Episode 27: High Anxiety and High Functioning Autism

Anxiety is a familiar feeling. How is anxiety different when you're on the spectrum struggle a bit extra with social interactions, attending entertainment or sporting events (even if it's something you want to do). That's the thing about nervous energy. It's in the nerves and the nerves pick up on EVERYTHING. Then you add in sensory sensitives to lights, sounds, crowds, smells and chaos... even a trip to the grocery store on a crowded afternoon can take a Neurodiverse family down a quiet isle to regroup. It always seems like the most difficult task during those moments is communicating with people in your group, but the silent shot in the dark is when your brain is ramping up into high alert mode and your creative thoughts lose all their energy and focus. Trying to come up with a gameday food plan, for example, becomes an usually daunting task. These are just a few of the things others can take for granted. Not us. These are decisions we had to agree to before we left the house. 

As we prepare for the NFL Superbowl later this afternoon, we talk about Anxiety impacts us and even more so for Blake. Learning how to talk yourself through your anxiety is a learned skill but it can be learned.