I have found that there can be a lot of misinformation out there around autism, and that can be harmful to the way you view autistic people and how you support them. After my previous blog post about autism myths, a couple of people got in touch and shared the myths that they had heard. Here, I break down 4 more myths about autism.
Myth No. 1 Autistic people like to be on their own.
I think a lot of people would view autistic individuals as anti-social and isolated (by choice). In fact, most autistic people want friends in the same way as neurotypical people, it might just be harder or more draining. We may need to spend a little more time on our own, recovering our energy or preparing for socialising. However, this does not mean we don’t enjoy it.
Myth No. 2 All autistic people are prodigies, geniuses, or have special skills.
I think a lot of us would wish this! But no, we are not. Though the research is pretty vague and inaccurate, I do believe it is more likely for autistic people to have outstanding skill or knowledge in a specific area. Whether this be congenital (present from birth) or whether it is acquired due to autistic traits, such as hyper-sensitivity, good memory and recall skills, and hyper fixations on certain interests – there seems to be an obvious connection. However, ‘more likely’ does certainly not mean common. It is still rare for an autistic individual to be a prodigy or genius. Films or TV shows such as ‘Rain Man’ or ‘The Good Doctor’ have definitely influenced this myth, however those shows are based off people who aren’t actually autistic or are simply made up.
Myth No. 3 Autistic people don’t feel empathy or other emotions.
I must admit, I would’ve believed this before I got my diagnosis. Ironically, one of the first reasons I got sign-posted towards autism, was in fact the opposite. I was struggling so much with taking on other people’s emotions, and I wasn’t able to separate them from my own. I would describe it as a sponge. I tend to absorb everything around me, such as a story on the news or a friend struggling with their mental health, and I can never seem to squeeze it out. Then I am left with too much emotion for one brain to deal with – resulting in a meltdown or shutdown. Other autistic individuals may not show their emotions as obviously as me. However, I can assure you we all have them. People may struggle in expressing their emotions; they may keep it hidden or it may present differently as you’d expect. But they are still dealing with a lot (if not more than a neurotypical person) emotions inside.
Myth No. 4 Autism is a learning disability.
To be diagnosed with a learning disability you must have an IQ lower than 70. Autism, on the other hand, is a neurological difference and is not related to intelligence. One interesting way to describe it is that individuals with a learning disability are developing ‘typical’ skills at a slower rate. On the other hand – because autism is a neurological difference, the skills we develop are just that: different.
However, despite being 2 separate diagnoses, there does seem to be a connection between autism and learning disabilities. Not unlike a lot of knowledge around autism, genetics, and co-occurring conditions, however, what we know is vague. According to the NHS, 29% of people with a learning disability also have a diagnosis of autism. Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD) – although a different diagnosis – are common amongst autistic people too. An SpLD may be something such as dyslexia or dyscalculia. These conditions do not impact an individual’s IQ, but rather how they learn and process new information.
The bottom line is, autism is a spectrum, and so people’s IQs can range a far distance. The intelligence of autistic individuals is much the same as the allistic population: it varies.
I am autistic 