Not unless i cater my schedule to the least busy hours and ask an employee for assistance. I cannot ride busy trains without disassociating. I can't hear or remember which stop is mine because my brain is so overloaded with information.
I'm the same. The thought of using any public transport literally makes me ill. It's too unreliable and crazymaking in the UK, so I'm saving up for a car.
Once or twice ive moved carriages so many times because of assorted dense perfumes/screaming kids/loud voices/body odour im worried ill end up driving the bloody thing
This is spot on!!! Sensory distress and sensory joy! Nailed it!
I think the discrimination is the worst. I am forced to mask who I am to fit in, to get jobs, to get friends. I use ear plugs, noise canceling headphones, but I will always be a freak to people. Do you disagree?
Seriously felt when he said about the market being an overstimulation. Somehow harder when you know it's coming. I wanted to walk away and I'm not even there.
I truly wish this full program was available outside of the UK. I’ve watched every clip multiple times already and would love to see the entire documentary.
I recently went from doing gardening therapy to doing a very strenuous training course involving hiking, mountain biking, canoeing and manual labour. Yet, I am way less stressed despite having sore muscles! Because I can walk to this place instead of getting the bus. I'd rather be physically tired than mentally tired
@@wlj344it dosent work outside the UK...
Would using a VPN not allow you to view the series ?
Is not in Netflix or Discovery Chanel Plus?
@@ryansta Yes
The sensory joy and comfort are wonderful. I marvel at things like dew drops on moss, the wind in trees, the patterns of waves, and my neurotypical friends and families just don't see it, but autistic friends do. For the bad stuff - I limit exposure, use ear plugs, sunglasses etc. It helps. I wouldn't change how I am, but I would change some social space design. I think it would benefit us all to have more sensory-friendly spaces and that there are things that impact non-autistic people too, it's just less obvious.
the hyper fixation of intricate details is why i'm a poet and creative writer :) i hope you are coping well!
Same. :)x
I'm much more in tune with the natural world and its rhythms than the human-made world and all its stresses and pressures. It's too fast for me.
I’m neurotypical, at least I think I am, and I love those things too; the sound and smell of the sea, bees humming among the flowers, looking at the clouds or the stars.
In summer I often go cycling, and there is nothing I like better than cycling through the meadows and being completely on my own. It helped me tremendously after my son died, because I often couldn’t bear to be in the company of other people.
This is pretty accurate. We are aware of everything all the time.
Diseased
@@Cholesterol-w1jfeels like it
I got diagnosed Autistic @ 37, , growing up NT ( Neurotypical ) I had to learn to be okay with certain situations like a busy world and I remember my parents getting me my first Walkman that was it , I used / still use loud music to calm me in busy, loud situations. Everything is better and easier, when I am plugged into sound / music in my ears.. I hate shopping or traveling without being plugged in.. I also don’t like being in situations that are too quiet because sudden noises seem so loud , so even at home I use headphones to drown out noise.
I had absolutely no idea that the intense annoyance and overwhelming i feel when outside (around people) sounds are bombarding me was linked also to the intense pleasure and joy that I get from listening to music, or the sounds of walking through the woods on my own.
If Neurotypical people don't get that joy from sound then I'll stay as I am, I have headphones for outside people!
I used to get headaches as a child when my mother walked us through perfume departments even briefly. I go to a small grocery store co-op, instead of a big store. I shop at a tiny hardware store, instead of big box stores. I get sensory joy from playing music, or hearing music in machinery, or listening to wildlife, but humans I tire of very quickly.
yes!! thats why i hate noise, but also i love the sound of the wind and rain and birds and all of nature and why i write poems about it. this is my experience in everyway. I freak out in supermarkets and towns and cities and artificial places. The sounds of nature are balenced. My worst sound is leaf blowers and chain saws. It makes me feel so overwhelmed its untrue. I need low sensory at home and around me.
Can I read some of your poems anywhere on the web? Thank you!
