Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is more commonly known as Autism. It is a neurological disorder that affects the way people communicate and interact with others and the world around them. Autism affects over 1% of people in the UK. It is a lifelong condition that can be diagnosed in childhood or as an adult. This article details some common signs of autism and some links between autism and mental health conditions.
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At a glance
- Neurological condition across a spectrum: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong, genetically linked condition present from birth, affecting over 1% of the UK population; severity ranges from subtle traits (e.g., Asperger’s) to needing lifelong daily support.
- Core characteristics: Common traits include difficulty with social cues and eye contact, rigid adherence to routines, hyper-fixation on specific interests, sensory sensitivities, and distinct ways of regulating emotions.
- Mental health co-occurrences: Autistic individuals are more prone to co-occurring conditions such as severe anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and eating disorders, often driven by a compulsion to follow strict rules to cope with the world.
- No “cure,” but management exists: Vaccines do not cause autism (the MMR theory was thoroughly debunked); while autism cannot be cured, therapies, personal assistants, and educational accommodations help individuals maintain independence.
About autism
Each autistic person is different, but most have difficulties with social interaction and like routine and repetition. There are different forms of autism. The severity of each person’s autism depends where they score on the autistic spectrum. Autism can range from so mild that somebody may never realise they have it, to needing support for their whole lives. Asperger’s syndrome, for example, is an ASD but a milder form. It primarily affects social skills, so others may mistake autistic traits for shyness or social anxiety.
Autism is not developed or caught; it is something people are born with and it can run in families. In 1997 a scientific paper linked Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines with autism, suggesting that children who received the MMR vaccine were at a greater risk of developing autism. This theory was fully disproved, but not before thousands of parents had chosen not to vaccinate their babies. Research is ongoing to establish what exactly causes autism.
Every person experiences autism differently. They have the same capacity for emotion, humour and complex personalities as anybody else, but may express or read these things differently from other people. People with autism can still live full lives; many have successful careers, active social lives, marriage and children.
Signs and characteristics of autism
There are a wide variety of traits and behaviours associated with autism. Some people may only have one or two, while some can have many more. Signs of autism can include:
Difficulty socialising
- Trouble gauging when to let other people speak or how long a conversation should last.
- Feeling uncomfortable making eye contact.
- Not understanding social cues or conventions.
- Having difficulty understanding how others are feeling, because they struggle to read facial expressions or evaluate why the person is feeling that way. They may not understand body language or tone of voice.
- Some people with autism cannot speak or their speech is limited. Conversely, others may habitually use unusual language that they’ve learnt from a topic that interests them, such as scientific vocabulary or speaking in a different accent.
Rules and repetition
- Strictly following routines and getting upset if they cannot complete their routine.
- Dislike of change.
- Keeping their possessions excessively neat and ordered.
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Fixations
- A person with autism can have a deep interest in one particular topic. This could be anything at all, from a historic event to a film franchise to a type of animal. For many this fascination can be beneficial as their topic of interest can lead to a career. There have been suggestions that many of the most successful and influential people of all time, such as Steve Jobs and Charles Darwin, may have been on the autistic spectrum.
Sensitive senses
- Some people with autism can experience taste, smell, sight, sound or touch so strongly that they find it overwhelming. For example, they may be unable to concentrate with any background noise so dislike working in an office that has the radio on.
Emotional regulation and distress
- People with autism can manage their emotions differently from others. One such way is by hurting themselves when they are frustrated or angry, by repeatedly hitting themselves or banging their head against the wall. Occasionally they may hit the person who is upsetting them, because they find it difficult to communicate why they are angry with the person.
- Similarly, they may get very upset and angry by events that seem trivial or only mildly irritating to others. An example could be a train being a few minutes late or a favourite TV show being moved for football. This is very often to do with the like of sameness and dislike of change.
Testing for autism
There is no age limit for autism. Many people don’t get diagnosed with autism until later life, if at all. The condition is present at birth, however, and doctors can often diagnose it in toddlers.
