“Pain can be alleviated by morphine but the pain of social ostracism cannot be taken away”- Derek Jarman
Social ostracism is a type of rejection. It’s the feeling of being an outcast, of being judged or ignored by the group, or given the silent treatment. It can mean anything from subtle forms of conformity or control to complete psychological isolation. Eventually, ostracism threatens self-esteem and sense of belonging.
Unfortunately, in today’s societies a stigma is attached to autism that influences these forms of social rejections. In different ways and to different degrees, many people view autism as a source of disappointment, frustration and shame. Stigma also keeps families from seeking a diagnosis and treatment for their children, from participating fully in their communities, and from enjoying the same quality of life as everyone else. Simply put, stigma influences public ostracism.
When speaking with a clinician about this topic, she mentioned that ABA therapy works on the smallest of the smallest skills for this reason. Kids with autism (or any behavioral disorder) are ostracized if even the simplest behaviors are slightly different from the rest of their peers. For some on the spectrum, it might be that the do not desire any type of friendship or relationship (except with a close family member or friend) and could care less about "fitting-in" with "the group.” There are many others on the spectrum that are extremely sociable and love be a part of different activities, but due to their behavioral difficulties are unable to “fit in" and are eventually ostracized.
Social ostracism is a type of rejection. It’s the feeling of being an outcast, of being judged or ignored by the group, or given the silent treatment. It can mean anything from subtle forms of conformity or control to complete psychological isolation. Eventually, ostracism threatens self-esteem and sense of belonging.
Unfortunately, in today’s societies a stigma is attached to autism that influences these forms of social rejections. In different ways and to different degrees, many people view autism as a source of disappointment, frustration and shame. Stigma also keeps families from seeking a diagnosis and treatment for their children, from participating fully in their communities, and from enjoying the same quality of life as everyone else. Simply put, stigma influences public ostracism.
When speaking with a clinician about this topic, she mentioned that ABA therapy works on the smallest of the smallest skills for this reason. Kids with autism (or any behavioral disorder) are ostracized if even the simplest behaviors are slightly different from the rest of their peers. For some on the spectrum, it might be that the do not desire any type of friendship or relationship (except with a close family member or friend) and could care less about "fitting-in" with "the group.” There are many others on the spectrum that are extremely sociable and love be a part of different activities, but due to their behavioral difficulties are unable to “fit in" and are eventually ostracized.
We ended the discussion with a very important quote: “different, not less”. That is a simple counterpoint to stigma we should all understand when encountering people who are different from us and don't necessarily fit our social standards.
I completely agree with your post; it is the sad reality. And, I also love your concise statement of "different, not less".
ReplyDeleteBecause this is a prominent occurrence, do you know if there are any programs or any solutions/measures that are taken in order to rectify these stigmas, and ultimately help the people with autism?
Thank you Victoria! Currently, there are various organizations like Autism Speaks and Autism Society that strive to raise awareness to the general public about ASD by hosting different events, conferences and walks/runs. Hopefully by educating ourselves about the appropriate treatments and resources available, we can help and support those on the spectrum.
DeleteStigma is something seen across the board in many different mental and physical problems it is sad that people in this day and age cannot look past these differences. It their something being done to educate younger groups of children about kids different to themselves. I know that kids don't want to be deliberately mean and hateful, it's just hard to see things differently when one is young.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Lucy. At a young age, it is sometimes difficult to understand that there are people who might be different from others, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Yet, slowly we want to progress into a future where that stigma is not the defining part of Autism or any disorder. To answer your question, many schools plan different events like a “wear blue for Autism day” during Autism Awareness Month (it starts next week in April!) to encourage not only awareness, but also acceptance and understanding.
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