In my experiences as a
person with autism, I have found that there are certain areas and
situations that strike me as certain archetypes. No matter the
particular nuances of the situation, they ultimately fall into one of
these three: The Stronghold, the Throne Room, and the Wilderness.
Everyone, no matter if
they are on the autism spectrum or not, has a stronghold: a place
where they go to retreat, to get away from all of their troubles and
undo their stress for a time. For an autist, however, this
stronghold is of even more importance. The world around them has so
much more stress than a neurotypical's world, and a place where they
have total control of their
The Throne Room is an area
where an autist feels comfortable. This area need not be a
particular physical location, but it usually is. The important
thing, however, is that there is an air of acceptance; that they will
not be ridiculed or shunned for expressing themselves. A throne room
could then be a particular group of friends, or a topic of
conversation that the autist has expertise in.
Finally, there is the
wilderness; an alien land, both fascinating and frightening.
Neurotypicals can experience the wilderness as well, but for an
autist, it is a matter of everyday life; the sensory overstimulation
can be maddening at times. Keep this in mind when you talk to an
autist; they may not be consciously ignoring you, but simply trying
to make sense of the world around them.
Hopefully knowing more
about how the environments are seem to us will help neurotypicals
understand how to approach conversations, which will, in the end,
help everyone coexist in relative harmony.
