Autism Is Not a Trend

The first I learned about autism was as a kid being told I had Asperger's. For a long time, what autism meant to me was not having friends, feeling misunderstood, and generally being a bit weird. When I began reading more and hearing some of the beliefs people had about autistic people, that we didn't have empathy or that we lack theory of mind, it felt exceptionally hurtful.

At that time in my life, it felt like autism meant people not viewing me as a whole person. I argued, as an adolescent, that I did not have Asperger's and cried whenever I saw the word autism on my medical and educational documents.

The neurodiversity movement is revolutionizing how autism is understood. Since my experiences in the early 2000s, most of those troubling myths I encountered have been disproven. We know today that autistic people do have empathy. Some autistic people are hyperempathetic (Kimber colleagues, 2024).

It's a neurological alteration, not a straight-up disease process. It's a different brain-wiring.

Learning about the autistic brain and processing style as an adult hit a chord for me. Sensory differences, viewing social situations in ways that might deviate from the mainstream, use of repetition to relax, and, yes, having struggled much my life to make and keep friends. I couldn't look away from it. I am autistic. Saying I'm not just made life more difficult. As I read my now up-to-date autism diagnosis, I am okay with it.

Accepting these things about myself has been empowering and liberating. I can utilize tailored strategies to engage in what matters to me and take a non-judgmental stance when certain social norms do not align with how I think. The world looks a tad differently through my eyes, and I appreciate that.

Yet, recently, there has been some backlash about autism as a 'trend.'

Some misinformation has spread on social media. Understanding of autism is evolving on both professional and casual fronts.

Standing at the edge of lived and clinical experience, I can share four things autism is and one thing it isn't.

1. A Neurological Difference

While neurological testing is not commonly utilized in the diagnosis of autism, a growing number of studies have indicated alterations in the autistic brain when compared with neurotypical brains. Structural changes in autistic brains are pronounced to the extent that through deep learning one algorithm correctly identified autism 85.4 percent of the time in one study (Nogay and Adeli, 2024). In addition, there are differences in how the autistic brain functions compared with neurotypical individuals. Functional connectivity in autism often involves different brain regions with hyper- and hypo-connectivity as measured through EEG readings, compared with neurotypical people even when the brain is resting (Geng and colleagues, 2023).

2. A Processing Difference

In his book, "Unmasking Autism," autistic psychologist Devon Price explores the detail-oriented processing style in autism. He discusses a predominant "bottom-up" perspective wherein less information is filtered out, creating a great affinity for single-focused (monotropic) interests and overwhelm. This is reflected by research highlighting both positive and challenging hyperfocus phenomena in autistic participants (Dwyer colleagues, 2024.)

I would describe my own experience as this: Imagine you are an owl flying above the forest. You take in everything around you, which might leave you prone to be disengaged. That is until you find a target. Perhaps it's a special interest or a worry. But once you have that target, you lock in and swoop down with force. This is what monotropism is like.

3. Sometimes Being Misunderstood

As a clinician, I have noticed that challenges with social connection are among the leading reasons that autistic individuals reach out for therapy. Dr. Damion Milton describes a double empathy problem wherein people seem to understand best individuals who think and experience the world most similarly to them (Milton colleagues, 2022). A qualitative study of 25 autistic adults found that encounters with misunderstanding were everyday phenomena, affecting every aspect of the participants' lives (Camus colleagues, 2022).

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From my eyes, it can be like this: I sometimes have felt like a wolf in a community of foxes. I have enough in common with others at least, I think we're the same species. Still, there are some discrepancies in how I process things, and what responses make the most sense for me given how my mind works and my preferences. Those dissimilarities require translation and can easily be misinterpreted by onlookers. At times, for me, autism has meant loneliness. Autism acceptance and appreciation of neurodiversity give me a sense of comfort.

4. A Neurodivergence

The neurodiversity movement honors the whole package of autism, celebrating the strengths of autistic individuals. What was once called "perseveration" can be seen as passion. The capacity for pattern recognition and systemic sometimes associated with autism is linked to great invention and innovation (Baron-Cohen, 2020). The sharp sense of justice and focal points of autistic heroes such as Greta Thunberg can be honored. From a neurodiversity-affirming standpoint, autism is a difference to accommodate rather than strictly a disease to eradicate.

For myself, as a person living with both mental health conditions and autism, I can frame it like this: I would go to war with my mental health conditions. Yet, many of the traits of autism are blended in with who I am as a person. I do not think I could be free of autism and still be myself. Many autistic people including myself are not looking for a cure. Still, accommodation, understanding, and support can be integral to our being at our best.

What Autism Is Not

1. A Trend

While awareness of neurodiversity has increased in recent years, autism has been around long before this. If the spotlight leaves neurodiversity, autism will not disappear. Ultimately, neurodiversity is about accepting people who have often been outcasts in the community and creating belonging.