Exposure Therapy Is Ineffective For Most Autistics
Especially with regards to sensory sensitivities and trauma
I can’t even with these psychologists
Every single assessment report I’ve read from every psychologist who has determined a child is Autistic includes in their recommendations Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and various forms of behaviour therapies.
(I’ve written extensively on the harms of ABA, so I won’t delve further into that pile of flaming — I mean, I won’t go into that here).
Many of the assessments which have made a diagnosis of autism also include co-occurring conditions such as ADHD, OCD, and anxiety. When a person is diagnosed with anxieties and phobias, guess what those psychologists fall back on yet again?
Good old-fashioned behaviourism. (Ugh). It’s like they’re one-trick ponies. (Sorry psychologists, I know there are lots of fantastic clinicians out there, but I grow weary).
Many clinicians recommend behavioural therapies such as graduated exposure (or systematic desensitization) for phobias, OCD, and sensory sensitivities.
Systematic desensitization is done in a safe, controlled environment wherein the patient is exposed to the fearful stimuli, beginning at the lowest tolerable level of the stimulus, then very gradually increasing in intensity.
For some (especially non-autistic folks) this may be highly beneficial and helpful. Psychologists really need to get themselves up to speed on current research, however, before recommending these approaches for Autistics.
Studies have demonstrated that the Autistic brain responds very differently to sensory stimuli when compared to neurotypical (NT) folks.
What seems to happen (in lay terms)
The amygdala — the fear centre of our brain — responds to aversive, unexpected, or threatening sensory stimuli in the environment. The amygdala’s job is to alert us of potential danger, so this is good.
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