My definition of autism is based on a perceptive brain associated with an internal collapse.
But what does internal collapse represent?
A difficult measurement of the body
Autistic people may not be aware of themselves in real time. This could manifest as suboptimal proprioception (the perception of the body in space), leading to difficulties with motor skills and a constant need to “measure” their body: autistic individuals may use movements (e.g., rocking, walking on tiptoes…) or “containments” (e.g., biting themselves, leaning against a wall…) to manage their body in space.
Interoception is also less present, resulting in internal sensations (feelings of hunger, thirst, cold, pain…) being less clearly perceived.
On top of this, mentalization (the integration of external stimuli such as sight or hearing, in connection with context and past experiences) is more difficult. This would lead to slower cognitive integration (processing delay) and more effortful attention (attention disorders).
However, once the information is integrated, I believe that analysis becomes easier and faster, especially since the person often has tree-like thinking (intuitive functioning). The absence of beliefs and prejudices limits unnecessary questions and overinterpretations (without criticizing the interpretative mode, which has its advantages, such as synthesis skills). But, since the learning mode doesn’t match the way autistic people function, this potential is not always visible. I will return to this in another article…
A limited interoception combined with less fluid mentalization would also explain difficulties in identifying emotions.
Increased external sensoriality
Due to a lack of self-awareness, external perception becomes more prominent — even overwhelming. This imbalance could explain the origin of hypersensitivity related to exteroception (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste), which is very common among autistic individuals. Indeed, autistic people tend to have their attention excessively focused on the external world. By redirecting this focus inward, overperception could be reduced.
Reinforcing the internal world would, in fact, reduce external hypersensoriality, improve motor skills, and allow for more fluid mentalization, ultimately leading to easier self- and environment-management.
Internal collapse is therefore, in my view, the key to supporting autistic individuals.
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