My own little SIB

I am a pretty honest person. And I really like to share and spread awareness about autism, and what it means for us. But there are certain things that people don't want to hear about. Enter self injurious behaviors. Or, in the autism world, SIB. 

There's really nothing cute about a kid beating the snot out of himself. It's disturbing, really.

According to this fancy article in Psychology Research and Behavior Management 

"Researchers looking at lifetime prevalence in those with autism spectrum disorders suggest that approximately 50% engage in some form of SIB".

Well we've done about everything under the sun over the past year to make this stop, and now Waylon is on a new medication and in a pretty intense therapy program to try to get this under control. The therapists review data daily to help them understand when/how/why the SIB is occurring- sometimes for attention, sometimes when he is mad or stressed. With time, I am hopeful that he will be able to overcome this. 

Yesterday on my way home from work, I needed to stop at the grocery store for a gallon of milk. And as usual, I just couldn't resist grabbing that one dollar bag of amazingly delicious barbecue potato chips smothered in entirely too much sodium. And then I ate the whole bag on my way home.

Well guess what- there's nothing really cute about a grown woman eating an entire bag of potato chips in her car. It's disturbing, really.

I've decided to collect some data to help me understand when/how/why I feel the need to eat an entire bag of potato chips. Is it the flavor? Price? My lack of will power? Level of stress?

With time, I am hopeful that I can overcome this.

My own hypothesis: Researchers looking at lifetime prevalence in those who parent children with autism spectrum disorders suggest that approximately 50% engage in some form of stress eating.

My own little SIB.