Tag: monotropism

  • Words: Inspired By The Experience Of Being Monotropic

    Words: Inspired By The Experience Of Being Monotropic

    Monotropism is a neurodiversity-affirming theory of autism (Murray et al., 2005). Autistic /ADHD/ AuDHD people are more likely to be monotropic(Garau et al., 2023). Monotropic people have an interest-based nervous system. This means they focus more of their attention resources on fewer things at any one time compared to other people who may be polytropic.…

  • Gestalt Language Processing, Monotropism & Young People

    Gestalt Language Processing, Monotropism & Young People

    Monotropic (Autistic/ ADHD) people have fewer tunnels of interest to process and use their energy than polytropic people (non-Autistic/ADHD). Polytropic people can more easily split their processing and energy resources across multiple channels than monotropic people, this may explain some key differences in communication people experience. It may initially sound a bit conflicting to discuss…

  • Monotropic Interests and Looping Thoughts

    Monotropic Interests and Looping Thoughts

    The theory of monotropism was developed by Murray, Lawson and Lesser in their article, Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism (2005). ​ Monotropism is increasingly considered to be the underlying principle behind autism and is becoming more widely recognised, especially within autistic and neurodivergent communities. Fergus Murray, in their article Me and Monotropism:…

  • Map of Monotropic Experiences

    Map of Monotropic Experiences

    Monotropism seeks to explain Autism in terms of attention distribution and interests.  OSF Preprints | Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Monotropism in Autistic and Non-Autistic People: The Monotropism Questionnaire This map highlights 20 common aspects of my personal monotropic experiences. How many do you experience? Where are you on the map…

  • Autistic Burnout – Supporting Young People At Home & School

    Autistic Burnout – Supporting Young People At Home & School

    Being autistic is not an illness or a disorder in itself, but being autistic can have an impact on a person’s mental and physical health. This is due to the often unmet needs of living in a world that is generally designed for the well-being of people who are not autistic. In addition, three-quarters of…

  • Neurodivergent Base-Camp

    Neurodivergent Base-Camp

    Explaining what it is like to be autistic to non-autistic people can be difficult. To quote Dawn Prince-Hughes (Cultural Autism Studies at Yale), being autistic is like “being human without the skin”. This can be difficult for non-autistic people to understand. Seeing and feeling the blank looks and Double Empathy Problem (Milton, 2012) at a…

  • Autistic Burnout, Bodymind and Soul

    Autistic Burnout, Bodymind and Soul

    Kieran Rose (2018) describes autistic burnout as a ‘crash where you keep on crashing’. This resonates deeply. I have experienced cycles of burnout throughout my life due to systemic unmet needs living as an autistic person in a world primarily designed for non-autistic people. The double empathy problem (Milton, 2012) is real, and as explained…

  • Quantum Neuro-Holographic Thoughts from a Liminal Space

    Quantum Neuro-Holographic Thoughts from a Liminal Space

    “Quantumness tends to prosper in very cold systems that are carefully isolated rather than part of a tepid soup awash with other activity.” (Lewton, T. 2024) This may be a weird take, but … I think we could use the idea of quantumness and reframe it around an interpretation of marginalised groups living on the edges of…

  • Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies

    Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies

    Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies By Helen Edgar, Autistic Realms, June 2024. 1. Be Kind Take time to listen and be with people in meaningful ways to help bridge the Double Empathy Problem (Milton, 2012). Be embodied and listen not only to people’s words but also to their bodies and sensory systems. Be responsive to people’s…

  • Neuroqueer Collaborative Work Flow Spaces

    Neuroqueer Collaborative Work Flow Spaces

    A behind-the-scenes look into the collaborative workflow between Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms) and Ryan Boren (Stimpunks) as we write about Neuroqueer Learning Spaces (NQLS) and continue our neuroqueering journeys, connecting with awe-inspiring people and discovering new ideas to explore along the way. Liminal Spaces Ryan Boren (Stimpunks) and I are neuroqueering ourselves and the spaces we…

  • An unlearing and relearning journey.

