In this episode, Dr. Gutstein attacks the myth that all persons with autism are the same.
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It seems almost outrageous that it is still a myth, that there is no personality, or they all have the same personality, so they are all this way, vs, as everyone having a different personality. I don’t know how that myth maintains. I don’t understand it.
I don’t think that people actually say that,. But it is the way they act.
Often you will go into, say a school, and look at their autism program. There is an assumption that eeryone with autism is going to benefit from the same style of teaching, or the same way of doing things. I hear that people with autism are that different. They are lumped together. Not as human beings with a neurological vulnerability that prevents them from obtaining certain experiences, but as some sort of disctinct sub species that all act this way, with the same motivations, and desires, and they all like to play with trains, etc. It’s too convenient. You don’t have to provide a personalized education or treatment for people. Everyone gets the same thing out of the manual if they have autism, It doesn’t matter what their needs or vulnerabilities are, where they are developmentally. You can justify giving everyone the same thing, Which is pretty weird. Then you mention personality, that everyone will have the same interests, and will like each other, and want to be with each other all the time. When people with ASD do form relationships it is because there is some compassion or understanding for one another. But they could have totally different temperments, interests. Some people with ASD are more active, some are introverts, some are more out there, some like to do things with their hands, some with their minds, etc. There is a range. I think that the problems tht they have is because of a lack of opportunity for growth, that those impairments cover up their individuality and personalities. We get to see when those impairments are no longer significant because of their growth. When they are able to grow, that’s finally where their personalities shine through. I think that’s the key.
When most people see someone with ASD what they are seeing is someone who is so overwhelmed by their environment, so threatened by change, by diversity, by the potential for growth that they are dominated by stability maintaining mode of operating. So that hides their personality. Everything in their world is judged by will it be disruptive, will it be overwhelming. What makes them look similiar is that are all in that incredibly defensive position, but that is not WHO they are as people. It is just how their brains have adapted to not being able to make sense of their world. To not feeling enough agency, feeling like they can’t influence things. So basically their true personality is hidden. Once we are able to help them move into a growth promoting mode, into growth seeking, a desire that they can have agency, desire that they can learn from their experience, they can understand and make better predictions about the future. They can succeed in more diverse environments. When they realize they don’t have to be afraid anymore, that is when their personalities come out. But most people never get to see that.
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