Friday, May 3, 2019

WYR: Running Away for a Reason

http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/2019/04/running-away-autism-and-elopement.html

I'm going to be interested to see comments on this post.  This touches on a part of life I was never involved in.  I was never a wandering child.  My parents were spared the anxiety-inducing searches for me, because my comfort was indoors.  Away from the crawling bugs, biting mosquitoes, and the cold, clutching a favorite book in my own room, I was content.  Outside was not my friend. 

If it had been, though... if I was less sensitive to the brush of greenery, the chill of outdoor air, and the crawling of insects?  Perhaps I might have been a child that ran away. 

I'm curious to see what comments show up on this post, because it's such a common behavior.  I want to know if "escape and control of environment" is always the reason for wandering, or if there are complicating factors.  It's a people-related issue, so I'd guess there are complicating factors.  Still, if this is a major reason for wandering... that would make it a lot easier to improve everyone's lives.  Find what's distressing the autistic person, and change it.  Immediate effect: less distress and thus less wandering.  Surely everyone could agree that would be excellent.

As I was reading this article, I was reminded of a web game I played and reviewed years ago.  I no longer doubt that the ability to jump the playground fence and leave the area was put into the game on accident.  Rather, I'm surprised it wasn't more clearly marked.  Reading this post reminded me strongly of that experience.  That was what they were going for, no doubt... I simply didn't understand fully at the time.  

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