Table of contents for Understanding Autism in Understanding Autism

Today, the discourse surrounding autism is more important than ever, and we are beginning to have productive discussions on how best to build an inclusive world that supports everyone. We’re learning to better identify the signs, respect the differences in communication and create spaces more friendly to autistic people. Positive autistic representation in the media is also growing and helping to normalise common traits like stimming, direct communication and focused interests. These shifts are not just changing perceptions – they’re opening doors. In this bookazine, we will shed light on this neurological difference, explore the varied ways it manifests in different people, and demonstrate the steps we can all take to make autistic lives more comfortable and fulfilling. We’ll also highlight the key strengths of autism, address the misconceptions that…

We all deal with countless social interactions daily, whether a casual thank you to someone working in a shop, a meeting with a work colleague or an in-depth conversation with a friend. Some people can make these day‑to‑day situations seem simple and seamless. But for an autistic person, social interactions might require extra consideration to navigate. Yet, for many people, social interactions are a significant part of life, as they help us to have a sense of belonging and feeling socially involved, which is key to our overall health and well-being. First, let’s understand what we mean by social interaction. It’s a term that refers to how people behave, speak and react to those around them. There are layers to social interactions, too, such as cultural and societal expectations, as…

Someone standing, shaking their hands as if trying to air-dry them. Another bouncing up and down like a human yo‑yo. A third tip‑tip‑tapping, incessantly. A fourth scritch-scritch-scratching until their skin is red. Stimming is a common autistic behaviour and one of the more noticeable traits, so much so that it’s a defining characteristic. Yet the surprising thing is that many times, the people doing the stimming aren’t even aware that they’re doing it: it’s as automatic to them as blinking. Who stims? Stimming is shorthand for selfstimulating behaviour. While it’s associated with autism, it is a behaviour that is present, to some degree, in pretty much everybody. Even if you are neurotypical, you almost certainly have a characteristic stimming behaviour, whether it’s fiddling with cutlery at the table, chewing your…

Despite a staggering one in four people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem each year, the invisible nature of it means there’s often a tendency to ignore problems and just get on with it. But, as Stephen Buckley, head of information at mental health charity Mind, says, “Mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.” He adds, “Thankfully, we’ve seen the national conversation on mental health move forward, but those with mental health problems still face barriers.” The topic remains taboo, especially for older generations – a YouGov survey revealed 25% of over-55s think it’s more difficult for them to discuss mental health than younger people. Some 71% felt this was because, in the past, anxiety and…

For some time now, technology and autism have intertwined, creating innovative ways to enhance and enrich the lives of neurodivergent individuals. From early speech-generating devices to today’s AI-driven tools, innovation is continuing to transform the way autistic people interact with the world. For some, tech offers a voice where spoken communication is difficult. For others, it provides structure, reduces anxiety and creates a more accessible social environment. The breadth of useful tools becoming available is growing almost daily, ranging from highly specialised assistive hardware to everyday apps and gadgets that many of us use daily and take for granted but can be hugely beneficial. Technology for helping communication For autistic individuals who speak few or no words, technology can provide a genuinely crucial means of self-expression. Augmentative and Alternative Communication…

Communication differences are widely recognised as one of the main diagnostic criteria of autism. The way that this presents will look different for everyone. While some autistic people will experience communication differences from childhood, others may find that this becomes more pronounced as they grow. Although it’s common for autistic people to have difficulties with communication, autistic people have a variety of strengths, too. Challenges with communication The potential list of communication difficulties for autistic people is extensive, and all experiences will be unique to each individual as autism presents as a spectrum of differences. These frequently impact how autistic people socialise and experience life, and in some cases, can lead to challenges in developing relationships with others. The potential impact of communication differences can include feeling judged, rejected, or…

While we have seen a rise in awareness about autism and neurodiversity as a whole, the process of receiving a diagnosis can sometimes be lengthy, confusing, and even expensive. Navigating the healthcare system doesn’t have to be tricky, though, and this article will explain how you can access the support you or your loved ones need. Doing the research With that increased awareness of neurodiversity comes a larger pool of resources which you can use to find information. Namely, the places to look include charities and national health organisations, such as the National Autistic Society. Other websites can easily be found online or through resources from your local library. Some of the books and websites you look at may have screening tests. These can be useful tools to help you…

Everyone learns differently, and that rule definitely includes autistic people. While autistic individuals may face challenges when encountering learning environments that aren’t always designed with their needs in mind, there are many ways that autistic traits can enhance learning. Autistic people often have strong interests that they become deeply knowledgeable about, and many have the ability to hyperfocus on tasks for long periods. Some people even report having an exceptional semantic memory, which includes an enhanced ability to recall words, concepts and numbers. It’s crucial that autistic people are adequately supported to thrive in their environment – whether that’s work, university or school – in order to learn new skills and gain confidence in their abilities. Embracing different learning styles It’s widely considered that learning styles can fit into three…

Sustaining relationships as an adult can sometimes feel like hard work, especially compared to the heady days of childhood when friendships seemed so effortless. Without the structured settings of school or extracurricular activities in place, our social circles can seem to shrink the older we get. That is, unless we choose to deliberately and consciously tend to them regularly. For some autistic people, though, navigating the messy world of interpersonal relations can present a range of challenges. Autistic people often communicate, process emotions, and interact socially differently from neurotypical people, resulting in differences in how those with the condition perceive and interact with the world. Worst case scenario, these different ways of communication can lead to misunderstandings, conflict and rejection from others. In addition to this, common societal myths about…

