José Ignacio Schilling: "There are many autisms"

Autism Spectrum Disorders are a reality that reminds us how complex the human mind is.

Psychological abilities and predispositions that come so naturally to us that we take them for granted can become absent or greatly modified in a small segment of the population: people with TORCH.

And although in some cases these types of psychological alterations are mild, in others they imply the need for constant psychotherapeutic assistance, parenting strategies and parental behavior tailored to the needs of these people, and cultural changes to make society a more welcoming and inclusive. In this interview with the psychologist José Ignacio Schilling, a member of the Enmente therapy center, we will talk about what is known today about ASD .

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Interview with José Ignacio Schilling: Autism Spectrum Disorders

José Ignacio Schilling Richaud is a psychologist with almost 20 years of professional experience in the care for adults, children and adolescents, and member of the Enmente psychology center, located in Providence. In this interview he tells us about the particularities of Autism Spectrum Disorders and the implications it has on the lives of the people who have developed them.

To what extent is it appropriate to speak of autism in the singular?

Autism is a condition produced by disturbances in early development, where significant graduations are observed.

It is not the same to speak of autism described by Kanner, whose onset of symptoms is from the beginning of life and which is basically a total disconnection with the environment, has the so-called autism spectrum disorders, whose symptoms appear after a period of development normal. So, we could say that there are many autisms.

This makes it necessary for us to think about autism in a broad way, from Kanner's autism, which does not exceed 10% of cases, to Asperger syndrome. The autism spectrum is a broad notion, suggesting the existence of the same subjective mode of functioning behind a wide variety of clinical pictures.

This characteristic mode of operation is associated with the difficulty in acquiring simple competencies in the domain of practical life and social adaptation.

What are the myths about Autism Spectrum Disorders that you consider the most harmful?

I think the most damaging thing is to believe that there are no possibilities for development or integration.

During our history, human beings have surprised us on countless occasions with their capacities and possibilities for development when the necessary conditions are met.

Similarly, I believe that there is no diagnosis that can fully predict a person's future.

We can never know how far it could develop with its difficulties to the base, but always There are possibilities to obtain progress that would contribute to his well-being, however minimal these be.

Is it essential to know the causes of an alteration such as Autism Spectrum Disorders in order to be able to treat patients with this condition?

I do not believe it. In fact, its causes are still a matter of discussion.

For its treatment it is important to understand the mental functioning of the person and the difficulties that each individual has developed in particular. Knowing its history and situation in depth are fundamental aspects to understand the particularities of each case.

What is the most important thing that can be done from psychology to help people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder?

From psychology you can do a lot to help.

Although these are long-term treatments with a variable prognosis according to each case, the patient can be helped to interpret reality in a less threatening way, to integrate into a group or community and to understand their particular difficulties, which would allow them to reduce stigmatization and the possibilities of building affective ties, which are the mainstay of our health mental.

Today, people with ASD are increasingly subjected to reeducation techniques that are are mainly directed at his obedience, which results in his psychic suffering not being taken into bill.

That is, their fears are ignored and anguish, and that is something that psychology, particularly psychoanalysis has taken care to include, noting that people with ASD tend to feel unloved, null and non-existent on the part of their environment.

And the most important thing you can do to help your families?

Help their families It is essential, since it is particularly difficult for parents to find comprehensive institutions, where the treatment is adapted to the rhythm of the subject, and where the anguish is taken into account, instead of fighting it.

They require a lot of support to understand the patient's difficulties. Connecting and sharing with other families with similar difficulties is usually of great emotional support, it is configured as a network that supports and counteracts the feelings of loneliness and misunderstanding that are experienced with respect to society all.

Families often feel very misunderstood, with very little support and they usually isolate, which generates other types of concomitant difficulties.

What are the aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorders that you consider the highest priority to continue investigating?

I believe that it is essential to investigate specialized interdisciplinary clinical intervention modalities in the matter, due to the complexity of both diagnoses and treatments appropriate. I want to say that it is necessary to investigate more effective intervention models.

Due to the multiple difficulties associated with people with autism spectrum disorder, models of interdisciplinary interventions that address the problem as a whole, with all its intervening variables and think about them in a integrated.

Currently, each specialist usually addresses these issues from their area of ​​specialty, fragmenting the problem, without achieving a Gestalt of both the patient and their particular reality.