How does it work for my family?
Over the years I have mentioned a strategy I call a thought blocker or stopper journal.
The idea is to change your negative thought patterns, in a sense blocking them or changing a way of thinking. Here is an example;
I find travelling difficult sometimes, my thoughts in my head become overrun with ideals related to the worse case scenarios.
I worry we might crash , we might get a flat tyre or we may become stranded on the roadside with no phone reception.
I started to write happy thoughts in a journal.
This journal I would carry everywhere with me.
Every time I had a happy moment I would write about it, take photos or draw something that had meaning for me.I would list my strengths and what I do well
Every time I started to get negative thoughts or feelings I would look in my journal to remind me of all the positive things in my life.
When kids at school bullied me , my journal reminded me how amazing and special I am .My family also contributed by adding amazing moments that happened when we were all together .Over time , I didn’t need to use my journal to remind me about how amazing my life is because I have all those memories stored up in my head.
Those memories replace the negative thoughts
.I started my happy thoughts journal when I was very young this maybe the reason I can always find the silver lining in nearly every scenario. TIP; you can also get friends, teachers and other supports to write in your journal to remind you how important you are to them or how much they admire the authentic you
Summer
*This is from my own autistic perspective not a representative of all autistic* experiences