One of the features of autism is the desire to be alone.
Ester Schaler Buchholz once wrote, “Autistic individuals teach us about our self-protective alone reserve. They are versatile in using untapped resources for comfort and soothing which we in our busy lives rarely bother knowing.”
Being alone can be a way to calm the neurodiverse mind and soothe senses. Whenever a room's lights are too bright or sounds too loud, neurodiverse people become irritated - given their SPD. So, they resort to being alone, calming themselves from the chaos of the outside world.
Their alone time removes the negativity. It re-centers their thoughts. Allows time to breathe. And reinforces their power.
I likened this to astronauts floating in the vast space of blackness and stars, wandering around with only tethers in their backs. Onlookers may worry about their safety or mental health, but really - the astronauts are having the time of their lives. Fulfilling their duties. Fulfilling their purposes. And finding themselves in the midst.
Sometimes, when people choose to be alone, they’re not sad - they’re content.
