An autistic person, particularly if not self-aware of their autism, will experience escalating symptoms of chronophobia if a prolonged lack of socioeconomic integration occurs.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory. Social and economic integration are not… | by Jim Irion | Medium
Social and economic integration are not experienced equally by all. For autistic people in particular, there are barriers that actively inhibit our ability to prosper at what aligns with our mental health. If an autistic person persistently feels that they are running out of time with regards to their socioeconomic development, there is evidence that suggests a connection that is associated with chronophobia.
This theory will explain how phobia symptoms may present themselves so that they can be identified, evaluated, and proactively addressed.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory (ACT) states that an autistic person, particularly if not self-aware of their autism, will experience escalating symptoms of chronophobia if a prolonged lack of socioeconomic integration occurs. Without a sufficient resolution, the autistic person’s mental health will suffer an increasing amount of strain, depending on their life circumstances. Their stress tolerance also depends on having stable housing, food, and quality social interaction.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory. Social and economic integration are not… | by Jim Irion | Medium
Prejudicial neglect of my socioeconomic integration needs over time has been the source of my chronophobia.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory. Social and economic integration are not… | by Jim Irion | Medium
I had forgotten about my confusing fear of time. Where did chronophobia fit in? Did it have anything to do with autism?
Autistic Chronophobia Revisited. Trusting my instincts and facing my… | by Jim Irion | The Unexpected Autistic Life | Oct, 2024 | Medium
Across the life span, autistic people are susceptible to chronophobia if they have not attained enough socioeconomic integration according to their mental health needs. Dr. Damian Milton’s double empathy problem theory provides the reasons why this lack of integration is still occurring.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory. Social and economic integration are not… | by Jim Irion | Medium
Chronophobia and the Double Empathy Problem
What is one of the consequences of the double empathy problem? Autistic chronophobia. If you are autistic and lack sufficient social or economic integration, you will fear that you are running out of time.
The reason that these are triggers of chronophobia in my life is due to having not attained sufficient integration into society, both socially and economically. This lack of integration is largely a result of the double empathy problem. Dr. Damian Milton correctly recognized that non-autistic people have difficulty working out what autistic people are thinking and feeling. Communication difficulties are a shared problem and not solely due to the autistic person. Dr. Milton’s theory helps explain why we face prejudice for our communication differences.
Because of this, our legitimate social and economic support needs have been neglected. As a result, our mental health is affected by the stress. Those who are not yet self-aware are particularly vulnerable. Until you know or suspect that you are autistic and then fully understand it without masking or prejudice, you will lack the vital awareness needed to adapt to your true mental health needs. For example, the stress could peak while deciding on a career in college or build up over time and peak when being close to finalizing a time-sensitive retirement plan.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory. Social and economic integration are not… | by Jim Irion | Medium
Social Chronophobia
I am now 43. I have been utterly abandoned by society. I still fear that I am running out of time.
Autistic Chronophobia Revisited. Trusting my instincts and facing my… | by Jim Irion | The Unexpected Autistic Life | Oct, 2024 | Medium
Now, reminders of not having attained enough social and economic progress in my life are impossible to avoid. Both friend and family pictures, wedding engagement announcements, and wedding pictures — anything pertaining to childbirth and raising kids that were born after me. While most are centered on social media, the prospect of family visits and going out in public triggers chronophobia too. Anywhere I go invokes reminders of the passage of time because of who and what I see. It truly is a chilling personification of being on the outside, looking in.
At age 42, I still live with my parents. Each day is spent living in the same house for so many years. Waking up and going to bed and seeing the same bedroom walls are themselves strong symbols of the passage of time. The fact that every day is a constant reminder of my lack of integration makes daily life incredibly difficult. Like a vice slowly tightening its grip on my mind. It is important to recognize that this may happen in different living situations than mine. And there is one central reason for this fear of not integrating over time with regards to autism.
Autistic Chronophobia Theory. Social and economic integration are not… | by Jim Irion | Medium
Economic Chronophobia
By the time I connected the patterns of panic and trauma to the indecisiveness affecting my work history, the evidence was clear. I never integrated into society economically. It was now nearly October of 2023. What was I still feeling? I was running out of time — to integrate into society. Now, I felt I had the answers I had long been looking for. Remember the NIMH autism overview? The proof was there all along: autism was neurological anddevelopmental. This was where my chronophobia was coming from! I never integrated into society socially or economically. The longer this occurred, the older I got, and the more time passed, the worse the fear became. Why? The final clue comes from Dr. Milton’s double empathy problem theory.
