Autism, ADHD and the Environment

I read a thing today that came across my Facebook newsfeed. It was a series of people responding to the statement that if autism isn’t caused by environmental factors how come we didn’t see it in the past. The responses centred around how autistic people were obviously there but not identified; because when the world was quieter (less electrical noise, less bright lights, less crowded) autism is less noticeable. And I think for myself that is certainly true. Diversities like autism often only become diagnosed when they become disruptive to life, such as children finding school or the classroom overwhelming, or in my case difficulties in managing work.

I’d say my ADHD is the same as well – when there is less going on in the immediate environment it is far easier for me to focus on whatever task I have. I need a certain amount going on (just enough to keep some of my brain in check so it doesn’t wander off) but then if one extra thing happens it’s game over. My psychologist has sometimes asked if I can notice things like the feeling of fabric on my skin, the tags on clothes, etc. And I usually don’t, until one extra thing is added, like someone interrupting, and then I notice everything. All the sensations, all the noise, all the light, all the thoughts, all at once. I’ll often be shopping in the supermarket and going along quite fine, and then something happens and I start to notice *everything* and suddenly I feel a bit panicky and want to run out of there.

So part of managing my autism and ADHD is managing my environment. It’s a work in progress but I’ve made a few positive changes, like going shopping at a quieter time when possible, giving myself extra time in the mornings for getting ready for the day, and spending a few moments in the garden just to decompress.