I am autistic and a gardener and I like using the blowers but at the same time I am always anxious and nervous because I presume everyone is going to be as disturbed by the sound as me : D Its funny though loud traffic urgh, metal concert? Hell yeah!
leaf blowers 😞That noise permeates building, windows, and my body. I also love leaves and humus, and how leaves cover the ground and stay season to season. Leaf blowers are my enemy
I’m an illustrator who’s autistic; I hate sudden noises and certain textures in food and change in routine. I’m only 20 and an afab trans person and accepted I was autistic at 18 years old. My way of managing “everyday life” is by wearing headphones with my favourite music on, wearing my favourite clothes and having a to do list. I sometimes want to draw what everything feels like. And like Chris, going to a market creates mass sensory overload; the noise of lots of people shopping and the occasional yell of someone promoting their goods and the intense gathering of colour and the crowded area. It’s overwhelming but I love going to markets that have a stall with my special interests on; I love music especially collecting CDs so if I know a market has a music stall I will try and go to it :)
Aren't CDs a bit antiquated nowadays? The majority of people use streaming like Spotify for music nowadays and don't care about physical media in current year.
It's a very hipster thing to do, I guess
@@unicorntomboy9736 yes but I love CDs for that reason. It makes it more exciting for me. Apparently, portable cd players are becoming more fashionable too
@@doodlenoodlex Well if you like them, then fine good for you and more power to you
@@unicorntomboy9736 damn, cds described as antiques. I don't own any cds but I still buy vinyl.
i'm a creative writer with autism and the same issues! thanks for making me feel less alone
I hope this explanation will help people understand autistic children having meltdowns in supermarkets. As a parent of 2 autistic children. I remember the shame I felt as people tutted and commented while my youngest particularly, screamed and shouted in the shops. That was before we had a diagnosis of course.
Understanding and supporting individuals on the spectrum is a step towards creating a more inclusive and empathetic world. Keep up the great work!
Chris Packham is doing for Autism what Steven Fry has done for Depression and Bipolar disorder what an incredible person!
Gee I can totally relate to this ...
Supermarkets are a nightmare for me I can hear everyone and everything in any size room ...
My sense of smell is mind blowing too !
I've had to move to the countryside because road noise where I lived was giving me migraines...
woodlands are havens because the sounds are beautifully calming !.
I love the sound of water. Waterfalls, rivers, waves against the shore. It’s very nice.
I'm 26 and autistic. I am most sensitive to sound, but I suffer from chronic pain largely in response to my sensitivity to bright lights.
It's so hard spending time with my non-autistic friends. They always want to take me to bright, noisy places that overwhelm my brain. I went to a busy restaurant yesterday for the first time since discovering I was autistic (I've always generally avoided them, so I haven't been to one in years) and I started to disassociate in the middle of my breakfast because I was so overwhelmed with the onslaught of noise.
That being said, even with all my sensory pains, I feel bad for them for not being able to enjoy the world the same way I do. Its worth the pain. Especially when I'm out in nature. I visit my local state park every single weekend as long as it is sunny. I am well known in my area as someone who always wears headphones in public. It helps me drown out sensory pains with more pleasant sounds. But when I visit my local park, putting headphones on is out of the question. I need to hear the waves lapping along the shoreline, the leaves rustling in the trees, the birds cawing, the rabbits racing through the brush, etc. I feel so profoundly at peace when I am out in nature. I could spend hours out there with my sketchbook, drawing whatever catches my eye. When I manage to drag my allistic friends to the park with me, it's hard for me not to feel a twinge of pity. They wouldn't be so bored if they could see and hear all the beautiful things I was experiencing.
Can confirm. I once didn't leave the house for about a month. Not because I wanted, but because I had to due to the sensory input outside. The modern world isn't very friendly to the autistic experience, although I would argue, that it isn't very friendly to neurotypical people either.
I still am a mystery to myself.
I was one of those people who got diagnosed with autism young-I was 2 years old when I was diagnosed. I am now 24.
I haven’t had a real meltdown in a looooong time (it used to be worse when I was younger), and honestly, talking about masking and overstimulation is very relatable to me.
When I was younger, I used to become overstimulated during parties and in crowds and rooms with little kids-I’ve learned to handle it a lot better than before. I used to be scared of the blender, hand dryer, or anything sudden-which has gotten better over the years, and I wouldn’t wear clothing that was itchy with a tag in the back. I have sensitivity issues in regards to people putting things in my ear or in my eyes. I didn’t like it when certain songs were on the radio that I did not like (much more of a rock and roll gal than pop). I think I was much more severe when it comes to public places when I was younger compared to now.