    An unlearing and relearning journey.

    Hello! I have never done an introduction post for Autistic Realms, so after 18 months and some one kindly nominating me for the Positive Role Model Award as part of the National Diversity Awards and receiving so much lovely feedback, I thought I would share a bit about myself! I am Helen Edgar, late identified…

  • Interpreting your Monotropism Questionnaire Results

    Interpreting your Monotropism Questionnaire Results

    The theory of Monotropism was developed by Murray et al. (2005) in their article, Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. The Monotropism Questionnaire was created by Garau et al. (2023). A self-scoring version of the Monotropism Questionnaire was created by David Cary. The information below will hopefully provide some clarity for anyone who has…

  • Autistic Community: Connections and Becoming

    Autistic Community: Connections and Becoming

    Everyone seeks connection in some way or another. Connections may look different for autistic people. In line with the motto from Anna Freud’s National Autism Trainer Programme (Acceptance, Belonging and Connection), creating a sense of acceptance and belonging is likely to be more meaningful for autistic people than putting pressure on them to try and…

  • Monotropism and The Monotropism Questionnaire

    Monotropism and The Monotropism Questionnaire

     This article was originally written for and published by Neurodiverse Connection (Aug 2023) What is monotropism? The theory of monotropism was developed by Murray, Lawson and Lesser (2005) in their article, Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. Monotropic people focus more attention and energy resources on a more limited number of channels of interest…

  • Embracing Autistic Children’s Monotropic Flow States

    Embracing Autistic Children’s Monotropic Flow States

      Article originally written and published for Neurodiverse Connection (Sept 2023) Autistic and ADHD people are more likely to be monotropic than the rest of the population (Garau, V. et al., June 2023). This means they focus more energy and resources on fewer interests/tasks/ sensory input at any one time compared to non-autistic polytropic people. Developing a…

  • Monotropism, Autism & OCD

    Monotropism, Autism & OCD

    This blog has been inspired by Dr Jeremy Shuman’s (PsyD) presentation, ‘Neurodiversity-Affirming OCD Care‘ (August 2023), available here. Exploring similarities and differences between Autistic and OCD monotropic flow states. Can attention tunnels freeze, and thoughts get stuck? Autism research is shifting; many people are moving away from the medical deficit model and seeing the value…

  • Monotropism Questionnaire & Inner Autistic/ADHD Experiences

    Monotropism Questionnaire & Inner Autistic/ADHD Experiences

     Over the past few weeks, there has been a sudden surge of interest in the Monotropism Questionnaire (MQ), pre-print released in June 2023 in the research paper ‘Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Monotropism in Autistic and Non-Autistic People: The Monotropism Questionnaire.‘ by Garau, V., Murray, A. L., Woods, R., Chown, N.,…

  • Monotropism and Experiences of being Monotropic

    Monotropism and Experiences of being Monotropic

    The theory of Monotropism was developed by Dr Dinah Murray, Wenn Lawson and Mike Lesser (2005) in their article, Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. Monotropism is increasingly considered to be the underlying principle behind autism and is becoming more widely recognised, especially within autistic and neurodivergent communities. Fergus Murray,(2018), describes montropism as:…

  • Middle Entrance

    Middle Entrance

    I am starting my new blog in the middle. I am in the middle of what is known as ‘midlife’ as I am forty-five; I am also mid-career, having resigned from teaching and not yet working in any other defined role. I also live much of my life in and between the online (primarily neurodivergent)…

  • Autism & OCD – What Could Help

    Autism & OCD – What Could Help

      According to OCD-UK charity, there are,’ around three-quarters of a million people thought to be living with severe, life-impacting and debilitating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) here in the UK’. Many of these people may also be autistic. Stone and Chen (2015) explain that the co-occurrence rate of OCD in autistic people ‘being 3-7% is 6-14% times the…

