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Prosper Health's Autism Resource Center
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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.
What Are Signs of Autism in Adults? A Guide to Autistic Traits and Self-Discovery
When you picture someone with autism, there’s a good chance that a child comes to mind. Maybe your nephew or a member of your child’s class is diagnosed, so you’re familiar with some of the behaviors associated with the condition...or at least how they show up in children. But millions of autistic adults exist too, since autism is a distinct neurotype, not something you grow out of.
However, if the condition wasn’t assessed already in childhood, it can be harder to spot as an adult. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in 45 adults is autistic, and even more are likely undiagnosed.
Though there are many shared traits between the age groups, autism can present differently in adults than in children, which is something we'll discuss in depth within this article. But fundamentally, the signs of autism in adults include a range of characteristics like:
- Social interaction and communication differences
- Self-soothing and self-regulatory behaviors
- Sensory and processing differences
- Special interests and activities
- Emotional regulation and cognitive traits
If you suspect you may be autistic, you likely know the journey toward diagnosis isn’t so straightforward. It can be confusing and frustrating! Especially since no two people with autism are the same, and everyone has their own unique combination of strengths and challenges.
On top of that, many adults tend to mask their autistic behaviors to fit in with their neurotypical peers, oftentimes without even realizing it. Plus, thanks to gender and cultural bias and other stereotypes, countless autistic adults are overlooked due to their more subtle presentation of the condition.
That’s why Prosper Health is here to provide you with a clear, inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming breakdown of adult autism signs: what they are, why they’re often missed, and what to do if they resonate.
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.
Autism Support Needs, Not Labels: A Guide to “Levels”
As an adult diagnosed first with autism as a child and again as an adult, I have witnessed firsthand the change in the way the DSM, or The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, has changed to affirm autistic people. In 2013, the DSM updated its resources with an eye to supportive care.
Rather than labeling autistic people with misleading descriptors like high-functioning, low-functioning, or others, experts now categorize autistic individuals based on levels (one, two, or three). These levels indicate varying degrees of support needs, which are often fluid and can change over time.
Mental health professionals and patients can now navigate autism support without labels, a notable step forward in recognizing the individuality of care.
This DSM change also did away with the term pervasive developmental disorder, which encompassed disorders such as Aspergers and child disintegrative disorder. Instead, they were replaced by autism spectrum levels.
Kaila Hattis, MA, LMFT, founder and therapist of Pacific Coast Therapy, explains, “The change focuses less on what someone has to more on what someone needs, and changes the way families access services and disperse information on what their loved one needs."
While these three levels of autism don’t capture the full picture of autism spectrum disorder, they’re a move in the right direction to fuller, more nuanced autism treatment.
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ADHD vs. Autism: Understanding the Differences and Overlaps
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t ask the question, “Is it ADHD or autism?”
As the parent of an AuDHD child—AuDHD being a colloquial term used to describe the dual diagnosis of both autism and ADHD—I still have difficulty differentiating between the two diagnoses. Is her stimming an autism or an ADHD trait? Which of her Individualized Education Plan (IEP) accommodations at school are tailored to her autism, and which ones are tailored to her ADHD? How is her ADHD medication affecting her autism traits?
My experience is with my 9-year-old daughter, but this dilemma is equally accurate for many adults. If you’re neurodivergent in any capacity, you’ve likely had moments where you’re comparing your characteristics, trying to determine if they could be a sign of autism, ADHD, or both.
AuDHD is becoming increasingly common among neurodivergent people, and those with both diagnoses deserve a clear understanding of autism and ADHD, and what it means when they co-occur.
That said, the two conditions are not the same! Many people will only get diagnosed with one condition or the other, so it's essential to understand how they differ.
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What Is Stimming? A Guide to Autistic Self-Regulation and Expression
Self-stimulatory behavior, or "stimming", is a physical behavior used by autistic and other individuals (including those who are allistic) to regulate emotional or sensory stress, sensory seek, and/or express their emotions. In autistic people, stimming is often repetitive and is a way to calm their minds and bodies.
