di Carolina Lawless
The word “autism” is likely to conjure very specific images in each person’s brain, often inspired by the behavior of people they know who suffer from this condition. We immediately think of people with extremely specific absorbing interests, difficulty in understanding social cues and forming relationships with others and unusual physical attitudes. However, the condition is a lot more complex than how it is generally portrayed in popular culture.
Autism is a condition that, despite its large diffusion, remains surprisingly mysterious. To this day, it is unclear exactly what causes it and why, and even its characteristics pose interesting questions due to the variations in intensity and in specifics.
After years and years of research, different theories have been put forth, but a satisfying conclusion has yet to be reached. Some believe that autism is caused entirely by one’s genetic makeup, others prefer the epigenetic theories that claim that external factors interfere with the individual’s genetic predisposition, in a way activating the condition.
In addition to its mysterious causes, autism appears fascinating to the average person because of its nature. What it consists of is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which involves atypical brain development. This means that an autistic person’s brain actually processes information differently than a neurotypical one, causing unexpected reactions to even the slightest stimulus. Their perception of said stimuli seems to be particularly connected to the actual grammatical root of the word: in Latin stimulus originally meant “sharp object” or “stinger”. Therefore, a visual or auditory or even tactile stimulus that may seem trivial to a neurotypical person can actually be perceived as dangerous and harmful to someone with autism. For example, certain lights or color combinations can completely take over an autistic person’s brain, and a simple jumper can cause them extreme discomfort or even physical pain.
Some believe that it is precisely this perception of constant danger that causes autistic people to behave the way they do. Repetitive and ritualistic actions, apparent fear of anything unpredictable, scarce communication appear to be defense and coping mechanisms driven by this constant state of paranoia.
Support for this theory can be found in one of the most famous and controversial books written on the matter: The Empty Fortress by Bruno Bettelheim. Despite some of his more questionable theories – for example, that the condition could be due to the autistic child’s mother being too cold and distant – Bettelheim offers a unique perspective on autism in general, mostly due to his unrepeatable experience as a holocaust survivor. In light of this event, the author was able to identify certain similarities between the behavior and attitude of his clinical patients with autism and prisoners in concentration camps. He explains that in the camp, the inmates lived in a constant state of fear, since even the slightest mistake could very well cost them their life. When walking around it was forbidden to step out of line even just with one’s eyes: observing and listening were prohibited. This resulted in the development of a practice that consisted in taking stealthy glances through one’s peripheral vision, to try to locate potential threats and gain awareness of what was happening in one’s surroundings. Similarly, an autistic person, who is always on the lookout for danger, finds it difficult to look directly at something, choosing sideward glances rather than direct eye contact when communicating with another person.
This is one of many theories, but it gives an original explanation to the questions that rise regarding the general attitude of an autistic person, from the way they carry themselves to their typical distant gaze. It may not explain everything about the condition and what causes it, but it does dive deeply into some of the behaviors that don’t usually get much recognition.
MINGOMagazine 