"Fear not,...I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Genesis 15:1

Anxiety and Obsessions

Everyone gets anxious sometimes. All of use at some point or another hyper-focus on something. But imagine this anxiety happening when you can't really find a logical explanation for it. Imagine obsessions that loop around in your brain over and over again. Some nonverbal and limited speaking individuals deal exactly with that. Max, discusses anxiety with me briefly below:

Some individuals manifest anxiety by getting more engrossed in their stim object and others start making noises, moving their hands, and some eventually do some kind of impulsive action or escape move. 
Obsessions are repetitive or ritualistic and obsessions can torment the individual.2 It can be saying a phrase and wanting you to complete it. Doing an action and waiting for you to comment on it (even if it is getting in trouble--the security of your response is what is often being sought after even if it means they get in trouble. There is comfort (or fun) in the predictable.)1

​
​"​I AM OBSESSED WITH STRAIGHT. I HATE MOST DISORDER. (I) HAVE FUN IN CLEAN."
-Kira, Age 17, California, USA

​"IT IS HIGHLY UNMANAGEABLE FOR SOME KIDS. AND FOR ME IT IS TRUE ACCELERATED BY ANYONE DOING THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT MY OCD SAYS."
​-Matteo, Age 15, California, USA

​Ideas to Help Decrease Anxiety and Obsessions:

1-Say calming words and phrases: "I can see you are trying," "Oops, no big deal, we all make mistakes," "It's ok, don't worry about it," "That must be frustrating when your hand doesn't obey you, here, let me help you," etc.

2-When having them communicate thoughts, start with one option so they get it correct. (see 'teaching' section).

3-Tell the individual the schedule or plan. This should not be a rote memorization or students can become obsessed with it and when it doesn't happen as planned, there is more obsession and anxiety. (There are a few individuals who you should not tell what is going to happen. Anticipation is what causes the anxiety verses the unknown)

4-Handing a fidget object or activity like basic stitching up and down if they have good motor skills (chronological age appropriate unless the individual has a comfort item already) can help the individual look at that and feel calmer.  

5-Be clear about expectations. With some individuals the first thing I tell them is this rule: "You must make mistakes--it is a no perfect zone--or else I will feel bad since I make mistakes." I have found a number of individuals calm down when I wrote this out in front of them. The moment they started getting anxious, I point to the rule and remind them mistakes are ok, it is ok to get an answer wrong, etc.

6-Be lighthearted, happy, and model being calm helps the individual be calm. The more up in the air we are, the easier they become up in the air.

7-Help stop obsessions before they happen. Once you know the obsessions you can intervene before they happen. If you know the triggers you can help the individual avoid them. However, somethings have to be learned to dealt with as are since the whole group can't always change to fit the individual, nor is it helpful. (Other times the whole group can't adjust)

8-Distract with cognitive learning 3 or having them think through it in discussions in as mentioned in the idea section of "impulsive actions" can also be effective in some cases. If these discussion becomes emotional, it can aggravate it. Therefore, don't discuss 'why' it is happening when it is happening.

9-Put language to the worry or obsessions and the help them use logic to calm themselves down.4

​"SOMETIMES I HAVE HARD TIMES WITH ANXIETY. SOMETIMES IT IS MUCH HARDER TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING. MY MOM TRIES SO HARD TO HELP ME MAKE LITTLE CHANGES TO IMPROVE MY SITUATION.  REALLY I LOVE HER AND HAVE HOPE TO NOTICE LIGHTER FEELINGS.  SOMETIMES I LOSE HOPE THAT I CAN HAVE NOT SO MANY TERRIBLE MELTDOWNS."
-Noah, Age 17, California  

---

References:

1-Mukhopadhyay, S. (2016) Developing Expressive Language in Verbal Students with Autism Using Rapid Prompting Method (pg. 20-23). Denver: Outskirts Press, Inc.
​2- Huebner, D. (2007) What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck (pg. 4). Washington DC: Magination Press.
3-Mukhopadhyay, S. (2008). Understanding Autism through Rapid Prompting Method (pg.216-218). Denver: Outskirts Press Inc.
4- Huebner, D. (2006). What to Do When You Worry Too Much (pg. 28). Washington DC: Magination Press.