A Tumblr post byjimjongjung: Sensory issues aren't about fear. They're causing physical pain. So I see a lot of people (mostly not actually autistic people) talking about sensory issues in terms of fear. They'll say things like "oh, he's afraid of the vacuum." This, of course, isn't correct. It's not that the person is afraid of the vacuum, it's that it's literally causing them pain. Like, literally. If you put an autistic person in an FMRI and expose them to one of their sensory issues you'll see their pain centres light up. So, why is this a problem? Well, most people view fear as something that can be overcome. So they'll look down on people that let themselves be controlled by it. Which isn't good. The other thing is that the tried and tested way to overcome fear is through exposure therapy. However, if the thing is pain and not fear, all you're going to do is numb yourself from the pain. Which is generally not the best way to deal with things. So, if you're autistic, remember that your sensory issues are part of how your brain physically works, and you can't just will yourself out of them. If you're not autistic, don't dismiss people's sensory issues so flippantly. Rember it's literally causing them pain. Source: jimjongjung

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