I’ve been fine with the market relatively well. Never really have been overstimulated there.
Surprisingly enough, I can handle some loud noises that I prefer just fine (I love rock concerts) and all that…
Hi, I’m an Occupational Therapy Student in my final year at University and I have a teaching session using a focus area. I chose young people aged 15-25 with ASD and transitioning into employment because there is a lot of stigma, lack of employment opportunities and support with modern adjustments. Would you consider giving me some of your time to answer some questions? I have ADHD and I have a child with ADHD and Autism, so this is super important that we get some information out there directly. If this would be ok? Id love to put a set of questions to you and see how you either felt gaining employment or how you still feel about it and how as professionals and society we could ensure the pay gaps and opportunities are there in equal amounts and in a way you do not need to suppress your own needs. Would you be interested in sharing your story?
More needs to be done to support autistic individuals who have endured for many years without a formal diagnosis.
thanks to the BBC for encouraging acceptance and educating the masses on autism. i was late diagnosed 5 years ago, when i was 32. i'm 37 now and have had to essentially relearn who i am. or rather, accept who i am. i've been self-employed 11 years and i'm a successful creative writer. i've also run 29 marathons. but somehow i couldn't walk down a busy high street without wanting to cry. the sounds, smells, unpredictability of people. contrasting signs / colours / fonts etc. i thought i was going mad. then slowly i started to piece together my life struggles - from when i was a young teenager, and it all became abundantly clear. the hyper fixations, the sensory intensity, the struggles with friendships / relationships / being misunderstood. i'm hoping this show underlines to people the importance of accepting invisible conditions. too many times has autism been portrayed as a children with learning difficulties. while they obviously have a place too, there are millions of people like me who are 'high functioning' and just left to get on with it. if you're autistic - i highly recommend 'adult with autism' podcast / youtube and private therapy if you can afford it, NHS wait list if you can't X
Its also worth noting that there's a certain smuggling-in of "defaultness" or "correctness" when it comes to what 'neurotypicals' experience or how they operate. What they call "blocking out" or "focus" some might call "situationally unaware" or even "lazy/oblivious." It isn't uncommon that this "blocking-out" actually works against people such as with public thefts or saftey issues.
Basically, I'm sceptical that this 'oversensitivity' is even a flaw or fault given that if places and people weren't quite so horrible in the first place, would it even come-up?
I see your point but as an autistic person, who's thought a lot about this, I can tellyou it would still be a problem.
Thunder storms can be painful. Certain clothing, for example wool or felt, can make my skin feel like it's burning.
I get meltdowns from the heat in the summer.
Obviously if people weren't always forcing us to eat or wear certain things or go certain places that would make life so much easier. However, we would still be disabled.
@@reeveharper6061 In those cases, perhaps you have a point of some kind, but I'm talking about most (and I hate even using this word but) 'mild' cases etc.
@@satyasyasatyasya5746 I usually think of it as being a difference in attention regulation which can be enabling in certain circumstances and disabling in others relative to a neurotypical person. Some places like supermarkets I find really difficult particularly when I'm tired, but give me something to research or a problem to solve and I can focus easily on that often to the point where I'm oblivious to everything else.
@Satyasya Satyasya uhm according to the health care workers who have assessed me my autism is "mild". I lead an independent life, I can drive and I get high grades and my autism is still always disabling to some degree, regardless of the people around me.
If 95% of people are a certain way, it IS the default, regardless of whether the other 5% are suffering from a defect or are experiencing the next stage in human evolution.
Thank you for discussing the topic of autistic overstimulation. Some of us are sensory-seeking, some are sensory-avoidant, but usually we are both at the same time in a unique combination in each individual. We are not a monolith.
I did chuckle at the quiet "ohh god" as he entered the market. The energy it takes to cross that line is underestimated by a lot of autistic people let alone neurotypical people...but what are we supposed to do?...live in a parallel world?...this is why we mask, to get on, to fit in, almost in denial of our true selves. Its like having a mobile phone where hidden apps drain the battery from 100% to 25 in 30 minutes and not knowing why
Such an Amazing show... It's a pity I can only find snippets on TH-cam...
