Whistleblowing and Wounds: Autistic Trauma, Shutdown, and Mutism
As an autistic psychotherapist and educator, I've dedicated my career to understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by autistic individuals, particularly in the realm of trauma and mental health. Through my work with clients and my own lived experience, I've come to recognise the profound impact of trauma on the autistic community and the often-overlooked manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in neurodivergent individuals.
Autistic Trauma As Invisible Wounds
Austistic trauma is a complex and multifaceted issue, and as such is not only misunderstood but even goes completely unrecognised in our society, as well as by therapists in the therapy room itself.
Unlike the more widely understood forms of trauma, such as those resulting from single catastrophic events, autistic trauma frequently stems from an accumulation of experiences over time. These experiences, which might seem innocuous can have a devastating impact on autistic people due to sensory sensitivities, communication differences, and ways of processing information.
From a young age, many autistic individuals find themselves in a world that isn't designed to accommodate their needs. The constant pressure to conform to neuronormative expectations and demands, coupled with sensory overload and social misunderstandings, and the resultant punishments and abuse that follows,, can lead to what we in the field refer to as "complex PTSD." We are saying, therefore, that this form of trauma is characterised by an autistic person having repeated exposure to situations of threat, often beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood.
My colleague, Eoin Stephens, and I often discuss how the "double empathy problem" contributes to this trauma. This concept, developed by Damian Milton, highlights the mutual difficulty in understanding and empathising between autistic and non-autistic individuals. What this means is that autistic people do not naturally have a feel for what it is like to live as a non-autistic person, AND a non-autistic person doesnt naturally have a feel for what it is like to live as an autistic person. This means that each group of people do not have natural empathy for the lived experience of the other group - ie the absence of natural knowing goes both ways, and there is a double empathy problem. This doesnt mean that each group can’t seek to understand the other. They can. By listening and thinking about what happens to others both groups can gain an understanding of each others experiences and build up a picture of what it is like to be them in this life, and have empathy for that epistemology.
Not being understood has many consequences, including feelings of isolation or distance from others, feeling alone and unimportant. It can lead to feelings of terror, emptiness, or despair. Some mums of young autistic children thst i know are beautifully attuned to their children and feel secure that they are correct in their responses to their child. That is magnificent to witness. For others, including adults that i see in my practice, some recount narrative from infancy, of not having received the appropriate soothing signals and regulation from caregivers. Often not due to overt neglect, but because of emotional states or needs going unrecognised or being misunderstood by their parents. This can lead to distress or dissociation and is carried through life and seen in adulthood as a response of shutting down. Sometimes seemingly not being shut down, but partially so, for example shutting down speech and certain movements while still continuing with other functioning.
The Subtle Signs: Recognising Autistic Trauma Responses
One of the most challenging aspects of autistic trauma is its often subtle manifestation. While we typically associate trauma with nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks, in autistic individuals, it can present in much more nuanced ways. Hypervigilance, for instance, is a common symptom that many of my autistic clients report. This state of constant alertness, which might be mistaken for anxiety, obsessiveness, or paranoia, is actually a trauma response rooted in years of feeling unsafe or misunderstood in various environments.
Another frequently overlooked trauma response is situational mutism, as i mentioned earlier. The experience of having ones speech shut down as a particular situation happens. As an autistic person myself, I've experienced this firsthand. I vividly remember instances from my childhood where I found myself unable to speak in certain situations, particularly when I felt extremely intimidated or overwhelmed. And now, as an adult, I occasionally encounter moments where words cannot come out, not by choice, but as an involuntary response. The paralysis is a result of an impasse, resulting from to intense stress or terror, accompaied by outrage and anger. The observable behavoiur is a person (me) temporarily still and mute.
This silence is a wordelessness that isn't a desire for quietness or acquiescence. Nor is it a preference for solitude or a ‘shyness’, as it's often misinterpreted. It's a profound, bodily response to a perceived threat to one's very existence. When I'm in this state, it feels as though my entire self is under siege, and the silence is both a form of self-preservation, a way to protect myself from further harm or misunderstanding, as well as a forced silence and rendering of non-existence by the other person.
The Physical Manifestations: Bodily Responses to Trauma
Autistic trauma doesn't just affect our minds; it has profound impacts on our bodies as well. Many of my clients report a range of physical symptoms that are directly linked to their traumatic experiences. These can include chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and immune resilience problems. The body itself is in a state of constant alert, leading to exhaustion and various health complications.
These experiences are frequently misunderstood or unrecognised. In our practice, we've come to know these as legitimate trauma responses and we do not assign other psychological explanations to them such as ‘resistance’ or ‘acting out’ or ‘game-playing’. We've noticed how repeated exposure to misunderstanding and sensory overload can contribute to the development of complex PTSD in autistic individuals.
Autistic Trauma in Professional Settings
A manifestation I've observed in my practice with adult clients is agoraphobia, often stemming from workplace trauma resulting from whistleblowing. Autistic individuals often have a strong sense of justice and may feel compelled to speak out against unethical practices. However, the backlash from such actions can be severe, leading to attack, gaslighting, ostracisation. The fear, alonness, and lack of protection triggers trauma which can be profound, shaking the individual's sense of self, ot only in the workplace, but also broadens out to their whole existence and place in the world. I've had clients who, after experiencing bullying, discrimination, or the backlash from whistleblowing at work, find themselves not only unable to go to the workplace, but unable to leave their homes. They often do wwant to go outside, or go to the workplace, but their bodies literally refuse to cooperate, making it impossible to return to the site of their trauma, causing complications with investigations and due process following whistleblowing reports, and often ending in job loss.