IQ in people with autism
Autistic people can have very varied IQs. While some may struggle with learning or have a learning disability, others have average intelligence while some can have extremely high IQs. This could be in many different areas or an extraordinary talent in one particular area, such as mental maths or an astonishing memory.
Links with other disorders
Autism has been linked with other mental health conditions. Some people with high functioning autism may have multiple mental health conditions without ever realising that they are all linked to undiagnosed autism.
Anxiety and autism
Many autistic people struggle with anxiety. Their difficulty in understanding others can lead them to become extremely anxious about what others think of them or that they will not understand social rules and expectations. They often live by rules that they or others have set and become very anxious if they cannot follow them. For example, an autistic person might meticulously check suggested serving sizes on food packaging and become anxious about eating more or less than the packet suggests. They may not understand why other people don’t follow rules in this way.
At the same time, they may not get anxious about things that other people do. For example, some autistic people have trouble with the concept of time and do things much more slowly than other people, without worrying about being late or understanding how their lateness affects the person waiting for them.
OCD and autism
Behaviours associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are common in people with autism. Ritualistic and repetitive behaviours, such as lining objects up in a certain order or strictly adhering to superstitions, link with the rules and anxiety experienced by people with autism. They may become fixated on doing things a certain number of times, such as flicking a light switch or boiling a kettle. People with autism are actually more likely to develop OCD than people without autism.
Eating disorders and autism
The compulsion to follow rules and anxiety around breaking them can manifest themselves in an autistic person’s relationship with food. Some autistic people may only eat food of a certain colour or from a certain plate. They can also become obsessed with controlling foods they do and don’t eat and keep a meticulous food diary for years at a time.
Can autism be treated?
There is no cure for autism but there are plenty of therapies around to help manage the signs and behaviours if the person feels uncomfortable with them. People with autism can also receive support throughout their lives to help maintain their independence, such as Personal Assistants for day to day life and support throughout their education.
Can autism get worse?
For the majority of people with autism, their behaviour is consistent throughout their life. If autism goes undiagnosed, people can develop more behaviours and signs of autism over time. This can be because in trying to make sense of the world, which can be increasingly challenging as they get older, they develop more rules to help them cope.
Next steps
- Pursue formal assessment: If you or a family member exhibit traits such as severe sensory overload, difficulty reading social cues, or rigid dependence on routine, speak to a GP to begin an ASD evaluation process.
- Address co-occurring mental health: Evaluate whether related challenges—such as OCD, anxiety, or restrictive eating patterns—might stem from undiagnosed or unmanaged autistic traits, and discuss these with a healthcare provider.
- Set up practical support systems: Explore available therapies, educational accommodations, and personal assistance options to help create structured environments that reduce daily stress and anxiety.
FAQs
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder, also known as ASD or just autism, is a neurological condition that affects the way a person interacts with the world around them. The severity of a person’s autism is measured using the autism spectrum. How much support, if any, a person with autism needs is highly individual.
What are the signs and symptoms of autism?
The most common signs of autism are difficulties with socialising and having a fixation on rules or repetition. Autistic people may struggle to understand body language or social cues, but make sense of the world around them using strict rules and rituals. They can also be very sensitive to light, sound or smells, or display difficult behaviours.
What is high functioning autism?
High functioning autism is an informal term used for people who live very normal lives while having autism spectrum disorder. Often these people have not been diagnosed with ASD, and some never are. Many people with autism can have prolific talent in areas of learning, such as memory, mental mathematics or understanding technology. They can have extremely high IQs.
Can autism be treated?
As yet, nobody knows the cause of autism spectrum disorder, so it is not possible to find a cure. Autism is a condition that people are born with and it can run in families. Many people with autism receive support in education or work and to live independently. People with ASD are more likely to develop mental health conditions such as OCD and eating disorders, which can be treated.