Aniesa is joined by Archie in this episode to talk about what is frequently called the 8th sense, interoception. Interoception is associated with everything from pain sensitivity to decision making and Aniesa and Archie discuss why struggles with its regulation are associated with neurodivergence and the common challenges it often presents.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Your interoception is there to show you when your body has needs such as thirst but it is also there to show you when you are angry, for example.
• If an individual struggles with their interoception physical body needs signals, then that will impact their emotional regulation.
• Being able to identify your emotions is an essential step in being able to self-regulate.
• Attention and detection are the two ways we can tap into our interoception.
• Interoception is personal, it is something that you can learn about yourself and teach yourself what things impact you.
• Your body is constantly trying to reach homeostasis, to be balanced.
• Trauma can hinder or even stop interoceptive awareness, neurodivergent people almost always experience trauma and this could explain why they have difficulties with interoceptive awareness.
• When a person becomes overwhelmed, their interoception becomes so low they can no longer regulate their emotions.
• Your interoceptive awareness is positively linked with social connectivity.

BEST MOMENTS

"Interoception is strongly related to our emotional state”

“Until your interoception is fully developed you’re going to find it really difficult to manage your emotions and social interactions”

“He would try to regulate the kids when he wasn’t regulated”

“What is it that I am feeling, why am I feeling that way?”

“As a neurodivergent person, you experience trauma and that is going to lower or stop your interoceptive awareness”

“People with interoceptive issues are likely to have a higher baseline of anxiety”

CONTACT METHOD

www.instagram.com/aniesabblore/
www.instagram.com/sensationalkidstherapyuk/
www.facebook.com/sensationalkidslondon

ABOUT THE HOST

Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.

Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents.

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