  • Monotropism = Happy Flow State

    Monotropism = Happy Flow State

    A guest blog for PDA Space – the original more concise version of this article is here: Monotropism = Happy Flow State (thepdaspace.com) As a parent entering into the realms of Autism, ADHD, PDA or any other neurodivergence it can feel overwhelming. Not just because of the weight those labels hold and possible difficulties with…

  • Autism is fluid

    Autism is fluid

    Autism is not a disorder and does not need fixing or any ‘interventions’. Autism comes under the umbrella of neurodivergence, it is a different way of thinking, interacting and responding to people and the world. Nick Walker (2021) in her book Neuroqueer Heresies, states; ‘Autism is a genetically-based human neurological variant…..autistic individual’s subjective experience can…

  • Neurodivergent Friendly Classrooms

    Neurodivergent Friendly Classrooms

      (Article published as Guest Blog for Twinkl Feb 2023)n Embrace Difference The numbers of pupils needing EHCPs and support plans are increasing in schools, and the numbers of children and young people struggling to attend school due to unmet needs are also escalating. This correlates to the rise in the number of neurodivergent children…

  • Supporting neurodivergent students who are struggling to attend school

    Supporting neurodivergent students who are struggling to attend school

    Data shows that the number of pupils with identified SEND needs are rising. There is an increase in the number of pupils diagnosed as being neurodivergent e.g. Autistic, ADHD, Dyslexic, PDA or with sensory processing difficulties. We are also in the midst of a huge education attendance crisis demonstrated by the rising numbers of students…

  • Supporting pupils through Autistic Burnout (Teacher Guide)

    Supporting pupils through Autistic Burnout (Teacher Guide)

      This is written from my lived experience as a parent and teacher, supported by the amazing research of professionals and advocates in this field. I’m not a therapist or medical professional. Autistic Burnout: A Family Guide is available here: Shop | Autisticrealms nn My updated version of ‘Supporting your Young Person through Autistic Burnout‘…

  • Supporting autistic students experiencing OCD in a school setting

    Supporting autistic students experiencing OCD in a school setting

      The National Autistic Society School report 2021 confirmed, ‘There are over 160,000 autistic pupils in schools across England. Over 70% are in mainstream school, with the rest in specialist education, home educated or out of education altogether’. This figure is likely to be much higher as there are many more who are either on…

  • Autism, OCD, Alexithymia & Interoception

    Autism, OCD, Alexithymia & Interoception

    Autism is a difference of neurotype and many autistic people refer to themselves as being neurodivergent. Neurodivergent people process, interpret and respond to the world in a way that is different to the neuromajority /neurotypical person. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Some individuals can experience both…

  • Education Crisis – Neurodiversity Affirming Teacher Training Needed

    Education Crisis – Neurodiversity Affirming Teacher Training Needed

      Language Identity First Language: In line with preferences from the Autistic community I will be using Identity First Language (ie. Autistic person, NOT person with Autism) Neurodiversity – This relates to the biological fact that human brains and minds differ from each other. Neurodiversity aligns with the idea that all children are unique and…

  • Supporting Children through Autistic Burnout (Parent/Carer Guide)

    Supporting Children through Autistic Burnout (Parent/Carer Guide)

      (This is written from lived experience as a parent and teacher, supported by the amazing research of professionals and advocates in this field. I’m not a therapist or medical professional). Autistic Burnout: A Family Guide 137 page resource is available in my shop. An updated 2024 version of this article is available here published…

  • Parent ideas for autistic children struggling with school attendance

    Parent ideas for autistic children struggling with school attendance

      If your child is autistic, then they are more likely to have additional anxiety, social, communication and sensory processing difficulties. Consequently, school can be a difficult and overwhelming place for them to be if they are not in the right environment with teachers that fully understand them or have the right provision to meet…

  • Ideas for Autistic Children who are Struggling at School

    Ideas for Autistic Children who are Struggling at School

          It can be difficult for autistic children to access an appropriate education and challenging for their parents to navigate the various paths to get their child an education that meets their needs. No one wants their child to just survive in school, all our children should be able to thrive in the…