As researchers learn more about the nature of ASD and begin to identify previously overlooked signs and symptoms, increasingly more individuals find themselves falling on the spectrum of Autism. This is true for young children exhibiting symptoms for the first time and getting early diagnoses, but it is also true for adults. Getting diagnosed later in life with ASD is becoming more common, with a multitude of Millennials and Gen Z receiving diagnoses in their 20’s and 30’s. For these adults who were not diagnosed as children, going through life untreated with no support can feel like constantly trying to fit a square peg in a round hole; attempting to live by standards set by those who are not neurodivergent and never quite being able to get it right can cause feelings of low self-esteem, a feeling that one’s failings are a deficiency--a lack of character, motivation, or self-discipline--when in fact the individual is not to blame.
For adults struggling with these feelings who are uncertain about ASD and pursuing diagnosis, we seek to provide some guidance by identifying signs and symptoms of ASD in adults and discussing the difficulties of getting diagnosed as well as the reasons it is imperative to do so.
What does ASD look like in adults?
The signs and symptoms of ASD in adults are similar to those in children but may present slightly different since the symptoms have moved in context from child to adult situations. The characteristic repetitive behaviors, obsessive interests, and difficulty in social situations are still present, just “all grown up.”
- Social anxiety
- Preference for solitary activities
- Difficulty with small talk/casual conversation
- Difficulty making or maintaining close friendships
- Difficulty maintaining eye contact
- Difficulty managing emotions on par with what peers are capable of
- Limited interest in only a few activities
- Obsessive interest in one particular topic/frequent monologues on said topic
- Compulsion to arrange items in a specific order
- Reliance on daily routines and difficulty dealing with change
- Repetitive behaviors
- Involuntary noises, such as repetitive throat clearing
- Difficulty understanding sarcasm or idioms
- Lack of inflection when speaking
- Problems reading the emotions, facial expressions, and body language of others
- Hypersensitivity to sounds, smells, and lights that do not seem to bother others
Why is getting an ASD diagnosis as an adult so challenging?
Recognizing ASD in yourself or a loved one as an adult can be difficult. If an individual is older but never received a diagnosis up until that point, it’s likely that their symptoms are milder and thus not as recognizable by friends and family or even clinicians. Similarly, if an individual has been living with ASD for much of their life, they have likely become adept at masking the signs and have probably developed their own “hacks” and tricks to troubleshoot, in which case, ASD may be less recognizable.
Why is it so important to seek diagnosis?
Even though some adults may have improvised coping mechanisms to help them “manage” ASD symptoms, it’s still crucial to seek diagnosis and subsequent treatment for many reasons, with the most urgent being that undiagnosed and untreated ASD can lead to other mental health struggles and is scientifically linked to poor mental health. A new study shows that receiving an Autism diagnosis in adulthood rather than childhood is associated with lower quality of life, more severe mental health symptoms, and higher Autistic trait levels.
For that reason, treating ASD is crucial, yet it’s difficult to devise a solution to a problem without having first defined specifically what the problem is. Naming and defining the problem—in this case, obtaining an Autism diagnosis—allows an individual to seek out the most appropriate and effective solution (treatments) vs. simply blindly experimenting. In this way, receiving a diagnosis opens the door to increased education and information about ASD itself and how it can affect the lives of the individual and everyone in their life. And that education and information leads to a better understanding of self.
For many people diagnosed as adults, many of life’s daily struggles suddenly “make sense,” and the diagnosis clears away the notion that those struggles were a personal deficiency or lack of character or self-discipline. In other words, just the act of diagnosis itself can be empowering. Because it sets the stage for the individual to approach their care, treatment, and mental health with purpose. Diagnosis establishes a direct route for an individual to seek out the appropriate therapy and possibly medication that will improve their quality of life. Additionally, it allows those who struggle professionally due to ASD to seek out relevant vocational rehab. And for those who struggle within their family and friend groups due to difficulties socializing, a diagnosis lays the groundwork for conversations about ASD and how it may have affected these relationships so that those relationships are stronger and filled with greater empathy and patience.
Given all that, if you feel that the signs and symptoms of adult ASD apply to you and you’ve been weighing the idea of seeking diagnosis, it may be time to reach out to a physician for an evaluation. No matter your age, it’s never too late to seek out the treatment and care you need to improve your mental health and quality of life.
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