Neuralign is currently seeking qualified professionals to help assess the effectiveness of our Cognitive Therapy in managing symptoms of Autism
Contact Us if you’d like to join this pilot project
What is Autism?
According to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Autism is a developmental disability that affects how people experience the world around them. Autistic people are an important part of the world. Autism is a normal part of life, and makes them who they are.¹
Autism has always existed, but modifications in diagnostic criteria and increased awareness has lead to in increase in diagnoses. Some Autistic people don’t get diagnosed due to barriers related to their age, gender, socio-economic status, or race, but that doesn’t make them less autistic. Autistic people are born autistic and will be autistic their whole lives.
There is no one way to be autistic. Some autistic people can speak, and some autistic people need to communicate in other ways. Some autistic people also have intellectual disabilities, and some autistic people don’t. Some autistic people need a lot of help in their day-to-day lives, and some autistic people only need a little help. All of these people are autistic, because there is no right or wrong way to be autistic. All of them experience autism differently, but they all contribute to the world in meaningful ways. They all deserve understanding and acceptance.¹
“Autism affects how we think, how we communicate, and how we interact with the world. Autistic people are different than non-autistic people, and that’s okay. ”
~ Autistic Self Advocacy Network
An Autistic Experience
Autistic people are in the best position to explain what it’s like being Autistic. We love this video by Neurodivergent Rebel explaining what Autism is like for them.
Autistic Traits
Autistic people experience the world differently, but there are some things they may have in common. Here’s a list of common traits from ASAN:
1. Autistic people think differently. They may have very strong interests in things other people don’t understand or seem to care about. They might be great problem-solvers, or pay close attention to detail. It might take them longer to think about things. They might have trouble with executive functioning, like figuring out how to start and finish a task, moving on to a new task, or making decisions.
Routines are important for many autistic people. It can be hard to deal with surprises or unexpected changes. When they get overwhelmed, they might not be able to process their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, which can make them lose control of their body.
2. Autistic people process their senses differently. They might be extra sensitive to things like bright lights or loud sounds. They might have trouble understanding what they hear or what their senses tell them. They might not notice if they are in pain or hungry. They might do the same movement over and over again. This is called “stimming,” and it helps them regulate their senses. For example, they might rock back and forth, play with their hands, or hum.
3. Autistic people move differently. They might have trouble with fine motor skills or coordination. It can feel like their minds and bodies are disconnected. It can be hard to start or stop moving. Speech can be extra hard because it requires a lot of coordination. They might not be able to control how loud their voices are, or might not be able to speak at all–even though they can understand what other people say.
4. Autistic people communicate differently. They might talk using echolalia (repeating things they have heard before), or by scripting out what they want to say. Some autistic people use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to communicate. For example, they may communicate by typing on a computer, spelling on a letter board, or pointing to pictures on an iPad. Some people may also communicate with behavior or the way they act. Not every autistic person can talk, but they all have important things to say.
5. Autistic people socialize differently. Some might not understand or follow social rules that non-autistic people made up. They might be more direct than other people. Eye contact might make them uncomfortable. They might have a hard time controlling their body language or facial expressions, which can confuse non-autistic people or make it hard to socialize.
Some Autistic people might not be able to guess how people feel. This doesn’t mean they don’t care how people feel! They just need people to tell them how they feel so they don’t have to guess. Some autistic people are extra sensitive to other people’s feelings.
6. Autistic people might need help with daily living. It can take a lot of energy to live in a society built for non-autistic people. They may not have the energy to do some things in their daily lives. Or, parts of being autistic can make doing those things too hard. They may need help with things like cooking, doing their jobs, or going out. They might be able to do things on their own sometimes, but need help other times. They might need to take more breaks so they can recover their energy.
Not every autistic person will relate to all of these things. There are lots of different ways to be autistic. That is okay!