I experience sensory overload nearly everyday 😢
However, I don’t have Autism nor do I have ADHD. Although sensory overload is unbearable it is also a gift because we also feel more of the beautiful things. ❤
Both programmes were excellent. I didn't expect them to be. The BBC do love their anchormen, however Chris has done more, in my humble opinion, around autism than all his narrating over frolicking badgers. Nice one Chris and The Open University too.
I'm autistic
i wish people would do a show like this for ADHD
but i'm really glad they have done for Autism
What annoys me is that a market isn’t a natural environment for a human. Nature is natural and our heightened sensitivity is useful in this environment. Yet as usual it’s autistics who are wrong 🙄🙄🙄. I find that I can block things out more easily when I’m with someone…if I’m on my own I can’t cope with a busy shopping centre but if I take someone with me I’m ok.
This completely explains how I feel. I need an absolute sensory break after doing my groceries or shopping.
Lazy
@@Cholesterol-w1j you are clearly a troll, replying to other peoples comments with lazy insults instead of making an actual argument. hope you are mentally okay. wendy: dont let others bring you down, if you need to have a 'sensory break' then its nothing to be ashamed of, and its not your fault. i experience the same thing. just do what you need to do
I love the sound of waves and the feel of the sea as it was a lack of responsibility and being parentless out there, feeling all the sensory noises and knowing there is safety away from everything
Always knew I liked this guy. Now I know why!
I really love this program. It makes me feel so seen and understood which I don’t get a lot here😭 @3:10 he’s so real I literally love the comforting feeling I get when I’m in nature or near nature(?) i can’t describe it but the wind, sound of the trees, birds, etc make me so warm
I am autistic , but do have really good senses and I am only 10 years old , at least I’m unique and from me from living a good life 😊❤.
im autistic aswell, your attitude is great, remember that you are fantastic and dont ever let other people bring you down
This has been my experience ever since I can remember, specially smells and noises. Food textures is also a tricky one. I recently got a not Covid virus that made me lose my sense of smell and taste and I was surprised at how easier it was suddently to eat and not be bothered by certain sensations.
I'm autistic and I actually struggled following what the interviewer and interviewee were saying because of the background noises and movement and that was without the smells, lights and other sensory input that being there in real life would've caused.
He explained very well but could have also mentioned how some auties make noise to block out other noises. Echolalia feeds into this.
Echolalia is the repeating of a noise or word, possibly phrase. To most people pointless, strange and out of context. That's if they don't understand how a person's autism affects them.
His words about acceptance are highly welcomed.
I have autism, i was having an awful time in school and had to come out. My special interests are very special to me and i feel hurt if anyone question them. Nature is a place that in my opinion, seems more tolerant of different neuro types than places like cities or other manmade places
Yes that's why my grandfather was advised in 19920 s to but a smallholding what were in today
This is fascinating.
Thank you
Yes, it is...! I am not autistic, but the sound of an animal eating or of a bird grinding its bill, I find that highly enjoyable, though for me that may be because I know that it means that the animal is content. I've always loved the sound of rain, too. You don't have to be autistic for that, but if you think a little about what this lecturer just said about how someone who's autistic said that immensely enjoys the sound of the feet of geese on fresh snow, you can start to get a glimpse of what he meant.
I can relate so much to this. I love touch, smells of dirt and trees, the ocean, the sound of wind. I do think neurotypicals seem to be so numb to it. They also aren’t bothered by loud bass, repetitive sounds, high pitch sounds, etc.
I felt an immense sense of relief when the supermarket sounds stopped like holy crap... literally like a smoke detector finally shutting up
I don't know if I am autistic. I have never been diagnosed but when you showed the way you see trees, it may me think how I see lines in everything (windows walls etc..) I just have to try and join them all up with a single line and have done so all my life. I thought everyone did this. I have never really had friends because I find it so stressful to have to be social situations (and yet I became a manager never really quite sure how I did this but it really took a toll on me and led to alcoholism. I have 5 autistic grandchildren. I am only half way through the first episode and had a mini melt down as I call them. I asked my dad if as a kid did I walk or run on my tippy toes all the time and he said yes I did. 3 of my grandchildren did this. I have always preferred books and my own company. Also I hate music especially bass noise it makes me feel like my head will explode.
