Should an autistic person not watch restricted movies?

Post Reply New Topic

My brother is autistic, and sometimes I will recommend to him certain movies to check out, but then my parents tell me not to, because even though he is 32, his mind is closer to that of an 8 year old more so. But I don't know... I mean if you are 32, shouldn't you be allowed to watch what you want, or am I perhaps being too close minded about it, and I should pay more attention to his development?

Anyone?

Depends on the person, I think. I approximate my mental age to be around 10, but I love horror and watch R-rated movies all the time. But there are also NT adults who can't mentally handle some of the stuff I watch. Age restrictions should be viewed more as a guideline than a rule, IMO. It would really depend on the reason(s) for the rating and how the individual person would handle it. For example, someone may be perfectly fine with gore but not mentally mature enough to handle sex scenes, or vice versa. Like I said, I think it really depends on the individual.

Oh okay. Well what if it's an R rated drama for example like Parasite (2019), where there is still some gore, and a sex scene, but the sex and violence is not the prevalent start of the movie, if that makes sense?

Based on your experience with him and the choices, do they seem inappropriate? Does he respond inappropriately to them? Is he distressed by them? I'd evaluate it on an individual level, personally.

No he doesn't seem distressed by them, but I am no expert either.

I'd be cautious ... I was affected being exposed to it when I wasn't ready, but then I was 10 and was taken to see "The Shining" by my AS sister! My eldest son(AS) is well and truly an adult, owns his own business in London, is an aviator, engaged to be married, very much independent and doing well, but, he cannot handle watching any Horror films as it has an effect on his psyche and dreams.

I find that with both books and movies, I can handle most genres and ratings, but it's about knowing where you're at mentally and emotionally from one day to the next, as to whether or not it's okay mental health-wise eg a war film or a horror might be too much for someone who's feeling particularly stressed or on edge, just as a movie about specific subjects that might trigger a person, need to be considered carefully. This is especially a tricky in your case, as you "might" be doing some damage and be completely unaware of the effect on your brother ... as my sister did to me.

Oh okay, but the thing is, won't my brother always be psychologically 10 years old if we treat him that way, and not try to advance him at all? If he keeps watching material made for 10 year olds, that will not help psychological advancement, will it?

I'm wondering what form of communication your brother uses with you? At ten, I was pretty mute at times, but I was fully aware of the effect of viewing movies that weren't so good for me, was having. I didn't let my sister know though until I was alot older. Though your brother is 32, with a developmental age of 10 yrs, I'd be careful. My thoughts are "If in doubt, don't" ... especially if he can't make his feelings clear to you. We can feel more intensely than NTs and the effects of certain visuals can really have a lasting and negative impact, in some cases. If you give your brother a choice of films, what does "he" appear to prefer? I'd be looking to gently stretch his viewing, but I'd be cautious about anything that might be in the "danger zone".

Oh okay, what negative impact could they have though? I thought that by showing him more mature material, it could help him mature further, and be less sensitive which could be a good thing?

I do understand where you're coming from on wanting to expand and help your brother further mature, but if he's at the same stage developmentally as a ten year old, and he's on the spectrum, then these are some of the negative effects of showing him more mature content and why... Well meaning as you clearly are, and I seriously get that, it's always good to be aware of the potential damage that can be done. It's a matter of drawing a line under and being clear on what is healthy for your brother to view and what isn't, at that particular age(I get that he's in his 30s, but he is 10 years old emotionally/developmentally ... you can't necessarily stretch the mind and maturity of someone at will, without causing issues, especially an autistic mind.

The autistic brain is particularly vulnerable to interactive stimulus including viewing content. Stimulants(visual or otherwise) tend to make those of us on the autism irritable, weepy, over-focused, more obsessive-compulsive, and unable to sleep. The younger we are emotionally, developmentally, the more we are likely to be affected. Stimulants can also exacerbate tics, self-injurious behaviors, aggression, and sensory issues. Add to this additional social, emotional factors that may result from viewing a Mature rated film or greater, in spite of your brother's chronological age ...

Forgive the length of the following, but more shared info on the effects of this is sorely needed in families. The following goes into some depth so far as the effects of viewing movies containing inappropriate content, including computer/console gamesand length of exposure to these ...

11 reasons the autistic mind is extra vulnerable to screen time/movie viewing that isn't developmental or age-appropriate


1. The autistic mind tends to experience low melatonin release and we can experience further sleep disturbances from screen time content/non-age-appropriate movie viewing. It further suppresses melatonin release and disrupts sleep. Aside from regulating sleep and the body clock, melatonin also helps modulate hormones and brain chemistry, balances the immune system, and keeps inflammation at bay.

2. We are prone to arousal regulation issues, manifesting in an exaggerated stress response, emotional dysregulation, or a tendency to be over or under-stimulated; screen time/movie viewing increases acute and chronic stress, induces hyperarousal, causes emotional dysregulation, and produces overstimulation. Keeping viewing age appropriate, developmentally-appropriate ensures your Sense of Self better stability overall.

3. Autism is associated with inflammation of the nervous system and screen time/movie viewing may increase inflammation by a variety of mechanisms including increased stress hormones, suppressed melatonin, and non-restorative sleep. Light-at-night from screens/cinema/at home movie viewing also suppresses REM sleep, a phase during which the brain “cleans house.”

