Taming the Worry Monster

In Kindergarten we should’ve seen the early signs when he was afraid to get up from the automated flush toilet because the noise frightened him.  In first grade, he was punished for constantly munching on some cereal which he would hide in his pockets, (we later learned that the munching was for self soothing), he had to be forewarned about fire drills and put on his noise cancelling head phones.  At birthday parties at Chuck e Cheese, my boy was crawling under the table screaming when Chuck E came around and sang happy birthday.  It was embarassing and worrying for us that my little boy was crying when other kids were having fun… His life was a constant, unrelenting stream of problems all linked to his anxiety which we didn’t understand at that time.  He travelled everywhere with his security “blanket”- the Star Wars and GI Joe figures were cute, and quite normal, but these were replaced by a spatula which he carried everywhere, even on 20 hour flights to Asia where it (literally) never left his side.  God forbid he were to lose that spatula, so that humble spatula became as important as our passports, safeguarded by two very vigilant adults.

I first read this article a year ago, written by an adult with autism.  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/worrier-warrior/201404/first-person-perspective-anxiety-and-autism

Dr Catherine Alvarez is a mathematician, and founder of Math Wizard, student of psychology, blogger, and homeschooling mom of two great kids.  She discusses anxiety in Autism, where she explains that anxiety can be consuming and handicapping, preventing a person from learning or even trying.  Before all else, comes the Acceptance.  I wished someone had told me this twelve years ago, as there was too much pain, heartbreak and judgement that could have been avoided.