The AS person's commitment

The AS person's commitment

AS people show a strong sense of responsibility as soon as they embark on a task, whether it is a personal project or paid employment. Their dedication is then remarkable: they work tirelessly to achieve their goal, and their commitment in the workplace is often unequalled.

Social differences: strengths

● Authenticity: they generally express themselves without a filter, with disarming honesty.

● Active empathy: they feel other people's distress intensely and feel a need to ease it.

● A keen sense of responsibility: this empathy drives them to manage the emotional information they receive and commit to solving the problem.

These characteristics can sometimes complicate social interactions, because the way autistic people perceive and respond to emotions differs from that of allistic people.

A distinctive way for the brain to function

The autistic brain is distinguished by four main areas of difference:

1. Ways of thinking (logical, systemic, sometimes highly focused)

2. Social interactions (perception and processing of social information)

3. Emotional management (intensity and interpretation of emotions)

4. Sensory and motor perceptions

(hypersensitivities, hyposensitivities, needs for movement)

These traits are both strengths — which can lead to great creativity and perseverance — and vulnerabilities, particularly in the face of sensory and emotional overload.

Towards a scientific understanding of emotions

Researchers clearly distinguish emotions from thoughts and identify four basic emotions:

1. Joy: high energy and a pleasant feeling.

2. Sadness: reduced energy and an unpleasant feeling.

3. Anger: high energy and an unpleasant feeling.

4. Fear: high energy and an unpleasant feeling.

Each serves a vital function for our survival: signalling a need for attention, preparing the body to respond and directing us towards or against a given situation.

Awareness and self-control

Becoming aware of one's emotions is an indispensable step towards self-control. Beyond primary emotions, our soul and mind carry subtler energies, fundamental to any inner transformation. Yet the energies of fear, anger and desire tend to crystallise: until we learn to release them, we risk remaining prisoners of obstructive patterns.

Emotional intensity and management in the AS person

Emotions are often particularly intense for the autistic person. Interpreting these feelings can cause confusion, and their ‘digestion’ — that is, the time needed to manage them — can be lengthy. Their immediate expression is frequently stored in memory, to be processed later in a safe space.