Well, it’s that time of year again where people dress in costumes and go trick or treating for candy and other goodies. It’s All Hallows Eve also known as Halloween. Halloween is that time of the year that can be both exciting and challenging at the same time. In my time as a self-advocate, I have come to notice that a lot of neurodiverse people my age still relish in Halloween.
Last year, I went out on assignment for Autism Tree to assist with a small event in collaboration with Teen Volunteers in Action and there was at least one young adult who still decided to get involved in the Halloween spirit.
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But Halloween isn’t for everyone, particularly for those who have sensory processing disorder. Every time I would see someone in a Halloween costume, I would often have a hard time trying to figure out who I am seeing underneath that costume. Plus, if they were a certain character, I couldn’t really picture them being that character.
This has somewhat carried over into my service in the Brony Fandom for eight years. Whenever I see someone cosplaying, I would get confused as to who I am seeing and have difficulty trying to process what I am seeing. If there was a cosplay that caught my eye, I would respond favorably, although one time I unintentionally someone’s personal boundaries because of their cosplay and I wanted to take a picture of it.
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To be honest, Halloween and Sensory Processing Disorder is like a vampire in a bloodbath to me. There is so much to digest with what is happening around me that it can get extremely overwhelming.
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But it’s not just the individual himself or herself, maybe the individual in question doesn’t like Halloween to begin with. You cannot force anyone to be involved in Halloween activities and it’s really important that you respect the wishes of the individual.
For many years, I had to endure the prospect of handing out candy to trick or treaters with my dad and the forced interaction was often overwhelming at times.
Forcing someone to wear a costume, participating in trick or treat when they really don’t want to can be mentally damaging to their psyche. Some even decide to celebrate Halloween in their own way or not celebrate it at all.
I certainly don’t, but if you do then good for you. Let me know when November 1st comes!! LOL!!
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Finally, if you are a Halloween lover, it’s important to keep your excitements in check, particularly around those who are on the autism spectrum. Some individuals may not really fully understand what is happening around them and the last thing anyone wants is unwanted stress.
There are a lot of families who tend to ignore the feelings of neurodiverse children and that they get caught up in the moment. Please don’t do that if you can!!
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Catch you all later!!
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