Havent been diagnosed as ive chosen not to but im the same , going to busy places is fine for maybe 10 minutes then i just want to go home, i feel like i cant think and i panic about multiple situations that could happen and over think things . I love being away in nature, all my hobbies are focused in nature, i get a sense of peacefulness that i cant experience anywhere else a sort of euphoria where i ca 4:15 n feel i can finally breathe .
I have a hypersensitivity to sound, Live next to loud ratchet neighbors and end up moving back with my parents because of it.
Perfume/aftershave feels like a punch in the face and I get really angry and need to remind myself that it isn't an assult.
Also used to hardly eat as well because of textures and smells of food
I have not been diagnosed and so don't want to claim I am autistic, but believe I do exhibit some traits.
I feel complete sensory sound overload at all times in public spaces, unless they are fairly empty, e.g. an extremely early morning café. Streets, buses, shops of every kind stress me out and I have to rush in and out as quick qs possibly to stop myself getting anxious and stressed. The only way I can enjoy public spaces is if alcohol or bit of a doob is involved (clubs, pubs, bars, etc), but because I am trying to blank out my surroundings I often get very drunk haha!
I also feel extremely at ease in nature, the smells, sights and especially sounds all seem to come together into some sort of symphany and it almost feels like a delicate tune that finally allows myself to be at ease.
Furthermore, I have realised throughout life I went from one extreme of being a trouble making daredevil child, to a social recluse and now am probably the most adept at being charasmatic, friendly and sociable of anyone I know, though I had to craft this identity and sort of fake it till I made it, I now feel at peace with this extrovert piece of myself.
I think I've struggled a lot in my life with balancing the ADD characteristics and autistic aspects of my brain as at time they seem completely parallel to one another - afterall, how can I love to socialise whilst hating social spaces?
I wish there were better facilities and benchmarks in place to identify and give us advice from an earlier age so I might not feel so different and alone as a 10-21 year old. I am now 80% comfortable with it as a 23 year old, but wish there were better insights for well-behaved, intelligent teens that quietly struggle as they are not deemed troublesome.
As a young naturalist who’s very much hoping to get a job in nature, and is currently trying to get an autism diagnosis, Chris for me is probably the kind of person I aspire to be- I met him at a bird watching event when I was a little kid, I think there’s an awkward looking picture of me with him somewhere (it’s evident that neither of us particularly like photos haha).
Yes iexperiences like this can be challenging and overloading, but t is also exciting and stimulating like going to a funfair. I go in for the experience now and then but avoid as a routine that overloads. You can choose to enjoy powerful sensations while avoiding those that totally overload.
Im slightly autistic but I also have sensory overload from sights, sounds, thoughts. Its not that I cant take it, its that all of this is just really taxing to my brain. I am always tired or on edge because of our capitalistic consumer world.
I am very empathetic though. The saying that autists are sociopaths is wrong.
Baseline is that I'm always so aware and busy with everything that I'm absolutely tired really quickly.
Theres so much to think about, and you want to think about everything, but that is actually not a healthy thing to do.
I work for max 20 hours a week and even though I am smart and talented, I really could not do more than 20 hours.
It's because this world is man made and not for us
This is same for ADHD.. It is sometimes so hard to tell them apart.. (sigh)
I believe the non autistic person hears and smells just fine - the difference may be the sounds and smells are expected so they are not irritating our senses. screaming and crying and bad smells bother most people
People think I am insane when I say I don't like to eat. I don't like to sleep either. I just wish that people understood and could be kind about it.
I’m deaf and I’m HFA and ADHD. Sensory is one thing that’s overload for me. Everyday outside in stores. Social. It just make me looking around too much. Always looking. Looking. Not just like can chill and rest. When I had episodes. I didn’t realize that I was hiding in small spaces where my girlfriend would find me. Few times I would hide in bath tub with lights off.. Eventually she’ll calm me down. Anyway I really wish I could able to hear sometimes you know. Like they said about hearing wind on trees. Hearing water running things like that.
I wouldn’t even be able to hear the conversation in that environment.
