After seeing a new doctor in 2023, she was diagnosed withautism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Roughly 1 in every 45 adults has this neurodevelopmental condition, but symptoms typically first appear in early childhood.
To complicate things even more, there is a lot of misinformation about the disorder on social media.
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If youre wondering if you fit the description, its worth asking a doc.
Here are five signs you might want to start that conversation.
Social options can be incredibly challenging.
Thats because people with ASD are going to be processing social information differently, Dr. Quaratella says.
Youre extremely invested in your interests.
It can become their entire world, she says.
When she got older, she went all in on psychology, ultimately making it a career.
I just couldnt get enough of it.
Im really obsessive about my interests and this became the new thing, she says.
For others, losing a special interest can be disabling.
Youre supersensitive to lights, sounds, textures, and smells.
When you have autism, your brain processes sensory stimuli differentlyor perhaps more stronglythan other people.
A little sensory input can have a big feeling internally, Dr. Gorenstein-Holtzman says.
You require routine and predictability.
to go and get stressed if that suddenly changes, Dr. Quaratella says.
It feels very comfortable to know whats coming next, she says.
So how can you tell if your surprise-averse nature is a result of autism or something else?
Youre feeling really down or tense in general.
Anxiety anddepressionarent symptoms of ASD itself, but many adults experience them in tandem.
Autistic individuals are using a lot more mental resources to get through their day, Dr. Gorenstein-Holtzman says.
If you relate to some of these signs, it might be worth chatting with a psychologist or psychiatrist.
So do what feels right for you.
In the meantime, though, a diagnosis might give you a little validation and relief.
Its helped give her self-compassion about why she is the way she is.
I can look at myself with a lot of grace now, she says.
