Another glimpse into our life on the spectrum... This is buddy waiting for church to start on Easter Sunday. From the outside it could appear that he is disrespectfully playing electronics and listening to his headphones. In reality, these are coping mechanisms for him to deal with his anxiety and sensory issues. He is actually playing a game that helps with Neuro feedback and helps his brain stay calm and logical. The headphones are a tool that we have begged him for years to use in social settings to help block out some of the chaos. At one point during the meeting he was using my tweezers to pull arm hairs- it helps release some of his anxiety and gives him the sensory input that he needs. Rewind to the Sunday before when his ear buds were broken and he wouldn't take his headphones because he worries about people around him noticing them. While waiting for church to begin, he was about to go crazy as it got louder and louder with everyone talking in the chapel. At one point Brandt looked over at me and said he wished bishop would stand up to the microphone and tell everyone to just shut up. Couple that with the fact that his pants didn't feel right and were driving him crazy and we barely made it through the first part of the meeting before leaving for some quiet time and a change of clothes. He was able to get himself decompressed and calmed down enough to return to the chapel and finish out sacrament meeting as well as the next 2 hours of primary. It has been a long journey for him and us to be able to recognize when he is sensory overloaded and to be able to step out of the situation, get control, and come back. There is a constantly changing learning curve for all of us and we appreciate those around us who understand and support us in the process.
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