Autism describes the way some people communicate and experience the world around them. About 1-2% of the UK population is autistic. Autism can be diagnosed at any age and people of any gender can be autistic.
Autistic characteristics
There are various characteristics and behaviours associated with being autistic. No two autistic people are the same, and not every autistic person will relate to all the characteristics listed below.
Someone who is autistic might:
- Have a strong preference for routine, sameness, or certainty. They might experience anxiety during times of change or uncertainty.
- Experience sensory differences. They could be over or under-sensitive to sound, touch, taste, smell, or light. It may also take longer for an autistic person to process what you are saying.
- Enjoy focused, more intense interests. They may be passionate and knowledgeable about certain topics. They may have fewer, but more specific interests. These interests can be anything, from microbiology to vintage clothing. An autistic person might find it more challenging to focus on areas that aren’t their preferred topics.
- Have support needs. Every autistic person will have different strengths and areas where they could benefit from additional support.
- Communicate differently to non-autistic people. This could include differences with eye contact, or having a direct communication style, which some non-autistic people may interpret as blunt. Many autistic people can struggle to connect with non-autistic people, which can negatively affect their wellbeing.
- Have delayed or absent speech. Around one in four autistic people speak few or no words. Some autistic people may stop speaking during times of stress or anxiety.
- Stim to express emotion. The term stimming derives from ‘self-stimulation’ and may be described in medical terms as ‘restrictive and repetitive behaviour’ Some autistic people stim to help manage feelings of anxiety or express emotions such as happiness or excitement. Examples of stimming include hand flapping, twirling, or rocking.
Autism can be my superpower, and also my greatest weakness. I see the world in a way that seems so different to most others. I notice the finest and most obscure details but very often misunderstand, or I'm totally unaware of the bigger picture. Very often, being autistic makes me feel like an alien living on the wrong planet.
Josh, a trans male autistic adult
The autism spectrum
It's important to grasp that the spectrum isn't linear. Each and every autistic person has their own profile of strengths and difficulties. Just because an autistic person thrived at university and has a professional career it doesn't mean they don't have support needs in other areas of their life.
Anna, an autistic psychiatrist, @anna_rebowska
Autism exists on a spectrum, meaning there is a huge variety in autistic people’s experiences. Sometimes people might imagine autism as a continuum with ‘more autistic’ on one end of the scale and ‘less autistic’ on the other, but the reality is much more diverse than that.
There are lots of ways that being autistic can affect people. Two different autistic people may experience varying degrees of differences, strengths and support needs in multiple areas of life, including:
Sensory differences
An autistic person might be over or under-sensitive to visual input sight, hearing, sense of smell, the food they eat and their balance.
Communication differences
An autistic person may have differences in how they communicate, compared to a non-autistic person. This could include different speech patterns, preferring to communicate in other ways than speech, not making much (or making lots of) eye contact, being direct and honest, or having differences in body language.
Executive function challenges
An autistic person may struggle with executive function to varying degrees. Executive functions refer to a set of skills including, working memory, the ability to plan, task initiation, staying organised and self-control.
Interoception
Different autistic people may have varying abilities to read their bodies’ internal cues, such as when they are hungry, thirsty or ill.
Regulating emotions
Some autistic people struggle to regulate their emotions. Others may have difficulties describing their emotions. This is known as alexithymia.
Language differences
Some autistic people speak few or no words and others may not speak when they are feeling stressed or anxious.
Some autistic people can speak fluently and appear to maintain conversation, but struggle to understand non-literal language, such as metaphors and sarcasm, and may rely on scripts rather than getting across what they really want to say.
Many traits associated with autism are characteristics that most people exhibit to a greater or lesser extent but it's their intensity and impact that makes someone autistic.
It frustrates me when neurotypical people say, ‘We’re all a little bit autistic, aren’t we?’ It’s like saying we’re all a little bit pregnant. Just like pregnancy, autism is a clear medical diagnosis – you either are or you aren’t; there’s no halfway house, no grey areas.
Alex, an autistic adult @womenandautism
Varying support needs for different autistic people
Some autistic people can live and work independently, while others have co-occurring learning disabilities or health conditions that means they require specialist support. Also, people’s experiences of being able to live independently can change over time, or if their circumstances change.
Spiky profiles
As many autistic people have a heightened focus on specific areas of interest, broader aspects of living can be harder to manage. An autistic person may excel in some areas of their life, but need additional support in others, known as having a ‘spiky profile’. For example, someone’s knack for picking up new information and problem-solving skills helps them excel in the workplace, but they may struggle with keeping their house clean and tidy.
A very odd mix of gifts and challenges. It makes me very good and talented at some things, yet I can sometimes struggle with simple tasks.
Andy - Late diagnosed autistic adult
Autism runs in families
We know autism has a strong genetic component and runs in families. In fact, many parents find out they are autistic after their child has been assessed.
Although we know genetics is an important factor, we still don’t know what causes autism. Having a genetic component is not the same thing as, for example, one gene that you can pass down.
At Autistica, we don't carry out research on the causes of autism. To us, it's more important to focus on how research can improve the quality of life for autistic people and their families.
Autism is lifelong
If someone is autistic, they will be autistic for their entire life. Autism cannot be ‘cured’, and there’s no reason for it to be. Many autistic people feel it is an essential part of who they are and would not change the fact they are autistic.
Being autistic is an integral part of my identity. It affects the way I think, feel, and interact with others, but while it is sometimes challenging I would never want to change it, as I would no longer be 'me'.
Steph, an autistic person, parent, academic and researcher
However, being autistic can come with challenges which can be disabling. Many of these challenges relate to being neurodivergent in a world built for non-autistic people. That’s why we need to find more evidence-based ways to support autistic people to live happier, healthier and longer lives.
I don't consider autism to be a disability on its own - but in a world designed for neurotypical people I find myself disabled by societal constructs and expectations.
Flo, an autistic adult
Autism and diagnosis
For me, it is all about my identity. After years of not knowing who or what I am, being recognised as Autistic finally unlocked the realities of WHY I am, and for that, I am and will be forever grateful.
Colin
Although awareness is improving, many adults remain undiagnosed, with an estimated two out of three autistic adults being undiagnosed. They may be unaware that they are autistic, unable to access a diagnosis, or self-identified autistic adults who do not wish to seek a formal diagnosis for various reasons. However, for many people, diagnosis is an important first step in understanding themselves, as well as accessing services and support.
As a person diagnosed in my fifties, I am still working on what being autistic means to me. Most of my life I just thought I was a useless person because I couldn't be like everyone else and it's hard to shift all those years of self-blame. This is why access to diagnosis and support is so important. A better understanding of autism in society is also really important.
Helen, an autistic adult
Differences, not deficits
Being autistic is not a bad thing. It’s a different way of experiencing and interacting with the world. Often, it’s the status quo of a world created for non-autistic people that makes being autistic disabling. Outdated attitudes hold back autistic people in their careers or stop them from entering the workplace in the first place, or lack of understanding from a clinician may mean worse health outcomes for an autistic person with a co-occurring condition.
It's the way my brain works. It's not better or worse than anyone else's, just different.
Ellie, an autistic adult
How research can make more of a difference for autistic people
We can learn more about autism through good-quality research that listens to and learns from autistic people. That’s why we connect researchers to autistic people who use their expertise from experience to shape and participate in research through the Autistica Network and Insight Group.
We urgently need to learn more about autism and how we can address and overcome the challenges many autistic people face. Through research and campaigning this is possible. By working with the autistic community, we’ve identified six ambitious Goals we plan to reach by 2030 to take us closer to our vision of autistic people living happy, healthy and long lives.