The Common Threads in a Spider Web of a Disorder

All diseases and conditions have telltale signs. A bad cough, marks on the skin, or weakness of the body. But some are easier to spot than others.

Certain conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, have much less noticeable telltale signs. Part of this is because, as the name suggests, the condition exists on a spectrum. Autism is not a ‘one size fits all’ experience.

And yet, there are similarities between all cases of autism. One of the most prevalent is issues with communication. In one way or another, most people on the autism spectrum have trouble communicating with other people. This can manifest in a number of ways. It can be as simple as refusing to communicate at all, or being physically unable to communicate whatsoever. Many on the spectrum are known to have vocal issues. In the worst possible scenarios, they can be unable to form coherent words at all. But in other scenarios, the opposite is true. Some autistic people are hyperverbal. They love talking about their interests and will be unable to stop talking about them.

Another common similarity between the vast majority of people on the spectrum is that they tend to fidget in a variety of ways. Most commonly, these are done with their hands. Playing with their fingers, tapping them against a surface, scratching them against their heads, and so on and so forth. This is a behavior often called ‘stimming’. It got its name from the fact that it involves people on the spectrum self-stimulating in some way. The reasons people do this are varied, but consistent amongst autistic people. It can be a means to deal with boredom, a way of expressing a certain emotion, or a way to handle sensory overload. Regardless of why they do it, it is still a very common trait among those on the spectrum.

On a similar note, another common sign for the diagnosis of autism is sensory overload. They can easily be overwhelmed by excessively loud noises or exceedingly bright lights. Even certain textures can be too much for them to touch. When these overwhelming sensations happen to those on the spectrum, the world around them can become unbearable. At its worst, this can lead to a public meltdown due to being unable to handle the stress they are under.

One final commonality between virtually all people on the spectrum is that they tend to exhibit repetitive behaviors. Those diagnosed with autism tend to find comfort in repetition. They prefer their routines be kept the same whenever possible. As with sensory overload, this can lead to negative consequences if their set routine is unexpectedly interrupted in any way.

And yet, in spite of all this, the way in which all these differences manifest are as different as the individual cases of autism. All anyone can do about it is try to cope with their limitations and hope that those that are not neurodivergent can understand. Many people on the spectrum have managed to accomplish this and are perfectly content with their lives.