Prosper Health's Autism Resource Center

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Behaviors

Special Interests and Autism

Most autistic individuals have one or more special interests. A special interest is an intense fixation that far exceeds a typical hobby or passion. An autistic person will typically have the desire to devote large portions of their time, and sometimes large portions of their money, to their special interests. Neurotypical people can and do experience fixations or passions, but having a special interest is a trait strongly associated with autism.

Here’s what you need to know about special interests, how they manifest, the benefits of encouraging them, and more.

Kaitlin Schifano
Dec 16, 2024
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Relationships

Understanding Autism and Relationships: Navigating Love, Family and Friendship

Autism can shape how individuals experience relationships, bringing unique strengths like honesty, loyalty, and focus. However, autism also creates challenges related to interpreting social cues or expressing emotions. These differences can easily lead to misunderstandings.

Autistic people thrive in relationships with clear communication and mutual understanding. For instance, they may prefer direct communication or need time to recharge after sensory overload. When these needs are respected, it fosters trust and support.

Grayson Schultz
Dec 13, 2024
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Diagnosis

How to Get Tested for Autism as an Adult: A Comprehensive Guide

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by sensory sensitivities, social communication challenges, repetitive actions and special interests. Despite displaying autism traits, many adults reach later stages of life without an official diagnosis. This is partially due to masking, a coping strategy in which individuals consciously or unconsciously suppress their autistic traits to fit in with others. With growing awareness, more adults are recognizing that their lifelong challenges with social interaction, communication and sensory processing could be related to undiagnosed autism.

Getting an autism diagnosis as an adult can be life-changing. It provides clarity and validation of differences that may have caused confusion, frustration or isolation throughout life. An adult autism diagnosis can also help individuals access support services, workplace accommodations and tools for improved quality of life.

Grayson Schultz
Nov 19, 2024
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Related Conditions

Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions: A Guide

Autism is known to co-occur with several health conditions—but what does this mean? What other diagnoses are most prevalent among autistic individuals, and does an autism diagnosis inform treatment of co-occurring conditions?

Helena Keown
Nov 6, 2024
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A ton of silhouettes of gray heads and one really colorful head representing someone with Autism
Understanding Autism

Is There a Rise in Autism? Understanding the Trends and Implications2

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by communication and social differences, strict adherence to routine and intense, narrow interests. No two autistic individuals are exactly alike, and autistic traits and severity vary from person to person. Diagnosis of ASD is clinical, based on standardized criteria that require persistent differences in social communication and at least two types of restricted behaviors. No blood test or neurological imaging can detect or diagnose autism. Instead, developmental history and behavioral observations are part of the assessment. ASD is usually identified in early childhood, but many autistic individuals aren’t diagnosed until adulthood. This doesn’t mean that autistic traits weren’t present during their childhood. Rather, it means they didn’t have access to the appropriate diagnostic care or didn’t fit in with outdated stereotypes of autistic behavior. As our understanding of autism spectrum disorder changes and deepens, practitioners are getting better at accurately diagnosing those who would’ve previously gone undiagnosed or misdiagnosed in the past. As both knowledge and diagnostic criteria expand, the number of autistic individuals in the world naturally increases. This increase has led to renewed conversations around autism. What causes it? Why is everyone autistic all of a sudden? How can we prevent it? (Although prevention should never be the goal.) But, perhaps we’re asking the wrong questions. Maybe we should start here instead: Is there actually a rise in autism?
Kaitlin Schifano
May 27, 2025
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Adult with schizophrenia looking out the window
Related Conditions

Autism and Schizophrenia

Did you know when autism was first described it was thought of as a version of childhood-onset schizophrenia? Today, we know that autism and schizophrenia are unrelated diagnoses with very different features. Understanding the overlap between autism and schizophrenia, however, remains important, as schizophrenia may be more common among autistic people than in the general population. One study suggests that autistic youth may be three to six times more likely to develop schizophrenia than allistic (AKA non-autistic) peers. 

