Understanding Autism: Breaking Myths and Embracing Differences

April 2 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 from others. Recent advancements in awareness and understanding have led to more widespread acceptance of autism, appreciating the unique strengths of autistic people.

However, despite these advances, persistent myths continue to shape public perceptions of autism in the community. This article highlights the most common ones, aiming to dispel misconceptions and provide a clearer insight into autism and its diverse manifestations.

Myth 1: Autistic people are intellectually disabled

Autism exists on a spectrum, meaning that while some individuals with autism experience disabilities, many others do not. Autism can also coexist with other significant physical and neurological conditions, further complicating the challenges that individuals face in their daily lives.

Traditional assessments of intellectual ability rely predominantly on verbal communication and social interaction. Consequently, many autistic individuals have previously been misclassified as disabled, despite possessing abilities that were not adequately measured or captured. The reality is that the autistic community encompasses individuals with a wide range of intellectual capacities, mirroring the diversity found within the general population.

Autism may also bring forth a variety of beneficial traits that can prove advantageous both in personal and professional settings.

Here are some examples:

• Attention to detail: Many autistic individuals have an exceptional ability to focus on detail. This can be advantageous in roles where precision and thoroughness are paramount.

• Pattern recognition: Autistic individuals can excel at recognising patterns, which can be of benefit in tasks that involve identifying trends, similarities, or anomalies.

• Hyper-focus: Some autistic individuals 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 endeavours, 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 entrepreneurial ventures.

• Honesty and integrity: Many autistic individuals are known for their honesty and integrity, which are highly valued in settings that prioritise transparency, trustworthiness, and ethical conduct.

• Passion and dedication: Autistic individuals often have deep passions and interests in specific subjects. This level of dedication and enthusiasm can lead to expertise and success in pursuits that align with their personal interests and values.

Myth 2: All autistic individuals 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 male who was gifted in mathematics and had an extraordinary ability to memorise vast amounts of information. In essence, while some autistic people may possess exceptional skills in areas such as music, math, or art, this is not a universal characteristic. Each person is unique, with their own strengths and challenges.

Myth 3: Autistic people lack empathy and humour

Autistic individuals experience empathy as profoundly as their non-autistic peers; however, their expression of it may diverge, manifesting through creative channels (eg, art, music, writing) or physical gestures (eg, facial expressions, body language, offering assistance). Also, the notion that autistic individuals lack an understanding of humour is misguided, as evidenced by the increasing presence of successful comedians who openly identify as autistic. As per the general population, some autistic people may prefer slapstick comedy, whilst others with an appreciation of abstract language or idiomatic expressions may prefer more subtle forms of humour like wordplay or sarcasm.

Myth 4: Autistic people cannot form meaningful relationships and prefer to be alone

While social interactions may pose challenges 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 can lead to the assumption that they prefer to avoid social settings. Building supportive environments that accommodate their unique communication and social needs is essential for fostering meaningful connections.

Myth 5: Autism is rare

Autism is more common than once believed and affects individuals across all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Data from 2017 reported that the prevalence in Australia was around 1 in 70 people, and more recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that about 1 in 36 children were identified with autism in 2020. Across the world, prevalence is increasing, driven in part by improvements in diagnosis and assessment.

Myth 6: Autism is a childhood disorder that individuals outgrow

Autistic traits are inherent aspects of an individual's identity, carried throughout their lifetime from childhood, persisting into adulthood. Early intervention and continuous support can aid autistic individuals to acquire functional coping mechanisms and realise their full potential.

SANE support services are designed to be inclusive of neurodiversity. 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:

• The Spectrum
• Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)
• Reframing Autism
• Autism Connect
• 9-Week Autism Parental Stress Relief Program

An important note: At SANE, we have chosen to use identity-first language which is preferred by many people in the autistic community. However, we recognise that some people prefer person-first language like ‘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.