It's crazy how differently people experience the same world
Yes and when you think we all see the same
Im so glad he mentioned sniffing the dog! I personally love the smell of my dog but don't like the smell of other peoples dogs.
man I wish I could watch this show in Australia. :(
I don’t eat anything at all (pasta with cheese, nuggets most of the time) and ended up anaemic bc of my sensory issues with foods and being a picky eater. 💀
I LOVE severe storms. Rainstorms windstorms and snowstorms. They scatter neurotypicals and the world becomes lovely. Earthquakes not so much. Earthquakes make neurotypicals scream even louder than usual.
I'm very easily startled by unexpected noises. I suspect that my grandma was also on the spectrum, and she was the same way. She had a really loud doorbell, and I remember hearing her yell from being startled when we would ring the bell.
Oh goodness I’m not autistic but I couldn’t stand the noise of the place. I do get a feeling of having to get out of such places.
Going to the countryside is wonderful but going to a shopping mall is torture.
I get overwhelmed in crowded and noisy places to a degree where I stop seeing and hearing things that is obvious to everyone else. For example, I was waiting in a line with my boyfriend at the time outside of a shopping center. When we got home he said something about an ambulance. What ambulance? Apparently there was someone screaming and an ambulance that showed up right next to the line and I somehow filtered that out completely. But at the same time I felt that i could hear too much of everything around me. Its like tunnel vision but with hearing.
I am myself autistic, and I get overwhelmed when I have to focus on things that are around me in all directions and feel calmer if the things are in front of me. But then, I should also mention that one of my eyes is very poor in function, so that could have a part in the play.
I'm diagnosed autistic and think I must have an auditory processing disorder because I can't pick conversations out of the background noise or music, which is why I've never been keen on pubs and parties. Smells can sometimes get to me - although I like to eat fish, the smell of Tesco's fish counter can actually make me retch.
When I was in school, I often didn't eat lunch, because I thought the cafeteria food was gross. I remember nearly vomiting when I just smelled instant potatoes cooking.
What about someone who can go out into the world and be ok with everything except that they want to go home at a time due to mental and physical fatigue, but they notice that everyone else still has energy and wants to stay out longer, while I’m screaming in my head that I want to go back home. I often fantasize about having a sensory depravation room because I just want everything to go away, everything seems like too much and I’m exhausted and just want to rest. I’m not diagnosed with ASD but I’ve always wondered
Really interesting, thank you
I was diagnosed autistic , when at age (5) I did have some hearing tests and sensory seems not that difficult to me from other people that don’t like
Anyone else here freak out in wide open spaces like big fields with windmills or high places with no trees, voids, planes etc? Give me a fireplace or forest and I'll just sit there for days not caring about anything.
Where is the full episode please
I'm on the spectrum (diagnosed in 1996). Sometimes, I feel it borders onto other illnesses. During queues, traffic, crowds, I become egocentric. I tell myself and close friends "I'm above this. This is beneath me. We're better than this". I think egoccentrism as I don't feel the need to manipulate others like marcissists do. I even think things like "this dull grey British weather is on par with these nobodys while a blue-skied Mediterranean climate would be more on par with myself".
Yes I have fybromyalgia because if the autism heds more feeling there
I am autistic, I live in Chile, I am a professional, with specialized courses and I feel that this country is never going to give me a space to enhance my talents or anything...I want to have an opportunity, that someone sees potential in me and takes me out from this hole
The instrument with which we perceive also filters certain stimuli.
To see Eternity in a grain of sand is not a handicap . Its there , the mystery of existence, whether we are cognitive of it or not and besides our spin or level of excitation.
Being vanilla and masking is not the way to go...let your hair down....after all we are all on the Spectrum.
I would be in panic mode in that environment
I definitely experience both. I thought that was common.
I find the difference between natural sensory experiences and artifical ones radically different.
One is pleasurable the other is not.
I wonder if it is the modern world that can be unnatural to humans who are sensitive? For instance, all the lights, sounds of traffic, adverts, signs and man made things trying to get your attention. But all the detail in a natural space will fill you up rather than aggravate you.
I'm autistic and I'm not hypersensitive to any senses as far as I'm aware
It's a spectrum, some are in fact hyposensitive, there can also be switching.
