Autism is NOT a mental health condition

Autism is NOT a disease or something to be ‘recovered from’

Autism, or Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) was once thought to be a rare ‘disorder’ but is now recognised as a spectrum which occurs in more than 1 in 100 people.

A person on the autistic spectrum may have a way of understanding and perceiving the world in a different way.

A person on the autistic spectrum may find challenges in the following areas:

• Social interaction: May have difficulties interacting with others, struggling with eye contact and not showing ‘typical’ emotional responses
• Social communication: May have difficulties initiating and sustaining conversations, ‘small talk’ may feel difficult and they may use unusual language or literal interpretations.
• Flexibility of interests: May prefer to stick to routines, have pre occupations, a highly focused interest and repetitive physical mannerisms.
• Sensory differences: May have an over or under sensitivity to sensations such as touch, sound and smell and can find these overwhelming.
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The definitions of Autism remain debated and the causes not yet fully understood. However, it is widely accepted that Autism is a developmental differences in an individual that is related to natural diversity and brain development where genetic factors play a part (National Autistic Society, 2023)