Ground Treasures

Ground Treasures are trinkets I find on the ground because I tend to look down everywhere I walk. I have done this my whole life...  and surprise! There might be a tie to autism there.

A few lovely trinkets

So, why am I always looking down?

I think this is multifactorial for me. I tend to pay attention to details. I'm often searching for patterns or examining my surroundings. I enjoy looking at every detail of nature when I'm outside. Every little rock and pebble, every leaf, every stick...

And when I'm inside, it might be looking at patterns or avoiding eye contact. 

I'm not doing these things consciously, it's very subconscious. However, there may be more psychological and neurological underpinnings to this.  Persevere to the end to see how ASD ties in.

​Neurotypicals are too busy looking up to notice, and personally? I think that is a shame.

1. Psychological Factors

a. Depression

• People experiencing depression often display a withdrawn posture, which includes looking downward.

• Eye gaze avoidance and lowered head position are common physical manifestations.

• It may reflect low self-esteem, hopelessness, or fatigue.

b. Social Anxiety or General Anxiety

• Avoiding eye contact and looking down may be a strategy to reduce perceived social threat.

• Individuals may fear being judged or noticed and therefore avoid looking up or around.

c. Low Self-Esteem

• People with low confidence may avoid meeting others’ eyes and adopt a submissive posture, including looking down.

• This behavior can become habitual, even outside social interactions.

d. Trauma or PTSD

• People who have experienced trauma, especially interpersonal trauma, may feel safer avoiding visual engagement with the environment.

• Looking down can feel like a form of self-protection or avoidance.

2. Neurological or Physical Issues

a. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Some individuals with ASD avoid eye contact or visual stimuli due to sensory sensitivity, and this may extend to looking down while walking.

There are other potential neurological and physical issues that I did not include here.

The psychological factors don't apply to me as standalone conditions, but they can partially manifest from my ASD.

Depression from feeling so different in a world meant for neurotypicals.

Social deficits can look a lot like social anxiety. While the two do not have the same internal motivations, they can have similar outcomes. 

Trauma and PTSD - Research increasingly shows that autistic individuals tend to score higher on trauma and complex PTSD (CPTSD) scales compared to the general population. There are several reasons for this, both external (environmental/social) and internal (neurological/sensory).

But beyond all of these seemingly negative causations there lies some beauty. Can we just take a moment to see how wonderful it is to appreciate and find joy in the small things? Neurotypicals are too busy looking up to notice, and personally? I think that is a shame.

I chose to share this tale of mundane activities here, because it shows that when we look closely, we can find ways our neurology affects us... down to the smallest of experiences.

Check back to the Artist Corner to see what new treasures get added as time goes on!