Callista wrote:
Here I was all set to go off on people for pathologizing "wandering", but thankfully this isn't like that. People actually looking into the reasons why autistics leave where they're "supposed" to be and go somewhere else--a step in the right direction!
They left one out, though. Autistic people also "wander" because where they are is extremely unpleasant and they do not want to be there anymore. It can be an alert that there is anything from sensory overload to outright abuse going on.
I have left many times because a certain location is too unpleasant but I admit to wandering out of boredom or because I find it relaxing. I have the soul of an explorer and consider myself a free spirit to the max.