This bodily refusal isn't weakness, wallowing in victimhood, or a lack of willpower. It's a profound, physiological response to trauma. And, as with the example of situational mutism, given above, also involves an impasse, both an embodiment of the state of ‘not existing’ (picked up by others intent - possibly covertly communicated) and a primitive way for the body to protect itself from further harm. Understanding this is crucial for providing effective support and treatment for autistic individuals struggling with trauma-induced agoraphobia, or workplace stress (also it could be part of the story of burnout, but not necessarily).
Autistic Shutdown and Paralysis
To clarify, one of the most misunderstood aspects of autistic trauma is the phenomenon of autistic shutdown. This state, which can be triggered by overwhelming stress or trauma, shame, rage and oppression, is often mistaken for laziness or non-compliance. In reality, it's a complex experience involving intrapsychic impasse. And the person eventually uses a protective mechanism to cope with unbearable levels of stress or sensory input.
I’ve talked about situational mutism and this can happen fast, and a person may recover fast, or they might not. And i’ve talked about social dynamics that play out over a longer time, such as workplace situations that occur involving actions and whistleblowing and responses to that. These typically last for a long time, sometimes weeks, months, or years. During a shutdown of any length, if youre able to see the person, you may notice that they may appear unresponsive or disconnected from their surroundings. You might see that they are slightly affected, or that they are very much affected, and unable to speak, move, or engage in any way with the outside world. And that this state of bluntness or semi-paralysis can last for hours or even days. Hopefully you realise that it's a clear indication of severe distress.
I've experienced shutdowns myself, and I can attest to how terrifying and disorienting they can be. It feels as though your mind and body have completely disconnected, leaving you trapped in a state of catatonic helplessness. Recovery from a shutdown can be a slow and challenging process, often requiring a period of rest, reduction of social demands, suitable application or reduction of sensory input, and soothing and enjoyable immersion in interests when manageable.
The Importance of Trauma-Informed Care for Autistic Clients
Given the unique ways in which trauma manifests in autistic individuals, it's crucial that mental health professionals adopt a trauma-informed approach when working with this population. Does it mean moving beyond traditional models of trauma and PTSD? I think so, in order to recognise the subtle signs of distress that may be easily overlooked in autistic clients.
The right support, understanding, and resources might look different for each individual, but there are some common elements that I've found to be helpful:
Validation and understanding: Many autistic people, impacted and traumatised, have had their experiences dismissed or misunderstood. Simply having their struggles recognised and validated, and the impact on them understood and empathised with (in the Damian Milton sense of the word) is important as a therapeutic safety-based bond and can be a powerful first step in the healing process
Building self-advocacy skills: Empowering our autistic clients to understand and communicate their needs is great. But also remembering that sometimes an autistic person shuts down or is unable to, not only speak up, but even unable to actually speak. Overlooking this fact is underpinned by ableism in the therapist if they covertly blame autistic clients for not sticking up for themselves, so we therapists want to be mindful of that, notice it and be self-refexive in our work with autistic adlts.
Community support: Connecting with other autistic individuals who have similar experiences can be incredibly validating and provide a sense of belonging. Being part of a collective voice feels more powerful and reduces feelings of powerlessness and isolation. A person can gain a feeling of being understood via the group experience, and learn about the details of social injustice, marginalisation and oppression (aquiring information helps to contextualise or make relevant the situations or relational dynamics that they are in). Moreover, they could be steered toward resistance or pushing back, either energetically or in a very practical sense.
Conclusion: Compassionate Understanding
In this exploration of autistic trauma, shutdown, and PTSD, we've delved into the often-overlooked complexities of neurodivergent experiences. In drawing from my dual perspective as an autistic person and psychotherapist, I’m illuminating the subtle yet profound ways trauma manifests in autistic lives. From the accumulation of daily microaggressions to the devastating impacts of workplace discrimination, the autistic experience of trauma does still defy common understanding.
Autistic individuals, such as me, often do share our stories, in an attempt to advocate for better understanding. Our experiences, though often silent or invisible, are valid and deserving of recognition and support. And, the aforementioned concept of the "double empathy problem" emerges as a crucial framework for us, highlighting the mutual struggle for truly empathetic understanding between autistic and non-autistic individuals.
As we continue to unravel the complexities of autistic trauma, it seems clear to me that a paradigm shift is a way forward for those in clinical practice. The ways in which autistic individuals experience and respond to trauma can recieve a more nuanced, empathetic approach from mental health professionals and this means adopting a trauma-informed approach that recognises the subtle signs of distress in autistic clients. It also involves embracing a more holistic understanding of autistic experiences.
In writing this article I am drawing attention to the requirement for us therapists to reconsider our preconceptions about trauma, and take a more nuanced view that acknowledges the diverse ways it can manifest. The physical toll of autistic trauma, the struggle with workplace dynamics, and the profound impact of misunderstanding and sensory overwhelm all paint a picture of grappling with largely invisible wounds.
With deeper contemplation and sitting with the discomfort of recognising how societal structures and interpersonal dynamics can inadvertently traumatise we can personally open a door to a more nuanced, compassionate understanding of the human experience for autistic people.
Author: Vauna Beauvais. Autistic psychotherapist and ADHD-er.
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References
Lennane, K. J. (1993). " Whistleblowing": a health issue. British Medical Journal, 307(6905), 667-670.
Milton, D. (2020). The double empathy problem.