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.

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)