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Prosper Health's Autism Resource Center
Featured Article
Neurodivergent vs. Autism: Understanding the Relationship and When to Seek Evaluation
“Neurodivergent” and “autistic” often get swapped for one another, in social captions, casual conversations, and sometimes even in settings where you might think people would know better.
Using the terms loosely isn't always a big deal. But it can matter more when you’re trying to figure out what these terms mean for you, especially if you’re wondering whether you might be autistic.
This is because the two terms really aren’t interchangeable, even though the mix-up can be common. Here’s how “neurodivergent” and “autism” relate, why the confusion happens in the first place, and what a next step might look like if you're seeking diagnosis.
Does Autism Qualify for Disability Benefits? A Practical Guide for Autistic Adults
If you've recently done an online search for the term “autism disability benefits”, you probably walked away with more questions than answers. Unfortunately, this happens because the search phrase “autism disability benefits” covers a very broad spectrum, and the resources your results pulled up may not even apply to your personal situation.
For example, one of the first results that usually comes up using this search term (as well as “Do you get disability for autism?”) is the Social Security Administration’s page for benefits for children with disabilities.
But if you made it to this page, you’re actually on the right path: “Autism disability benefits” almost always means Social Security. Yes, other types of government assistance exist, and we will cover those options, but let’s examine your potential Social Security benefits first.
After reading this article, you will understand how, as an autistic person, you may qualify for either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). We’ll also explore which pathway most likely fits your situation, what strengthens an application, what to expect if you are denied, and whether you can keep working while receiving support.
Autistic Burnout vs. Depression: How to Tell the Difference and When to Get Assessed
Profound exhaustion is impossible to ignore, even when you can’t even muster up the energy to take care of yourself. What’s even scarier is that sometimes, it’s equally impossible to figure out the root of this fatigue, because it’s a common symptom of both depression and autistic burnout.
If you’re currently navigating the confusing world of autistic burnout vs. depression — whether you just learned the term “autistic burnout” or are in the midst of self-reflection — you’re in the right place. Especially considering both conditions can co-occur.
After reading this article, you will have more clarity between autistic burnout and depression, know what to do if you think you have both conditions, and understand what a professional assessment involves.
Social Cues and Autism: Why the "Missed Signals" Narrative Gets It Wrong
Consider this: a coworker asks you to complete a task, “whenever you get the chance,” and you take it at face value. Two days later, you find out the request was urgent, and your coworker assumed their tone made that obvious. Or another example: you're mid-conversation with a friend, and something in their face shifts. You notice it, and you're also tracking their tone, their words, and your own response, all at once. By the time it's processed, the moment to say something has passed.
If either scene felt familiar, you’ve probably been told that you missed something obvious. Maybe you’ve been called hard to read, rude, oblivious, cold, or “bad at people.” But inside, you know that’s not really what happened.
These messages put the entire problem on one person in a conversation between two people. This article looks at autism and social cues, including why social cues can be harder to read for some autistic adults, why misunderstanding is often mutual, and what can help in situations where it matters most.
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How to Get Tested for Autism as an Adult: A Comprehensive Guide
Have you ever thought about getting tested for autism?
Perhaps because, as both a child and an adult, you’ve always felt misunderstood or out of sync with your peers. You could never quite put your finger on why you were different, but deep down, you knew there had to be an underlying reason. As our collective understanding of autism and diverse neurotypes grows, more and more people are realizing their autism might have been missed when they were kids and are now seeking a diagnosis in adulthood.
The day we received my daughter’s autism diagnosis, it felt like the world finally opened its doors to our family. But so many autistic individuals have lived their entire lives without knowing they are neurodivergent, and as a result, aren’t getting the support they need. Luckily, it’s never too late to get an autism diagnosis, but the process can feel intimidating. Where do you even start? Especially when autism testing options for adults, as well as data on autistic adults, are still relatively limited.
For example, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 45 adults in the United States is autistic, but many are undiagnosed.
The good news is that there is growing recognition of the need for more accessible and respectful autism assessments and diagnoses. This has led to a push to improve the overall autism testing process for adults in recent years. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, the rate of diagnosis in young adults (age range: 26-34) rose 450% between 2011 and 2022.
Getting yourself tested for autism can feel like an overwhelming task. That’s why Prosper Health is here to provide you with a step-by-step, supportive guide that will give you everything you need to know about the diagnostic process, from self-reflection to post-diagnosis support and resources.
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.
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