6 Practical Tips for Calming Autism-Related Anxiety

Individuals living on the autism spectrum often face added challenges on the daily basis. Because of this, anxiety is a condition often accompanying those with autism. Having practical methods for controlling and reducing symptoms can be key to maintaining an improved quality of life.

Set Predictable and Reliable Routines

When living with autism, you may seek comfort in having structure and predictability. You may not realize how much you rely on certain routines until they’re gone or inaccessible.

Wherever possible, set predictable routines for yourself. Create a consistent schedule to decrease any uncertainties in your day, especially surrounding areas that are more triggering for your anxiety. Incorporate aids like planners, timers, or various apps on your phone to help keep you on track.

Create a Sensory Toolbox

Autism can leave you feeling socially drained and overstimulated. You may experience times where your sensory system is approaching a “sound the alarm” level. It can be helpful to give yourself some relief and restoration.

Create a sensory toolkit for yourself that includes items to help regulate sensory input and achieve a sense of calm. If sound is a trigger for you, try using noise-canceling headphones. If you feel like you have too much energy and need to let it out, stress balls and fidget tools can be a great option. When your whole system feels out of whack, weighted blankets and compression can help provide the input your system needs.

Utilize Deep Breathing Techniques

When anxiety starts to creep higher, oftentimes our breathing also experiences a shift. Since breathing is generally a rote practice, you may not think about the subtle change or the effect it’s having on your system.

Practicing deep breathing exercises allows you to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which will help manage stress levels. This does take some practice and a concerted effort during anxious periods, but it will help.

One easy one you can try is box breathing. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, then repeat.

Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation

With anxiety can come a certain amount of physical tension. When your body carries tension and stress, it can create more anxiety.

This is where progressive muscle relaxation enters the chat. This technique involves paying specific attention to various areas of your body to evoke relaxation. Working your way from head to toes or toes to head, start tensing and releasing different muscle groups.

Establish Clear Communication Habits

Communication may be something you struggle with, as do many people with autism. When struggling with anxiety, you don’t have to, nor should you, struggle alone. Being able to communicate your feelings and needs is important.

Try establishing a clear way to communicate your anxiety to those around you. Maybe you use a rating scale from 0 to 10. You can also use red, yellow, and green colors to code your anxiety level. Use an option that makes it easy for others to understand and be able to help when needed.

Develop Social Scripts

When placed in uncertain or spontaneous situations, it’s probably not uncommon for anxiety to flare up. Unfortunately, we don’t always have control over avoiding these situations or dictating how they will go.

One thing you can do to build confidence is practice various scenarios through role playing. This way you can choose the social interaction, practice how you would respond, and develop some scripts to go with them.

Bonus Tip

Being able to calm anxiety related to autism is a very personalized practice. While these tips may be useful, you may also need some extra personalization and tweaking to meet your needs.

Therapy is a great way to assess your needs right where you’re at and offer tips that are effective. We can even work on perfecting them together during your sessions. To learn more and get started, contact me today.