April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness and promoting acceptance and understanding for those living with autism.
Autistic people perceive, learn, experience and interact with the world around them differently than others. Recent advances in awareness and understanding have led to a wider acceptance of autism, appreciating the unique strengths of autistic individuals.
However, despite these advances, persistent myths continue to shape public perceptions of autism in the community. This article highlights the most common, with the aim of dispelling misconceptions and providing a clearer picture of autism and its varied manifestations.
Myth 1: Autistic people are mentally disabled
Autism exists on a spectrum, meaning that while some people with autism experience disabilities, many others do not. Autism can also coexist with other significant physical and neurological conditions, further complicating the challenges individuals face in their daily lives.
Traditional assessments of intellectual ability rely primarily on verbal communication and social interaction. As a result, many autistic people have previously been misclassified as having special needs, despite having abilities that have not been adequately measured or documented. The reality is that the autistic community includes people with a wide range of intellectual abilities, mirroring the diversity that exists in the general population.
Autism can also bring a variety of beneficial characteristics that can prove beneficial in both personal and professional settings.
Here are some examples:
- Attention to detail: Many autistic people have an excellent ability to focus on detail. This can be beneficial in roles where accuracy and completeness are paramount.
- Pattern recognition: Autistic people can excel at pattern recognition, which can be beneficial in tasks that involve spotting trends, similarities, or anomalies.
- Hyper-focus: Some autistic people experience periods of intense focus or “hyper-focus” on tasks that interest them. This can lead to high levels of productivity and innovation in various endeavors where sustained concentration is essential.
- Innovative thinking: Autism is often associated with divergent thinking, where individuals can generate a wide range of unique ideas and perspectives. This can be very effective in problem solving situations, brainstorming sessions and business ventures.
- Honesty and integrity: Many autistic people are known for their honesty and integrity, which are highly valued in environments that prioritize transparency, trustworthiness, and ethical behavior.
- Passion and dedication: Autistic people often have deep passions and interests in particular subjects. This level of dedication and enthusiasm can lead to specialization and success in pursuits that align with their personal interests and values.
Myth 2: All autistic people have extraordinary abilities (the “Rain Man” stereotype)
This particular misconception about autism arose from the 1981 movie ‘Rain Man’ which depicted the story of an autistic man who was gifted in mathematics and had an extraordinary ability to memorize vast amounts of information. In fact, while some autistic people may have exceptional skills in areas such as music, math or art, this is not a universal trait. Each person is unique, with their own strengths and challenges.
Myth 3: Autistic people lack empathy and humor
Autistic individuals experience empathy as deeply as their non-autistic peers. However, their expression may diverge, manifesting through creative channels (eg art, music, writing) or physical gestures (eg facial expressions, body language, helping). Also, the perception that autistic people don’t understand humor is wrong, as evidenced by the growing presence of successful comedians who openly identify as autistic. In line with the general population, some autistic people may prefer slapstick comedy, while others with an appreciation for abstract language or idiomatic expressions may prefer subtler forms of humor such as wordplay or sarcasm.
Myth 4: Autistic people cannot form meaningful relationships and prefer to be alone
While social interactions can be challenging for some autistic people, most form deep and meaningful relationships with family members, friends, and romantic partners. They may struggle with sensory overload in crowded or noisy environments which may lead to the assumption that they prefer to avoid social settings. Building supportive environments that meet their unique communication and social needs is essential to fostering meaningful connections.
Myth 5: Autism is rare
Autism is more common than once thought and affects people of all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Data from 2017 put the prevalence in Australia at about 1 in 70 people, and more recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that approximately 1 in 36 children were diagnosed with autism in 2020. Worldwide, prevalence is increasing, in part due to improvements in diagnosis and assessment.
Myth 6: Autism is a childhood disorder that people outgrow
Autistic traits are inherent aspects of a person’s identity, carried throughout their life from childhood and persisting into adulthood. Early intervention and ongoing support can help autistic individuals acquire functional coping mechanisms and reach their full potential.
SANE support services are designed to be neurodiversity inclusive. Learn more at www.sane.org/get-support.
For more information about Autism, including resources for support and management, the following links may be helpful:
An important note: At SANE, we have chosen to use the identity-first language preferred by many people in the autistic community. However, we recognize that some people prefer first-person language such as “person with autism” or the term “autism spectrum disorder”, and we respect individual choices and preferences.
Dr. Carissa Coulston-Parkinson is a Clinical Psychologist with specialist knowledge in the areas of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, intellectual disability, personality disorders, traumatic brain injury and neurological conditions.
