Anxiety and Autism – Toolkit, tips and online support links🧠🌈
At the start of this week I was able to attend a parent support anxiety workshop provided by BCP council to better support parents/carers in their local area. This prompted me to share our own view point on the tricky navigation of supporting a child with complex anxiety and autism (or any neurological difference).
Here are some useful autism-anxiety specific hints , tips and toolkit bits that we find useful in our home 🙂
Advice and tips
Below are some general tips and guidance from autistic people and professionals that you might want to try (taken from the National Autistic Society website.)
Understand the triggers
Keep a diary to help identify when you are anxious, and what might make it worse.
Monitor and manage your energy levels
Be aware of your energy levels after social interactions and other events/situations that you may find tiring or difficult. Recharge by taking time for yourself and doing things you enjoy.
Make the environment work
Make adaptations to the environment where possible, for example lower unnatural light if too harsh.
Try noise-cancelling headphones to reduce sensory overload.
Self-soothe
Use sensory tools and stimming to reduce anxiety levels, if that works for you.
Relaxation and calming activities
Try relaxation methods such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga and exercise.
Visual schedules
Visual schedules to help structure the day and reduce uncertainty within your day.
- a system for tracking mood and identifying triggers
- evidence-based tips on how to self-manage anxiety levels.
Counselling and therapy
You can go for counselling or therapy through your GP or privately. There are many types of therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), that can be effective for some autistic people if adapted appropriately.
Search our Autism Services Directory for details of counsellors and therapists in your area with experience of working with autistic people.
Other approaches that might help to reduce stress and anxiety include:
- mindfulness training
- exposure therapy – working with a professional to gradually expose someone to the thing that makes them anxious
- low arousal techniques – strategies that focus on the reduction of stress
- sensory integration training – strategies to help with sensory differences
Ideally, all treatments should be delivered by a professional with a good understanding of autism. Most importantly, to be accessible and effective, support should be adapted to a person’s specific needs. Visit our Seeking help with mental health page for more advice.
Here is a link to the National Autistic Society’s full web page. https://www.autism.org.uk/
Co-regulation
Meeting Simon Chadwick and world book day 2024.
Well, what a brilliant way to end our week. I was fortunate enough to gatecrash a brilliant day with author/illustrator Simon Chadwick in my usual volunteering spot at WG 🙂
Simon worked in advertising for fifteen years before setting up Ceratopia, a business that aimed to combine his talents for graphic design and cartoon illustration. That was over ten years ago now and during that time, he’s worked with many high street brands, visitor attractions and other design agencies.
He has illustrated almost thirty children’s picture books, and written some of them too. He also regularly visits Hampshire schools to talk about the topics covered by some of the books and to run workshops.
Obviously I was DELIGHTED to meet him AND shared a little about what we do here at Awesome Archie non profit. I also forced the poor man to have a selfie, which he graciously gave 😉
For world book day this year, we decided to dress as our favourite book characters or a mythical creature. OBVIOUSLY I knew immediately that I was going to be. A unicorn in honour of one of my favourite quotes…
I want to say a HUGE thankyou to the team at William Gilpin for being so amazing and inclusive. Happy world book day 2024!
And remember….
