Meet My Autistic Brain Why the Autistic Brain Over-responds in Emotional Situations
Oct 8, 2024
Autistic individuals often struggle with overwhelming emotions due to the unique wiring of their brains. The amygdala plays a crucial role in detecting threats, leading to intense emotional reactions. Personal anecdotes reveal the impact of emotional hijack, where reactions may include freezing or rage. Strategies like mindfulness and journaling can help manage these responses. The discussion emphasizes responsibility, acceptance, and the need to destigmatize autism while acknowledging the challenge of emotional regulation.
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Amygdala Hijack Explains Emotional Overreactions
- The amygdala is a small temporal-lobe region that drives fight/flight responses and can 'hijack' the frontal lobe.
- When hijacked, reasoning fails and emotional responses become automatic and overwhelming.
Freeze During Critical Conversations
- The Autistic Woman describes freezing during a heated exchange where she couldn't speak.
- She felt a wall come down that shut off her frontal lobe at a critical moment in a close relationship.
Stunned By A False Accusation
- The Autistic Woman recalls being accused with 'you hate me' and becoming stunned and speechless.
- The moment required a response but she had no access to the mental resources to reply.