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Echolalia in Adults: Repetition, Meaning, and Misunderstanding
Jonathan, a 37-year-old autistic adult, has experienced echolalia for as long as he can remember. “Sometimes, it’s a sudden flash and I’ll blurt out a random quote or say something in a funny voice,” he says of his own experience.
Echolalia in adults is the act of repeating another person’s words, phrases, or vocalizations, either immediately or later on. It “is most commonly associated with autism, where it often serves as a meaningful way to process language or regulate,” explains Dr. Hannah Jones, a licensed clinical psychologist with Prosper Health.
With that said, echolalia in adults is expressed in many ways. In this article, we’ll explore what echolalia looks like, why it happens, and when it may be cause for concern. We’ll also discuss how it relates to autism and other forms of neurodiversity.
Selective Mutism in Adults: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What Actually Helps
Imagine a young woman sitting in the cafeteria at work. In between bites of her sandwich and sips of her coffee, she has a spirited, eager conversation with her closest friend. All of this light, peaceful energy ends when a colleague sits next to her and asks how her weekend went.
Suddenly, she’s paralyzed, and as much as she tries, she can’t get any words out. The words are just blocked. As an adult with selective mutism, this is a familiar yet distressing experience.
Many people associate selective mutism with childhood, but it can both persist and start in adulthood, confirms Rachel Loftin, chief clinical officer at Prosper Health. Being unable to speak can feel frustrating, confusing, and alienating. This is especially true in a world where many people don’t understand selective mutism.
In this article, we’ll explain selective mutism in adults, what may contribute to it, and how it differs from (and overlaps with) social anxiety and autism. We will also explore coping strategies, treatment, and support options.
Understanding the Link Between Autism and Alcohol Use
As a young teenager, Chelsey Flood felt drawn to alcohol for the reasons many people do. She felt that it gave her access to a more confident version of herself and the ability to relax in group settings.
Although she was never officially diagnosed with a disorder related to alcohol, Flood started to choose drinking over almost everything else. This kept her from living the life she truly wanted to live—enjoying hobbies, practicing healthy habits, and looking after herself.
After Flood became sober in her early 30s, she learned the main reason social settings came as such a struggle to begin with: she is autistic. Recent research suggests that alcohol addiction is more common among autistic people than previously believed.
While many people ask about the link between autism and alcoholism, we won’t use the latter term. Instead, we will use the term alcohol use disorder (AUD). This reflects that the condition is a treatable disorder and a clinically defined, spectrum-based term that is more precise and less stigmatizing.
In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between autism and drinking, why some autistic adults are more vulnerable to alcohol misuse, and why it can be especially risky for them. We'll also learn why standard recovery models can be tough for autistic adults, and what autism-affirming recovery support looks like.
