Many of us crave "new". "New and Improved"! trumpet products, hoping to increase sales.
Not so for my autistic brother in law.
He wants the familiar, but way beyond what you and I might feel comfortable with. I can remember, several years ago, when his radio broke. He had to get a new one. It was traumatic for him.
Once, or so I am told, they changed the color of Bil's chair at the sheltered workshop (more on them in my "S" post) and it took him a month to be comfortable with it.
The familiar is what Bil craves. He wants the familiar because it is predictable. When it is hard to figure out the world, he clings to the familiar. He's already figured it out.
If my husband, when driving Bil somewhere, takes a different route, Bil will immediately exclaim anxiously, "where are you going"?
If, when shopping or running errands with Bil, we do something in a different order, we need to tell Bil so he is prepared. Sometimes, we forget, and he exhibits anxiety once again.
No, new isn't always improved, when it comes to Bil.
Is this blog new to you? If it is, I invite you to join me on my "journey through the unknown".
Hi Bookworm - it's finding their comfort zone and if possible letting them keep it that way, the way of life they're used ... but our life doesn't always allow that ... but I like your explanations of this ... cheers Hilary
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That must be hard sometimes.
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