Autism and the Society...

Autism is a mental condition that affects around 23 in 10,000 people in India. The attitude of the society towards them, affects autistic people to a certain extent. In this blog, I will try to write about autism and society's view towards the autistic, on the suggestion of a cherished reader. Before I begin, I would like to make it clear that I have not specialized in Clinical Psychology and hence lack the in-depth knowledge about this mental condition. However, I will attempt to write based on some understanding that I have about it.

So to begin with, let us understand what autism really is. Autism is a life-long, complex developmental condition. It includes impairments in social development, communication skills and some behavioral issues. Because of the varied range of symptoms, this condition is now also referred to as "Autism Spectrum Disorder". Let us look at a few symptoms:

1. Communication Problems:
    Children or adults with autism may experience challenges in understanding or appropriately using      the following-

• Spoken Language (about a third of autistic individuals are non-verbal)
• Gestures
• Eye-contact
• Facial Expressions
• Voice tone, voice modulations, etc

2. Social Challenges:

    The autistic individuals may face challenges in-

• Recognizing emotions in others
• Recognizing one's own emotions
• Appropriately expressing emotions
• Feeling overwhelmed in social situations
• Waiting for turns
• Sense of personal space, etc.

3. Behavioral Issues:

• Repetitive body movements such as rocking, pacing, spinning, hand flapping, etc)
• Need for routine or resistance to change in routine
• Ritualistic behaviors , etc. 
• Under/Over-sensitivity to sensory information (touch, taste, sound, etc)

However, it must be kept in mind that each individual is different and the symptoms may differ from person to person. The intensity and array of symptoms also vary according to the degree of severity of the condition.  For some, the world may seem extremely overwhelming and taking part in everyday social life may be much harder. For others, on the other hand, they may be able to communicate with people to a certain degree, but might find difficulty in building strong rapport with them.

Now, there are certain myths that the society, in general, holds about autism.

Myth 1:- The most common one is that autistic individuals 'look autistic'. No, they don't. They look just like any other person and this may be one of the reasons why they are sometimes not diagnosed early on. 

Myth 2:- Another myth that people hold is that autistic individuals do not have feelings. In fact,they are extremely capable of feelings emotions, though they may sometimes find difficulty expressing it in a typical manner. So it is absolutely not OK to make fun of them by giving the excuse "They don't feel any emotions, anyways". That will just make you a really horrible person!

Myth 3:- Third myth is that it is not possible for autistic people to build strong relations with others. That is not true. They can maintain strong relationships with others, especially their family members. In fact, they are perfectly capable of building friendships, marrying and having satisfying romantic relationships.

Myth 4:- Some people are of the belief that all autistic individuals are "savants". Savant means a person, usually affected with a mental condition, but having exceptional skills in some areas (such as music, mathematics, etc). Although it is true that a few autistic people are in fact savants, not all are. 

Myth 5:- Another popular belief is that all autistic individuals are non-verbal. Like I mentioned above, each individual's symptoms vary according to the degree of severity of their condition. It's true that some individuals with autism may be non-verbal or unable to use language; the autism spectrum also includes people will exceptional verbal skills as well as very high reading skills.

Myth 6:- Another myth that many people hold is that they shouldn't expect much from an autistic person because they can't really achieve much. Well, you couldn't be any more wrong. Autistic individuals can achieve great things. They usually see the world through a different lens. As such, they are creative and they have the ability to change the world. The only thing they need is your support and respect. So give them that. They deserve it. 

Another great thing that you can do for them is spreading awareness. They are a part of us and need as much love and honor as anyone of us. 

I conclude by saying that I wish for a world where people of all race, religions, caste, creeds AND DISORDERS are treated equal and the humanity lives happily ever after.


References:
https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-are-symptoms-autism

https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi/top-tips.aspx

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/my-life-aspergers/201201/are-we-autistic-people-shaping-the-publics-view-autism-in-ways-harmful

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