What We (Don’t) Notice
On Attention & Sensory Processing
Our bodies constantly gather sensory data from both our external and internal worlds. External senses include sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. We sense our internal world through interoception - our internal sensing system. Interoception tells us 'how we feel': whether we're hungry, too hot, need to use the bathroom, or helps us understand our emotional state like the flutter of anxiety or the heaviness of sadness.
All this sensory data travels to the brain where it's distributed to different regions, including the limbic system (which helps detect and respond to anything that might be threatening or emotionally significant) and the cortex (responsible for logical thought, problem-solving, and planning ahead).
The amount of sensory information coming in is far too much for anyone to process - some must be filtered out. This is where the salience network comes in. This brain network acts like a curator, deciding what - of all the information, sensory data, thoughts, memories, perspectives, and feelings - is most important and interesting in this moment. It helps determine what actually deserves our attention.
Research suggests that in autism, this salience network functions differently, particularly in how it distributes and switches attention between different types of information. While a neurotypical brain might easily divide attention between multiple streams of information - simultaneously processing both physical sensations and emotional feelings, or both listening to someone speak while watching their facial expressions - the autistic brain tends to focus attention more intensely on fewer things at once.
This monotropic attention style means that whatever captures attention is experienced with remarkable depth and detail. When focused on an area of interest or talent, this can lead to exceptional abilities and insights. However, it also means that uncomfortable sensations or difficult emotions, once they grab attention, can be experienced with overwhelming intensity. The inability to easily divide attention between the feeling itself and potential coping strategies can make emotional regulation particularly challenging.
Understanding this difference in how attention works helps explain why traditional approaches to emotional regulation may not work for autistic individuals. Instead of trying to multi-task between feeling and coping, effective regulation often comes through learning to mindfully direct attention, building trust in one's sensory experiences, and developing personalized strategies that honor both the intensity of autistic feeling states and the fundamental need for safety. With support that matches their neurology, autistic individuals can develop remarkable capacities for understanding and regulating their internal experiences.