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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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Types of Neurodiversity: A Clear, Inclusive Overview
Exploring neurodiversity as an adult can be equally exciting and intimidating.
Perhaps you’re noticing that, through the neurodiversity lens, certain once-confusing moments in your life are suddenly making sense. Or you’re still healing from lifelong frustrations, feeling misunderstood, and lack the language to articulate your unique experiences.
If this sounds like you at all, then you’re in the right place. This article will not only guide you through some of the most common types of neurodiversity but also help you understand how each neurotype actually shows up in adult life — and what your options are if you want to investigate further.
Autistic Inertia: Why Starting, Stopping, and Switching Tasks Feels So Hard
Consider the experiences below. Do any of them sound familiar to you?
- You know it’s time to get up for the day, but you’re unable to move
- You keep going on that work task even though you really need to use the bathroom
- You’re having a lot of trouble transitioning from a preferred activity to a necessary one (in my autistic daughter’s case, this usually means putting down the tablet to start her bedtime routine)
These examples only scratch the surface of a very real concept called autistic inertia. We know the definition of regular inertia is that an object will remain at rest or in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Similarly, Autistic inertia describes how an autistic person will commonly keep going in the same state they’re in, and it takes a greater energetic effort to change states, activity, or mindset.
Chances are, the people around you, including yourself, have misunderstood autistic inertia, possibly dismissing this behavior as laziness or procrastination. But nothing could be further from the truth. Starting tasks, stopping tasks, and switching tasks are all classified under the umbrella of autistic inertia and deserve deeper examination.
After reading this article, you’ll have a better understanding of what autistic inertia is, why it occurs, and how to recognize your own patterns. You’ll also learn recommended support strategies for yourself or a neurodivergent loved one who has this experience.
Spoon Theory and Autism: Understanding Energy Depletion
Have you ever felt like your energy levels aren’t matching what others perceive? You may look “fine” on the outside, but on the inside, your nervous system is working overtime, quickly eating up your physical and mental energy. For some neurodivergent people, this kind of energy depletion can cumulatively worsen until they’re completely tapped out.
“When my energy starts to run out, my first sign is that it gets harder and harder to smile,” explains Drew*, who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at 40 years old and self-identifies as AuDHD. “It doesn’t mean I’m not having fun, or not happy, it’s just my body’s way of saying that I’m losing control of my ability to mask.”
As his energy drains, Drew usually experiences “drastically reduced verbal communication,” speaking only when spoken to, and responding with a handful of words. Eventually, he says, these depleted energy levels result in his “crying uncontrollably and hiding in a quiet room or space, eventually falling asleep from sheer exhaustion.”
If you can relate to Drew’s experience, spoon theory might be a helpful concept for you. Spoon theory is a metaphor many autistic and neurodivergent people use to explain how sensory, social, masking, and executive function demands lead to energy depletion. It can also help non-autistic people better understand why autistic fatigue differs from general exhaustion.
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.
PDD-NOS Explained: What the Diagnosis Was and How It Relates to Autism Today
Information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has evolved significantly over the past couple of decades. With those changes comes the realization for some people that they may have received diagnoses that are not only confusing but are now considered outdated.
PDD-NOS, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, is one of those diagnoses. If you’re someone who may have encountered this term in your records or research, it’s perfectly reasonable to scratch your head over this diagnosis—and to want a better understanding of what it means.
The PDD-NOS diagnosis was eliminated in 2013, when it was reclassified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) under the ASD umbrella. While officially an outdated term, PDD-NOS is still meaningful, especially to those who may have received this diagnosis before 2013.
This article will explain what exactly PDD-NOS is, why the diagnosis no longer exists (and is now part of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis), and how autistic adults can think about the term in a more affirming way.
Understanding the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test: What It Can (and Can’t) Tell You
Have you ever considered how well you can visually read other people's emotions? Researchers have developed tools that attempt to study how people interpret emotional cues, though these tools are limited and don’t fully capture real-world social understanding. One of these tools is called the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, also known as the RMET or the Eyes Test.
If you’re someone who’s either autistic or questioning whether you might be autistic, then it’s likely you’ve come across (or have already taken!) autism quizzes like the RMET online. (Some of the more common ones include the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) test and the RAADS-R test.) While none of these quizzes can provide a formal autism diagnosis, they can help individuals gather information about the signs of autism in adults and reflect on which traits feel relatable.
The RMET is intended to measure one’s social perception, specifically, the ability to recognize and understand another person’s mental state. Some autistic people approach social and emotional cues differently from non-autistic people, particularly in tasks that rely heavily on interpreting facial expressions. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test doesn’t measure empathy, nor does it define one’s capacity for empathy.
Even though the RMET, like the AQ and the RAADS-R, cannot offer an official autism diagnosis, it still may be worth considering if you’re trying to understand yourself better.
In this article, we will cover what exactly the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test is, how it works, why it’s sometimes associated with autism, and its key limitations and criticisms. Our goal is to help you make informed choices throughout your autism exploration journey.
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