Research indicates that autistic people may be more likely to experience traumatic life events, particularly interpersonal traumas such as bullying and physical and sexual abuse.
People with autism experience trauma from a variety of situations. For example, they may experience name-calling, bullying, being taken advantage of, feeling isolated and rejected, and being invalidated by family or friends.
There is some research to suggest that having PTSD can heighten autistic characteristics and you may feel an increased need for structure and consistency. Complex PTSD can lead to behaviour that is harmful to you, such as alcohol or drug misuse, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Autistic people have decreased amounts of brain tissue in parts of the cerebellum, the brain structure at the base of the skull, according to a meta-analysis of 17 imaging studies5.
Trainers will teach the need for scheduling and routine. However, there comes a point where none of these suggestions is helpful, and a meltdown still occurs. Like a seizure, it can happen out of nowhere, and it can be very frightening and traumatic for the autistic person (as well as others around them).
Research indicates that autistic people are more likely to report symptoms of PTSD. Although research has yet to establish clear prevalence rates, the rates of probable PTSD in autistic people (32-45%) are higher than those in the general population (4-4.5%) (Rumball et al. 2020; Rumball et al.
Being completely silent. Not being able to communicate in any way. Withdrawing to a quiet, dark space to get away from the cause of their shutdown. Not being able to move from where they are because they're thinking too much about the cause of their shutdown.
However, brain scans using MRI and other methods do indeed help to recognize targets for the treatment of autism and may even help to diagnose autism in the future.
Non-autistic people tend to assess concepts before details, also known as top-down thinking. Autistic people take the opposite approach with bottom-up thinking and use details to build concepts. It may take longer to filter out sensory details with this approach, but you're less likely to miss important information.
Masking may involve suppressing certain behaviours we find soothing but that others think are 'weird', such as stimming or intense interests. It can also mean mimicking the behaviour of those around us, such as copying non-verbal behaviours, and developing complex social scripts to get by in social situations.
It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a "cure".
There are many myths about what causes autism. Over the years, scientists have debunked many of these myths. The claim that MMR vaccines or childhood neglect are responsible for autism is not based on medical science.
High-functioning autism refers to autistic people whose living skills, including communication skills, enable them to live independently. However, the term is problematic, and it is not a clinical diagnosis. High-functioning autistic people can usually live independently and have successful careers.
Similarities between PTSD and Autism
Both conditions can cause anxiety or fear in certain situations. Both conditions can cause difficulty with social interaction and communication. Both conditions can cause difficulty with sleep and concentration.
Studies suggest that children on the spectrum are up to three times as likely as their neurotypical peers to be targets of bullying and physical or sexual abuse. Such maltreatment can cause severe stress and trauma, yet it often goes unrecognized or unreported.
Einstein himself had many autistic traits. He did not learn to speak until he was three, and he had a lack of concern about his appearance.
Advances in diagnostic capabilities and greater understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorder seem to be largely driving the increase, the Rutgers researchers said. But there's probably more to the story: Genetic factors, and perhaps some environmental ones, too, might also be contributing to the trend.
The country with the highest rate of diagnosed autism in the world is Qatar, and the country with the lowest rate is France. Around 4 times as many boys have autism as girls. The rate of autism in the U.S. went from 1 in 150 in 2000 to 1 in 100 in 2022.
Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.
In the absence of a behavioral and developmental evaluation, a positive genetic test result can, at most, identify children at risk for having ASD.
Inheritance. ASD has a tendency to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. People with gene changes associated with ASD generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition, rather than the condition itself.
Being autistic can make fatigue and burnout more likely, due to the pressures of social situations and sensory overload. If you are experiencing fatigue or burnout, managing your energy levels is essential, as this guide explains.
Autistic burnout can look like many things, but most commonly, it shows itself as extreme exhaustion, increased sensory sensitives, loss of executive functioning skills, decreased ability to manage emotions, difficulty adapting to change, and depression.