4. The autistic brain tends to be underconnected—less integrated and more compartmentalized —and screen time/inappropriate viewing for the developmental age hinders whole-brain integration and healthy development of the frontal lobe. In fact, brain scan studies have revealed reduced connectivity (via reduced white matter) and atrophy of gray matter in the frontal lobe in those who have been affected.

5. An autistic person operating developmentally at a 10 year old level will have social and communication deficits, such as impaired eye contact, difficulty reading facial expressions and body language, low empathy, and impaired communication ; screen time/inappropriate viewing hinders development of these exact same skills—even in children and teens who don’t have autism. Screen time/tv viewing/movie time - especially inappropriate content, appears to directly compete with social rewards, including eye contact—a factor essential for brain development. Lastly, screen viewing and even background TV has been shown to delay language acquisition.

6. Autistic people, child or adult, are prone to anxiety —including obsessive-compulsive traits, social anxiety—and inappropriate viewing is associated with increased risk for OCD and social anxiety while contributing to high arousal and poor coping skills. Additionally, anxiety in autism has been linked to abnormalities in serotonin synthesis and amygdala activity and both serotonin regulation and amygdala changes have been implicated in inappropriate viewing and in screen time/tv viewing overall.

7. The autistic mind tends to more frequently have sensory and motor integration issues as well as tics; screen time/inappropriate visual content has been linked to sensori-motor delays and worsening of sensory processing, and can precipitate or worsen vocal and motor tics due to dopamine release.

8. Those of us on the spectrum are typically highly attracted to screen-based technology, be that gaming or tv/movie watching and are not only at increased risk for developing addictions, but are more likely to exhibit symptoms with smaller amounts of exposure. Male teens and young adults with ASD are also at high risk for porn addiction, due to a combination of social deficits, isolation, and excessive computer/movie viewing time, and may develop romantic delusions or obsessions fueled by being accustomed to immediate gratification and a lack of practicing in the real world. At the same time, dopamine released by screen interaction reinforces these obsessive “loops.”

9. We tend to have a fragile attention system, poor executive functioning, and “reduced bandwidth” when processing information; screen time/inappropriate viewing likewise fractures attention, depletes mental reserves, and impairs executive functioning.

Additionally ... 10. Autistic children and adults may be more sensitive to EMFs (electromagnetic fields) emitted from wireless communications (e.g. WiFi and cell phone frequencies) as well as from the electronic devices themselves. At the cellular, molecular, and atomic level, the pathology seen in autism mirrors the effects demonstrated in research on the biological impacts of EMFs. Heightened sensitivity to EMFs may be due to (and may worsen) immune abnormalities and problems with barrier integrity in the gut and/or the brain.

11. Those of us on the spectrum are at higher risk for psychiatric disorders of all kinds, including mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, tics and psychosis. Likewise, higher amounts of total screen time are associated with higher levels of psychiatric disturbances, including mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, tics and psychosis. Regarding psychosis, young people with ASD who engage in daily screen time may experience hallucinations, paranoia, dissociation, and loss of reality-testing. More often than not, however, these scary symptoms resolve or greatly diminish once devices are removed and don’t require antipsychotic medication.

Oh okay, thanks!

That is all very insightful. However, I don't want to keep him in the same bubble either, where we keep him in a world where is not allowed to learn anything more mature. Unless we should?

Increasing the learning and development from this point forward of your brother, does mean stretching his comfort zone and definitely not shying away from change. In fact, if his comfort zone isn’t stretched, he’s likely to become increasingly intolerant of change. There’s no reason for your brother to stagnate and for his growth to be inhibited, but this involves more important aspects besides film.

The aim is to in no way mollycoddle him or have him wind up dependent on his mother. Misplaced compassion is the ultimate handicap. For example, my much older sister has an intellectual deficit and is on the spectrum but that didn’t stop her from learning to live, experience life and work, own her own home, learn to drive etc.

For your brother to achieve the highest level of functioning that he can, he needs to be taught all essential skills to the highest standard possible through practice in his everday life. Structure and gently stretching the umbilical so to speak will keep his anxiety at a manageable level. Developmental differences have hopefully not affected your brother’s ability to learn essential skills like manners and self control. Many autistic adolescents who have been mothered throughout their school years wind up struggling to cope in the real world which is avoidable with the right guidance and support. You are in an important position as his brother, as you can gently introduce new experiences into his world. It’s about careful and measured exposure to “appropriate” and “meaningful” experiences and viewing material.

Some autistic children would wind up watching tv/films all day long, with the absence of structure to their day. Besides this, many on the spectrum with I.D. don’t understand that what is on tv is not real. You and your parents know your brother best. Sounds like he’s very fortunate to have you to help move him forward from this point. Hope you’re all doing well in these unsettled times.

It shows much compassion on your part to consider these factors on his behalf ,,, wish had someone that cared enough to do that for me. Exposure to these things may be enevitiable for most 20 th century humans. Guidance will be a big thing , but eventually , he will be making decisions on his own. But early guidance is excellent start.
Am older but. Careful to try to make adult decisions . Honestly it is actually hard based on a understanding that wished to process these things in life in a naive way as a automatic default to basing decisions on .
Smiles ...(. god bless you if you ascribe to those beliefs)

I don't watch horror movies because they make me hyper. Takes too long to calm down. It's just annoying, and has no entertainment value for me.

Oh okay. I don't show him horror movies. Mostly dramas or thrillers, but there can be dark or violent subject matter in those as well.