Sensory overload meltdowns and PRISON

Post Reply New Topic

Hello

I was wondering if any one with ASD and sensory impairment had any experience of PRISON
I am asking as i suffer from ASD as well as the sensory impairment symptoms and
presently feel that i am highly likely to end up in prison due to suffer from meltdowns triggered
by sensory overload (especially due to noise pollution created by inconsiderate and ignorant neighbours
who create extensive noise pollution).

I was wondering if any governments had learnt to cater for people with ASD who also have sensory issues.

I am presently really concerned that i am going to kill someone due to their lack of consideration
when creating noise pollution in social housing and then end up in prison on a life sentence,
and then not be catterred for in the PRISON system with regards to my sensory issues, and i will then either
commit suicide, be murdered or continue to kill people once psychotic due to sensory triggers.

Something that my local government (states of Jersey UK) basically completely ignores even exists.
Hardly Sweetwater Autism Spectum.

Do noise-cancelling headphones/ear-plugs help? Can you get away to a quieter place during the peak times of their noise-making? Do you have the luxury of moving to different housing?

The solution doesn't have to be perfect, but it's critical you find some way to cope with this crap so you don't end up in the nightmare scenario you mentioned.

I do not know much about the justice system over there. Here in the US there are certain rights afforded to prisoners. Medical and mental health care are two of them. The quality of this care is questionable at times. In my state of residence, one who offers a defence of a mental nature may be committed to a state hospital for up to the full sentence of the crime for which they have been charged. Although not ideal, I would view it as better than prison.

Get some noise cancelling earphones and see a therapist.

I'd be transferred to a physc facility. The process of being a court room would make me have a panic attack/catatonic meltdown too.

This is exactly the concerns I had when I was in my late teens except I didn't have a DX then.

As Ezra has said , get yourself a therapist if possible ( NHS is not perfect but you have to be persistent ).

I am not professionally qualified but your fears about killing someone seem to have an OCD flavour to them. Have you ever read about Harm OCD ? https://www.intrusivethoughts.org/ocd-s ... /harm-ocd/

hey, thanks for your replies.
Firstly re noise cancellation headphones. I have a pair of Bose QC35s
kind of top of the range noise cancellation headphones.

These are good for things such as going out on public transport and walking through the crowd.
But not good for long term use, as my ears start to hurt.

They also do not block out all sound and are only most effective when using with music.
However, at times i don't want to listen to music, i just want to sit in silence, sleep or perhaps
even watch my own TV. I do not filter out other people's sound. so if i can hear other people's sound
i will not be able to watch my own TV.

With regards to fear of killing people. This comes from the intensity of the rage i feel during a meltdown.
but also combined the fact that i have also done martial arts for a fair amount of time during my life
so i am fearful that the sound pollution will trigger such a rage in me that i may end up doing something that
i would not normally do.

You need to see a shrink. I don't mean that in a disparaging way. I've been seeing shrinks my whole life. Even had to have cognitive behavioral therapy.

Thanks for the advice
the problem is in the UK, and especially the strange little island that i live on,
which has its own government and own health service.

They don't really give a great deal of resources for providing counselling.
Unless someone breaks the law and does something completely nuts,
they don't really see it as a priority.

I have fairly recently been to an evaluation session, but this was with normal CBT people
who don't have a great understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder or meltdowns.

In psychiatric terms, the present standard practice is not to treat ASD
If i were to become extremely violent however, they would likely fill me up of anti-psychotics.
which is what i am trying to avoid. As i don't want to be zonked out or any fatter than i already am.

In terms of CBT, dont think there is any thing they can do for sensory impairment
which is generally the cause or triggers for meltdowns.

I think the thing that CBT could help with is the catastrophising. It seems likely to me that you are not going to kill anyone, but the concern about it is probably adding to your stress. CBT can help challenge that negative and unrealistic thought and replace it with a more realistic and appropriate one.

I wonder if this group could be of service to you (or put you in touch with other options)?
https://autismjersey.org/

^ good find the six-week course they offer could prove very useful

If you genuinely feel you're a threat to people then you should speak to your doctor /crisis team.

Hello
thanks to everyone for their advice. very kind of everyone to do what they can to help.
Yere, i think that i will speak to a doctor. Although in the area that i live.
Speaking to someone for CBT etc. takes a long time or never happens.

I guess one of the problems is with meltdowns is that they do not occur everyday
and during the days that i do not have meltdowns, i appear fairly normal and this
will make it hard for a normal therapist to see the need, especially when they have
a massive workload and loads of other cases that may appear more urgent.

That's the problem with evaluating ASD, as the Meltdown me and the normal me are like
2 different people. Like David Banner and the Hulk.

Thanks for the link to AJ's btw. I am in contact with them any how.

I believe that the meltdowns will be a lot less frequent if i am able to isolate myself from the
triggers i.e. noise. So this is the best approach by trying to get my flat sound proofed.