Read on to learn about these two diagnoses’ co-occurrence and how to get support.

Helena Keown
Jun 13, 2025
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Autistic adult woman practicing a breathing exercise
Therapy

Breathing Exercises for Autism: Enhancing Well-Being and Reducing Stress

Breathing is something we do automatically, so it might seem strange that it’s something we need to learn. 

While breathing won’t solve all your problems, learning how to breathe intentionally can change how you respond to them, and that can make a big difference. Breathing exercises offer autistic adults a powerful, science-backed tool for navigating nervous system dysregulation, sensory overwhelm and emotional intensity. 

These practices don’t need to be rigid or perfect to be effective; rather, they can be tailored to sensory preferences, embedded in daily routines and paired with mindful movement or imagery. Ultimately, breath is more than a survival mechanism—it becomes a means of self-connection, regulation and empowerment.

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Wooden blocks switching from fake to fact
Understanding Autism

Unraveling Autism Misconceptions: Insights from an Autistic Adult

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts how people communicate, learn and interact with the world. Some autistic traits in adults include having difficulty understanding what others think or feel, taking things literally, avoiding eye contact and having intense, narrow interests known as “special interests.

Understanding autism is crucial because it promotes accurate recognition of the rich diversity in how autistic people perceive, process and interact with the world, thereby reducing stigma and enabling tailored supports that respect individual strengths and challenges. Further, by dispelling myths and misconceptions, we foster inclusion, improve mental health outcomes and empower autistic individuals to thrive.

Kaitlin Schifano
Jun 2, 2025
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Illustration of an autistic adult and non autistic adult struggling to communicate
Behaviors

Navigating Autism and Communication Differences in Adults: Strategies for Success

To be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, an individual must have social and communication differences compared to those without autism, and those differences must impact their daily life. The severity varies from one individual to the next. However, communication differences are a core characteristic of autism. 

Common challenges faced by autistic people include:

  • Difficulty interpreting or understanding body language
  • Difficulty modulating tone, volume or speed of speech
  • Trouble understanding idioms, figurative language or other instances of non-literal speech
  • Uncertainty during social interaction
  • Using more direct language or more formal and technical language, which is sometimes mistakenly interpreted as “bluntness” or “rudeness”
  • Using repeated words or phrases (or echolalia)
  • Having a flat affect or appearing uninterested during conversations, even if they are engaged

Differences in communication between autistic individuals and non autistic individuals often lead to difficulties for the autistic population. These difficulties include:

  • Facing judgment during social situations or bullying from peers
  • Finding it hard to make or maintain friendships
  • Developing anxiety around social situations
  • Feeling fatigued after a social interaction
  • Increased risk of isolation or loneliness
  • Low self-esteem or negative self-image
  • Engaging in masking behaviors, which can lead to burnout

When communication style differences are judged instead of accommodated, it leads to negative outcomes for autistic individuals. Support and resources can help autistic individuals become more effective communicators, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle. It’s also important that we learn to not only understand autistic communication but also accept and embrace it. 

Kaitlin Schifano
Jun 3, 2025
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Autistic adult woman dealing with trauma
Related Conditions

Autism and Trauma: How They Intersect and How to Manage Trauma-Related Stress

For many people, fully understanding an autism diagnosis means unpacking their relationship to trauma. This was true for me after I was diagnosed with both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) in my late twenties. 

Many autistic people experience trauma, which can affect them in distinct ways compared to neurotypical peers. For these individuals, digging into the relationship between autism and trauma can make a profound difference in regulating their nervous systems and improving their mental health. For me, my autism and CPTSD diagnoses have been equally revelatory and often intertwined. Exploring the relationship between the two has helped me better understand myself and tangibly improve my quality of life. 

Read on to learn about the link between autism and trauma-related disorders, as well as how to cope.

Helena Keown
Jun 2, 2025
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