‘The biggest challenge in life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else’
Much has been written about the diagnosis and treatment of ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) from an outsider’s perspective, but what is it like to inhabit a brain and a body which directly express the traits of autism?
One young man who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 15 years related his personal experience which appears to echo that of his contemporaries.
He described the benefits and the downsides of being a minority in a neurotypical world.
The benefits of being diagnosed with ASD include ‘finally understanding why you have felt on the outskirts of society your whole life, and why you didn’t ‘fit in.’
A person with ASD typically has a great deal of integrity and does not comprehend hypocrisy, lies or irrational thinking. They have an excellent long-term memory and a sense of fairness is central to their thinking.
Autism emerges bearing gifts of logic and a unique personality and sense of humour which is often endearing. They are not followers of the herd – they are individuals in every sense of the word. They can focus deeply on whatever interests them without allowing any external influences to distract them. Very often, they excel at a particular subject because of the amount of attention they are capable of devoting to their specific interest.
Before embarking on a relationship, they need to develop an emotional bond with someone as trust is so important to them. They are loyal and trustworthy themselves, and find it difficult to cope when others do not demonstrate these same straightforward qualities. They make wonderful friends because they are great listeners and attempt to understand a personal problem in a way which is perhaps more ‘real’ than their neurotypical peers, as long as explanations are clear. They will give good advice based on logic, not sympathy, and expect nothing in return.
The difficulties associated with ASD usually involve the negative responses of their neurotypical contemporaries.
Someone with ASD will take everything literally. There is no ability to understand nuance and therefore they cannot read into what others are saying. This can lead to indecisiveness and passivity owing to cognitive empathy issues.
Oversharing and compulsive truth-telling are problems which make them appear insensitive or rude. This trait makes it difficult to keep friends.
Multitasking is impossible – they can only focus on a single task at any one time, but they will give their full attention to this task and often give optimal results, sometimes to the point of obsession.
They have very poor short-term memory which can cause others to view them in a negative light, and they can be unfairly labelled as lazy or unreliable.
Sensory overload is a common problem for people with ASD which can cause a breakdown when they cannot cope with a heightened sensitivity to light, or filter the multitude of sounds and smells which surround them.
Overpowering anxiety and antisocial behaviours when trying to connect with others can feel isolating which can lead to low self-esteem and depression. High-functioning Autistics are nine times more likely to commit suicide than the general populace.
This is why it is so important to understand ASD and its features so that we can dispel the negativity and encourage sensitivity towards these brilliant individuals who sometimes struggle to make sense of a world which neurotypicals take for granted.
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