Causes & Strategies

Causes & Strategies:

This presentation further examines root causes of anxiety in those with a diagnosis of ASD, and also looks at steps to take to start an individual on their anxiety management journey.

As outlined in the previous presentation on anxiety and change, change can illicit anxiety in individuals on the spectrum. Something as simple as changing a routine slightly can impact a child ͛ s ability to cope with their anxiety.

As with the vast majority of people with autism, sensory challenges play a part.. Sensory difficulties and anxiety have also been found to be r elated. It may be the case that if a person finds certain sensory things, e.g. loud noises particularly difficult, they may always be on ͚ high alert ͛ as they are worrying that there will be another loud sound. Certain environments may be anxiety provoking for a child if they gave sensory sensitivities, e.g. a loud and busy environment for someone whose hearing is sensitive

Certain environments may be anxiety provoking for a child if they have sensory sensitivities. e.g. a loud and busy environment for someone whose hearing is sensitive Take a look at this clip from our Social Skills App series…

Anxiety is also a challenge for people with autism in social situations.. Difficulties understanding social situations, social expectations making and maintaining social relationships can lead to anxiety also for some people on the spectrum For more information on anxiety and social skills, please see our ͚ Barriers to Social Advancement ͛ section in social skills.

How does anxiety in social situations manifest itself for people with autism.. This is not an exhaustive list. As each person is different, so too will be there triggers. Change, sensory disturbances and social situations are among th e most common triggers, but other triggers are also entirely possible. In order to fully understand your child and how their anxiety is triggered you will have to do some investigative work. Notice times when they appear more stressed, or if your child is overly withdrawn. Take note of things that happened before this time of increased stress, and soon a pattern will appear.

So, what can help to lessen anxiety in these situations … ?

While of course, every child is different, AND their ASD is different AND their anxiety is different, there are some things that may help.

Please note: The following information is most appropriate for children and individuals with mild levels of anxiety. While the information may help some children with higher levels, Clinical levels of anxiety will require professional help and guidance.

Step 1 is all about recognising the symptoms of stress, bot h physical and cognitive (thinking).

Recognising the physical symptoms of anxiety is the first step in addressing it. Recognising the physical symptoms of anxiety is the first step in addressing it. While it may seem an obvious step, individuals experiencing high levels o f anxiety are often unaware of the bodily symptoms, and are therefore unable to take steps to ad dress it. Often, individuals have spent years experiencing these symptoms without recognition, and this leads the feelings to become a normal part of their everyday life, as debilitating as that may be for them.

Recognising the physical symptoms can lead them to take action, and therefore it is the start point for any management training. When exploring how the individuals body reacts to anxiety and stress, it is vitally important to point out that each person experiences this differently. A visual way to explain this is to get the individual to ad d their symptoms to a body outline, for example, if they find that anxiety affects how fast their heart beats, they can draw an arrow to where their heart is, and write a note at the side of the arrow detailing this. When the individual has completed their body scan of anxiety symptoms, you can then complete the same process, and then compare and contrast the symptoms.

This will facilitate an open and honest conversation about the individual nature of anxiety, but also reassure the individual that they are not alone in t his emotion. Be mindful not to tell the child what their symptoms are, even if you are 100% certain. You can suggest symptoms and provide evidence for your suggestion, but it may take the individual time to comprehend what you are pointing out to them.

After figuring out what the individuals physical symptoms o f anxiety are, the next step is to recognise what causes or increases this feeling. Visual explanations are extremely helpful, and so the stress bucket can be an excellent aid. It is a good idea to actually take a bucket and add water to the bucket when the individual gives an idea of what causes them anxiety or stress. Going through an imaginary day, with a host of scenarios can demonstrate how easily a bucket can fill, and then overflow. You can then redo the exercise, and provide strategies for emptying the bucket before it overflows, to try to keep the individuals stress and anxiety levels at a manageable level.

Once you have discovered the stressors for the individual, the next step is to devise tactics and strategies which the person can use proactively to empty their anxiety bucket. These tactics will be your child ͛ s toolkit in their management of their anxiety. Continue to the next presentation in this series to further explore tactics and strategies for managing anxiety and stress. Continue to the next presentation to look further at tactics and strategies that can help.