@@RioRavHi, can you explain what you mean by switching? I’m asking because to my memory my sensory experience was suppressed as a child (probably due to trauma) in my late 20’s I started to become hyper sensitive and with age it seems to just get stronger. I find it to be a blessing and also a ‘curse’ only depending on how I interact with the environment.
I wonder what effect, how much time children spend sitting down between four falls in "class rooms" being under-stimulated in their senses, has on them and their development?
I just discovered that I have many of the neurodiversity traits and exploring more.
Is there a way to watch this series in Canada? I feel it's important but I can't find a way to watch it or buy it.
Same question!
I had no idea a non autistic person could blaock a huge amount of stimulation out. I thought they were just more able to deal with it. Maybe that is what is meant (?)
Chris, do you know any excellent Solicitors who deal with the Court of Protection and Judicial Re Judicial Reviews? Fighting for freedom for my Autistic Relative, with Autism myself … a challenge but I’m not giving up ✨⚖ All ideas welcome. And brilliant that you keep pushing forward regardless ⭐
It's making me sick. I absolutely despise being autistic. With every fibre of my being. I hate being in pain 😭
Do you have fybromyalgia pain hypomobility?
This is why I listen to the musical genius of Thomas Bergersen (and his music production company Two Steps From Hell).
TSFH has a youtube channel where you can listen to all his stuff.
Miracles. Away With Your Fairies. Sun and Moon. Made of Air. Stronger Fater Braver.
You're welcome.
Could Dr Luke Beard (the one in this video) contact me please about a man who has undiagnosed autism and William's syndrome kept as his father's slave in diabolical conditions all his life and now in his 50's. I am desperate to help but am hundreds of miles away and am kept out of the vacuum due to the father's coercive control. Father now insane and keeping son in his (father's - hoarding deathtrap).
Thank you. R.
I suggest you try and contact him through Sheffield Uni
I have lived with autism for 43 years
The prosaic world, mundane & chaste of attitude or temperament, has so little room for the vast poetry of the uncertain.
It also seems to be the case tat while one sense is stronger and results in overstimulation, another can possibly be weaker. I have very sensitive hearing and get overstimulated from lots of noise, but I also have no sense of smell. Why I think this has to do with my autism is because I can still taste just fine.
In my experience, I think Dr. Luke was wrong when he put the words into Chris's mouth, saying he was "seeking" the stimuli out in nature. It's just simply a better place to be if you can't filter shit out. Wouldn't you rather be in a comfortable environment where you don't have to work constantly to endure random sounds, lights, smells, etc? "I think what you're describing is a conscious effort of sensory seeking. If you identified something that soothes you gives you joy gives you comfort then you're then going to be hyperaware of that"... No. I am hyperaware of EVERYTHING and would simply prefer to be in an environment that isn't a hellscape, for obvious reasons. "Sensory Seeking" is different like the example he gave of sniffing the dog. That's something a person does, it's not just an environment they place themselves in... I wish I could watch this whole show. I'm trying to be polite here but Dr. Luke is simply wrong lol
Chris didn’t disagree.
@@camellia8625 If I was him in this situation I also would not speak up
He isn't wrong, I love going out to my woods with my dog as it is sensory seeking, the sounds are relaxing, the smells are different and I could sit there all day in quiet. Thay is sensory seeking. But so is having a heavy blanket on you for pressure, or listening to a type of music. It is a very personal thing to each individual. So to say that isn't sensory seeking is wrong.
Folks interested in understanding more about this topic, research polyvagal theory and somatic experiencing.
Interesting, when in a place that you can hear everything outside and from neighbours either side of you , it has an affect mentally, and the longer it go's on the worst it gets ,and can affect you in many other ways. Tablets shouldn't be the answer, but neither should weed , or alcohol, tried for help , but seems people in autism fields , at least round me , dont understand the true affects it can have on a persons health. And just brush it off and say , your mentally unwell , which is totally wrong.
Very informative
It’s a two edged sword. It seems like a contradiction. Loud sounds can be distressing to the same person who gets intense gratification from high pitched sound they make with their voice. This person taps diverse surfaces listening with their ear next to it for the sound in a sensory seeking behavior. Unfortunately there is a refusal to diagnose these precious children with ASD due to longer term funding implications. As children get older they have a right to know if they have autism, and be proud of how they are differently abled.
I had issue listening to the end of this when the music was starting to