For many autistic people, having consistent routines can be calming, helping to make the unpredictable predictable. However, because autism is such a broad spectrum, not all autistic people need routines in the same way. Some people rely on them to make sense of the world around them, others prefer them for predictability but are better equipped to break from a schedule, while others might find routines have the opposite effect, being restrictive and overwhelming. Why routines matter Navigating a world not always designed for autistic experiences can be challenging. This is why many autistic people prefer daily routines or a structure based on a regular set of more predictable events. What these routines consist of varies from one person to another, depending on an individual’s needs. For younger people, that…

Suppose you have to decide something important. Say it’s about whether to resign from your job to try to make a go of being an artist. You’ve got a good, stable job that pays the mortgage and the bills, but you’ve always had a hankering to put brush to canvas. Maybe you’ve sold a few paintings. Possibly, a gallery has expressed an interest in your work. What do you do? You will probably sit down with your loved ones and discuss the idea with them. You might write down a list of pros and cons. It would probably be wise to check your bank account to see how much money you have in your savings and establish how long that will keep you going. But then you would have to…

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Imagine this. You are trying to speak to your boss at work. They are telling you what they want you to do. It’s massively important because you know this is a big chance to impress the higher-ups in the company. Get this right and they’ll give you that chance you’ve been looking for. But as you’re trying to listen to and understand what they are saying, you’re also hearing the whirr of an air conditioner unit, which has had a low-level grinding noise for the last three days, and the hiss from the kettle in the kitchen behind you. Just over the shoulder of your boss, you can’t stop glancing at the bright white light coming up from the photocopier machine as a colleague photocopies their passport without bothering to…

What exactly do we mean by ‘neurodiversity’ in children? Neurodiversity is a broad umbrella term that describes the variety of ways our brains can function and process information as human beings. It is generally a positive term which celebrates our differences and the benefits that neurodiversity can bring both to individuals and to society as a whole. Neurodiversity is generally thought to include a number of conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD – previously termed dyspraxia) and specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia (difficulties with reading and writing) or dyscalculia (difficulties with processing numbers and arithmetic). In some definitions, mental and emotional health difficulties may also fall within the scope of this umbrella term. These conditions can all be diagnosed at…

Have you ever seen the film 2001: A Space Odyssey? The famous climactic sequence is called ‘Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite’. In it, Dr David Bowman detects a rectangular monolith floating in orbit around Jupiter. Bowman leaves his spaceship to inspect the artefact. But as he approaches it, he starts to see and experience disorientating light patterns, and he finds himself flying over strange alien landscapes, all accompanied by piercing atonal music. Then, suddenly, he finds himself in a bright, white neoclassical bedroom, where every sound is impossibly sharp and bright and clear. The film alternates between what Bowman is seeing and his own face as he passes beyond the infinite and beyond his own capacity to understand what his senses are trying to tell him. While it presumably wasn’t…

Masking, camouflaging, passing, adaptive morphing and concealing are just a few of the elaborate verbs used to describe the concept of ‘image management’. Most people present different versions of themselves, depending on the situation they find themselves in – the persona they display during a job interview will probably look very different from the one they adopt during happy hour at a bar. After all, the need for social acceptance is a universal human desire. However, for autistic people, the pressure to mask and moderate their behaviour can feel like a never-ending performance. Masking is a term that originated within the autistic community, but the concept can resonate with other neurodivergent or marginalised societal groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community. It is the act of consciously (or unconsciously) suppressing one’s…

Every day is made up of hundreds of micro‑decisions and tasks that help us organise our lives and manage everything we need to get done. Our ability to do this is controlled by a set of mental processes, collectively called executive function. In autistic people, sometimes these executive function skills develop differently, which can present challenges; however, by learning strategies and tools, it’s possible to navigate these differences and challenges comfortably. What is executive function? Executive function skills are processes in the brain that are mostly automated and run in the background to help us complete specific tasks. Executive function is complicated; it’s sometimes referred to as the ‘administration centre’ of the brain. These skills enable us to do things like plan and prioritise, set and meet goals, stay focused…

Theo is 24. He works for Network Rail as a project manager (timetable change), a responsible and essential role within the organisation. Here, he shares his personal experiences in entering the workplace and his perspective on autism and the workplace. From your experiences, what are the chief obstacles stopping autistic people from finding employment? Most autistic people have bad experiences at school. They leave school without the grades they should have got. They’ve had bad social experiences and academic experiences, so they leave with no confidence. This means that with something that is already difficult to do, finding a job, they have no idea where to start. It’s the same with autistic people leaving university. They have none of the initial confidence necessary to go out and find something because…

There are many myths, misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding autism, which can lead to a lack of understanding and support. However, many of these stereotypes and misconceptions can be harmful and perpetuate the stigma and discrimination that autistic people face. The misrepresentation of autistic people and their abilities, skills and talents can limit the opportunities available. There is a lot of great work being done to dismantle these myths, and a growing acceptance and understanding surrounding neurodiversity will help to make the world a better place for everyone. In this feature, we will explore some common myths and misconceptions around autism, explaining where they may have originated from, the misinformation that has fed into these myths and what the reality is. “Autism is caused by…” Autism has been incorrectly described as…