Our world is so vast – the intensity of everything that we have seen, in education, exploration and perhaps within ourselves. As we go on facing what the future lies for us, we gain insight into things, wisdom, and understanding of what we may have or need to be learned. And the toughest fight we have yet to face was the battle between our mind and body.
Let’s talk about something that is not usual, especially to some of us, which I may say, people who are on the right side of every corner of the spectrum – Autistic Spectrum Disorder, autism.
A Gift In Disguise
I had this ever since I knew that I would be dealing side by side with this illness. I suffered, but then again later I realized that it was actually a gift, a gift-wrapped with emotional empathy.
Growing up learning and seeing the many defects of this illness, its lack of ability to talk or understand and the difficulty to learn the basic necessities, not having to enjoy the most enjoyable things one was supposed to as a child, and the tantrums followed by mental breakdowns. These are the most crucial things autism laid upon my brother’s fate.
Good And Bad Moments I Have In Dealing With ASD
There it goes, the illness that influences many chapters of my life.
In social, there are instances when I encountered painfully awkward situations because of his inappropriate behavior in public when he is not allowed to have what he likes. He goes to a wide range of anxiety. The next thing that will hit me as his companion was tantrums and seeing him hurting himself.
Emotionally, “We want to understand not only how emotions can help us but also how they can create difficulties if they’re of the wrong intensity or the wrong type for a particular situation,” says Dr. James Gross, a clinical psychologist. I began to feel left alone. Sticking by his side offered me a lot of rejection from peers and missed the opportunity to have fun once in a while. People say that we are getting in their way of progress and happiness and it’s not fair, all of us have in capability.
Physically, it was a tough job for me. I had to carry my brother all around the place our parents used to take me to so that he can see and feel the wonders of nature. I needed to bring him to the mall so he may also experience how it feels to play video games along with other kids, and eat at casual dinners. Seeing him excited and happy is worth all the effort and risk.
We Can Beat Autism
As I continue living and dreaming, learning the fullest potential and capabilities that my brother and I may have are truly essential. We should continue to look for the best possible way to cope up with the many diverse and incapability in order to win over autism. Therefore, if only we can come together, be open and empathetic, that is the best course we can take to fight ASD.
“There are sensory issues to consider, educational decisions to be made, medical interventions, safety concerns, and therapeutic decisions, to name just a few.” Janeen Herskovitz, MA, LMHC elaborates. However, the Spectrum has never been a hindrance to my brother and me in having a normal and fulfilling life. One thing I learned from having a brother with autism was being overly patient, and it takes a lot of sacrifices to stay by his side and let him feel that he is not alone. There would be times that perhaps you think that all those efforts and sacrifices mean nothing for him, but they do. They have their way of showing their appreciation.
“Being diagnosed with Autism does not have not to impact you negatively. People with Autism can live fulfilling and meaningful lives. It is about learning the tools and skills that can help lead to success.” John Cutrone, LMHC, MCAP, CAS said. I can never leave my brother behind. It is a lifelong journey we are going to take, and in some of those moments, I realize that the things my autistic brother taught me were the virtues all along.