Types of Stress:
Types of Anxiety:
For autistics, the experience of stress and anxiety can be more pronounced and complex. Autistics often face unique stressors, such as sensory overload, social challenges, and difficulties in communication. These stressors can contribute to both acute and chronic stress. Additionally, anxiety is highly prevalent among autistic people, with studies suggesting that up to 40% of autistics may also have an anxiety disorder.
Why Are Autistic Individuals More Vulnerable to Stress and Anxiety?
NSF GRFP Award recipients get a welcome reception.
In our interconnected world, the concept of "social capital" often comes up when discussing community well-being, networking, and social support. But what exactly is social capital, and what does it have to do with Autism?
Social capital refers to the networks, relationships, and norms that facilitate cooperation and support among people within a community. It's about the trust, mutual understanding, and shared values that make it easier for people to work together and help each other out. Think of it as the "glue" that binds communities together, allowing them to function effectively and support their members.
Social capital can be broken down into three main types:
Bonding Social Capital: This involves strong ties between close-knit groups, like family members or close friends. It's the deep trust and support that comes from tight connections.
Bridging Social Capital: This type refers to connections between more diverse groups. For example, acquaintances from different backgrounds or communities who come together for a common purpose, like a local sports team or a neighborhood association.
Linking Social Capital: This is about relationships with institutions or people in positions of power, like schools, employers, or government agencies.
For autistics, social capital can have profound implications. Navigating social networks and building relationships can be more challenging due to differences in communication styles, sensory sensitivities, and social expectations. These differences can sometimes lead to social isolation, which can impact an autistic person’s access to social capital.
Research suggests that autistics often have less access to social capital, and autistic adults reported smaller social networks and fewer social supports. This limited social capital can affect various aspects of life, from employment opportunities to mental health and overall quality of life.
For many autistic people, traditional networking and social bonding activities can be stressful or inaccessible. Sensory overload in crowded environments, difficulties in interpreting social cues, or a lack of understanding from others can hinder the development of both bonding and bridging social capital.
However, social capital isn't just about quantity—it's also about quality and inclusivity. Building inclusive social capital means creating networks and communities where autistic individuals can thrive, contribute, and feel valued. It's about recognizing the unique strengths that autistic people bring to the table and ensuring that social networks are supportive and accommodating.
Inclusive practices, like sensory-friendly events, clear communication, and understanding different social needs, can help autistic individuals build meaningful relationships. Programs that promote autistic self-advocacy, mentorship, and peer support can also play a crucial role in enhancing social capital for autistic people.
For example, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy and peer support to build strong, supportive communities for autistic individuals. These efforts help in creating a more inclusive form of social capital where autistic voices are heard and valued.
To improve social capital for autistic individuals, it's essential to focus on both bonding and bridging capital. Encouraging inclusive communities that celebrate neurodiversity and providing platforms for autistic people to connect with others can help build stronger, more diverse networks.
One way to foster bridging capital is through community programs that bring together autistic and non-autistic individuals in shared activities and interests. This could be anything from art classes to technology meetups, where people can bond over common hobbies and learn from each other's experiences.
Kasperski, R. and Blau, I., 2023. Can an online mentoring social network assist students with intellectual disabilities or autism in coping with special needs and accumulating social capital?. Education and Information Technologies, 28(5), pp.6027-6047.
My latest article in Psychology Today
Disabled individuals face conflicting expectations about emotional expression. Gus Walz's story reveals the bias and challenges around being authentic.
I'm featured in an UN Article for International Literary Day on Sep 2. How cool is that!!
Alexithymia is a term used to describe individuals who have difficulty recognizing and articulating their emotions. This condition can lead to significant challenges in emotional expression and interpersonal relationships. Those with alexithymia often struggle to identify their own emotions and may have trouble describing them to others, which can hinder effective communication and emotional connection.
Interoception refers to the perception and awareness of internal bodily states. It involves the ability to sense and interpret physiological signals originating from within the body, such as hunger, thirst, heartbeat, temperature, respiration, and the need for bodily functions. Interoception is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and overall well-being as it allows an individual to respond appropriately to bodily needs and emotional states. This internal sensory system plays a significant role in emotional experiences and self-regulation by linking physical sensations with emotional responses.
And yes, both can co-exist in autism.
Autistics often exhibit atypical interoceptive awareness, which can be either heightened or diminished. This variance can lead to unique challenges, such as difficulty identifying states of discomfort or illness, or misinterpreting signals of emotional changes, which are critical for social interactions and personal health management.
For example, autistics might find it difficult to recognize a sensation of fullness to prevent overeating or to feel a racing heartbeat when anxious. Moreover, atypical interoceptive awareness can affect pain perception, complicating healthcare experiences. An injection might feel more painful than usual, or a lack of reaction to pain might make it appear to healthcare providers that there is no injury or less pain. Additionally, autistics might confuse a racing heartbeat resulting from exercise (a positive physical activity) with a racing heartbeat due to fear or anxiety, leading to difficulties in emotional and physical self-regulation.
Furthermore, atypical interoceptive awareness can result in challenges such as delayed toilet training. Recognizing the need for bodily functions like urination may be delayed, inconsistent or unclear, leading to practical and social difficulties like random incontinence even in adulthood.
From a neuroscience perspective, the insular cortex and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are critical regions involved in interoception. The insula integrates interoceptive signals with emotinal and cognitive processes, while the ACC is associated with the emotional experience of pain. In individuals with autism, atypical functioning in these brain areas can contribute to altered interoceptive processing and emotional awareness. For example, fMRI studies have shown differences in insula activation in response to interoceptive tasks in autism, which may underpin the atypical interoceptive awareness observed clinically.
Impaired interoceptive awareness can exacerbate the challenges faced by individuals with alexithymia, making it harder to connect emotional experiences with physiological responses. Consequently, addressing both alexithymia and interoception is crucial for enhancing emotional intelligence and overall well-being. Research indicates that improving interoceptive skills may offer a pathway to better emotional regulation and awareness, fostering improved interpersonal connections and emotional health.
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At the recent Paris Olympics - UC Berkeley's contingent of 59 Olympians (current students and alums) amassed 23 medals in nine different sports at the 2024 Summer Games. If UC Berkeley were a country, it would rank 12th in the overall medal count.
https://calbears.com/news/2024/8/13/golden-bears-tie-school-record-with-23-medals.aspx
Proud alum of UC Berkeley..... Such amazing years there.
