Anxiety is often one of the core struggles for my students. Anxiety is characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, and fear; and can range from mild to severe. One of the key factors that can contribute to anxiety is the inability to predict the future.
When we are able to predict what will happen in the future, we are able to plan and prepare for it. This can help us feel more in control and less anxious. However, when we are not able to predict what will happen, we may feel helpless and powerless.
One of the main reasons why people may not be able to predict the future is due to uncertainty. If you are neurodivergent and you have missed key life concepts or lessons when you were young (due to being unfocused/disoriented/dreamy/inattentive) you might really struggle with prediction. That predictive ability and skill come into account daily in the choices we make.
Imagine your life without this ability, little decisions we make every day can affect how we feel throughout the day. Do I need a coat? If I go into that classroom what will happen to me? Is that person dangerous? Why is there so much noise, will it ever stop? When will I eat again?
Learning Tools can help with prediction and thus anxiety.
In a number of the Davis Programs provided here at Learning Tools, we master the core concepts that are needed to predict. The Davis Programs are brilliant in their simplicity and ability to get at the root cause of an issue. The concept of consequence (something happening as a result of something else) is pivotal in one’s ability to predict.
Understanding the concept of consequence allows one to understand the potential outcomes of a particular action or decision. This understanding can then be used to make predictions about future events or situations, as one can anticipate how different actions or decisions may lead to different consequences.
For example, if a person knows that a particular decision is likely to lead to a negative effect, they can predict that this outcome will occur if that decision is made. In this way, understanding the concept of consequence can help one make better predictions about future events, as it allows one to anticipate the potential outcome of different actions or decisions.
Consequence inherently contains the concepts of change, cause, effect, before and after; these concepts clarify the meaning of consequence. These concepts are core to problem-solving and predicting. The better you understand them, the easier it is to create the change (cause) that you want to take place (effect).
Predicting requires an educated guess of what will happen. Life experiences provide learning for us, but if the concept of consequence and all those it includes are not clear the learning hasn’t been able to provide an experience that can be decoded and remembered for the future. People often feel they are victims and have no control.
Learning core developmental concepts gets at the root cause of many executive function activities and can address the issues of anxiety around confusion or not knowing how to predict.
The Davis Concepts for Life and Davis Autism Approach programs both go even further into root concepts providing 40 concepts that also look address motivation, responsibilities, and relationships. If you want to learn more, I encourage you to give me a call or visit https://www.rdautismfoundation.org/.
