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Are you 18 years or older and wondering if diagnosis is right for you?
Most individuals are diagnosed in childhood, but not everyone. There is a growing number of individuals who managed to adulthood without diagnosis. There are many reasons that adults have gone undiagnosed. Sometimes it is lack of resources and awareness at the time you were a child. Other times it is because you learned at a very young age how to cope and blend in with others to navigate your dialy experiences. Still others were unaware of the link between their behaviors and autism. No matter the reason, you are likely here because you know something is different.
It is never too late to receive a diagnosis.
Autism in adults looks different than autism in children. If you got to adulthood without a diagnosis, it is very likely you have many strengths. It is highly likely you are smary and have great vocabulary. However, you may experience executive functioning problems (the set of mental skills required to manage daily life activities - planning, organizing, controlling impulses), more subtle sensory experiences and repetitive behaviors, or difficulty adapting speech to different audiences or situations.
If you are struggling to build and maintain meaningful relationships, feel overwhelmed by the unpredictability of every day life, or alientated and different without answers, a diagnosis can help you understand the reasons for your feelings and experiences. For some diagnosis provides a sense of relief and understanding. For others it is the first step to finding services that help navigate the challenges of life.
Common Characteristics of Autism in Adults
Social Interactions
Social Interactions
Feeling awkward or nervous in social situations
Difficulty understanding sarcasism, jokes, and inferences
Difficulty recognizing and understanding how others are thinking and feeling
Preference to be alone
Difficulty making and keeping friendships and close relationships
Not wanting many or any close friendships
Difficulty understanding and navigating complex social rules
Communication
Communication
Responding to abstract language or sarcasm literally
Difficulty or awkwardness with eye contact
Difficulty with social "nice-ities" and small talk
Taking things too literally
Muted facial and emotional expression
Repetitive and Restricted Interests
Repetitive and Restricted Interests
Adhering to strict routines and/or tendency to do things in a specific way
Noticing small details or patterns others don't seem to notice
Being very interested in a few things, but not much else
Want to focus only on what you are most interested in / lack of interest in what others are interested in
Masking
Masking
Masking or camouflaging in social situations is thought to be a common coping strategy for adults with autism spectrum conditions (Hull, et al., 2017) and driven by one's want or need to assimilate and connect with others. Masking can be done knowingly or unknowingly. Masking develops sometimes internally, from one's recognition they are different and want to be socially accepted. Other times masking is the result of others providing feedback about how they should behave in specific situations. Ultimately, masking focuses on hiding one's autistic characteristics to better "fit in" with their social surroundings.
Masking involves the suppression or hiding of behaviors that are viewed as inappropriate in certain situations. Masking tends to be higher with those who are less known and trusted and less with close friends and family.
Those who are aware of their masking have described minimizing their self-soothing or stimulatory behaviors, their responses to sensory overstimulation, and their preference to discuss select topics. Masking can be exhausting and that time alone can be an important tool to help recover from this exhaustion. Masking can also have detrimental effects of not feeling you are being your true self.
Masking can lead to mis- and under-diagnosis of adults with autism spectrum disorders, especially for women (Gould & Aston-Smith, 2011; Kreiser & White, 2014; Lai et al., 2015).
If you're ready to explore diagnosis, contact us today.
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