Personally, I have stimmed my entire life in many ways. Notably, I am always carrying a rolling stim toy with me. It helps to ground me when I get anxious, or when the noises in a room are too loud or overwhelming.
Everyone stims, whether they realize it or not. If you’ve ever bounced your knee while bored, or clicked a pen open and closed, you’ve stimmed. But for autistic folks, stimming serves a key role in sensory and emotional management. It’s not something to fix, but rather something to understand.
In this article, we’ll explain what stimming is, why it happens, and how to support yourself or someone around you who stims.
Meltdowns in Autistic Adults: Why They Happen, What They’re Like, and How to Live with Them
When many people hear the word “meltdown,” they might envision a kicking-and-screaming child, lashing out because their parent or caregiver said “no.”
While that is an accurate description of a typical child meltdown, a meltdown in an autistic adult is entirely different, and not to be confused. In fact, in many cases, meltdowns in autistic adults can look like the antithesis of a childhood tantrum. Instead of engaging in "why won't you give me what I want!?" goal-oriented behaviors that are synonymous with tantrums, autistic adults usually need to get away from people and into a calm, dark, safe space during a meltdown.
The most important thing to remember about an autistic meltdown is that it’s not a choice, but an involuntary nervous-system response to intense overload or stress. If someone is experiencing a meltdown, they are not intentionally acting out: They are dealing with complex emotions just like the rest of us, and don’t deserve the ongoing stigma that is attached to autism—and by extension, meltdowns.
Victoria Mindiola (they/theirs/she) is an autistic person who works as an inclusion consultant and educator, focusing on advocacy for neurodivergent students. When Mindiola experiences an autistic meltdown, they say they frantically need “to find a place that is safe and dark and quiet and empty of people.”
Unfortunately, the stigma around autism and meltdowns remains because adult-focused research and resources are still lacking. While there’s plenty of research available on autistic meltdowns in children, there is limited data from the perspective of autistic adults.
In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive breakdown of autistic meltdowns in adults: What they are, why they happen, how to identify early signs, and how to support yourself or someone else.
Neurotypical vs. Neurodivergent Experiences: Understanding Neurodiversity
Neurodivergence is a term coming into increasingly popular use—but what does it mean? With a growing number of people identifying as neurodivergent, it’s important to understand what neurodivergence is, how neurodiversity adds value to our institutions and communities, and the challenges a neurodivergent person often experiences in a neurotypical world.
Masking Autism: What It Is and Why It’s Exhausting
Imagine you’re hanging out with a group of friends. On the outside, this scenario looks like a typical get-together: Everyone is laughing, making eye contact, and visibly comfortable with one another.
But for some people, there is a very good chance that much of their behavior is the result of masking, or a concealment of their autistic traits. Sure, these people may come off socially at ease, but a debilitating dance is taking place behind their eyes.
“After I've been hanging out with people, I need to take a nap for one to two hours…my brain literally needs to shut off. I feel like a computer that needs to reboot,” says Aura Marquez, an author living with autism.
Marquez says she’s been masking since she was in late elementary school: “It’s gotten to the point where I can’t turn it off.”
Masking autism is how many neurodivergent people navigate a neurotypical world, so it’s important to understand the reasons behind this practice in order to minimize stigma. While masking may provide some benefits, it’s important to also remember the toll this behavior takes on one’s mental health.
That why learning how to also unmask, under the right conditions, is essential to helping autistic people feel comfortable in their own skin. This article will explore options for those who wish to stop masking, as well as support for those who do mask.
Understanding Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy: A Guide
Neurodiversity is a growing movement that celebrates neurodivergent perspectives and the many different ways people think and engage with the world. As the cultural conversation around neurodiversity has expanded, some institutions have begun evaluating ways to better include and uplift neurodivergent people. These changes are desperately needed, especially in mental health services. Neurodiversity-affirming therapy offers neurodivergent people mental health support that recognizes our value and embraces our inherent strengths.
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