A case of the “twisties”

I found an article while reading about Simone Biles, about something dangerous that gymnasts can get called the “twisties.” Check out the article.  It’s when their brain loses track of their body in space because the brain has a *threat response.*  Not to the move, per se, but to something unforeseen. They WANT to do the move, but the threat response keeps happening and messing them up, losing skills. 

I’m reminded so much of PDA, the progressive avoidance despite kids wanting to engage more. As if something inside them is getting discombobulated, just like in the twisties (not body in space, of course, but something neurodivergent/autistic, maybe emotions, social sense, or sense of agency/self). 

And, get THIS, the solution in gymnastics isn’t to practice more, hit the mats harder, just push through and get over it.  No, you need to take a break and examine your mental health, and uncover why your brain is having a threat response to something you aren’t actually afraid of,  and slowly dismantle it with self-care. Isn’t that perfect, for being exactly what PDA needs. Having a threat response to something you can do, and aren’t technically afraid of, even want to do, but brain says no. I’ve been wondering for a while if there’s anything of value for PDA in sports/performance psychology, and turns out there is. 

It’s interesting to find analogies in adult psychology, but unfortunately sometimes people don’t think kids can have adult psychology when they clearly do (masking is another biggie). I know most people have never heard of the twisties, but still, it’s a KNOWN thing that makes sense to people in that field, and the prescription is right there and everything. It’s what we’ve been saying all along. 🙂

Thought I’d share the article here. 

Sandra was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has training and career experiences in crime scene investigation, mediation, professional photography, corporate communications, course instruction, and managing/supervising teams. She has a B.A. in Psychology/Criminology, M.A. in Forensic Psychophysiology, and two graduate certificates from Landmark College in Learning Differences & Neurodiversity with emphases in Executive Functions and Autism. She lives in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region of the United States with her husband and three children, one of whom is proudly PDA, and another ADHD. She’s been diagnosed as Autistic PDA and Schizoid Personality, too. She believes that raising children in neurodivergent-affirming environments that respect their unique, core “self” is critical to their development and success. You can read more about Sandra and her approach to PDA parenting at her blog, www.PDAMamaBear.com