Autism in adulthood: treatment and beyond

To wrap up our focus on autism, we want to touch on some useful information for adults.

Most people with autism are diagnosed in childhood, but for those that aren’t, accessing support services can be difficult. Even teenagers who have received treatment since childhood sometimes risk missing out on transition services that could aid their journey to independence.

Adults with autism often need no assistance in life at all, but many find it useful to have some support. From treatment to social events, here are some of the ways adults with autism can find help if they want it and live their best lives.

Treatments for autism

While children with autism often go to special schools or psychologists to aid their learning and development, adults will generally only be offered support if they refer themselves.

There is no treatment for autism itself, but comorbid disorders such as anxiety and ADHD can be improved with medication and therapy.

The most common therapy used to treat autism is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), which uses positive reinforcement to establish positive behaviours (such as social skills) and reduce harmful behaviours (such as self-harm).

ABA has been a controversial therapy in the past, as it aims to reduce autism-related traits, reinforcing stigma around the condition and the notion that neurotypicality is desirable and anything else is undesirable.

In recent years, however, it has become more in line with the individual-focussed attitudes that we see. Speak to your doctor or social worker if you are unsure which treatment is best for you.

ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) is the most common therapy for treating autism. It involves using positive reinforcement to establish positive behaviours and reduce negative behaviours.

Romance and friendships for adults with autism

Adults with autism sometimes find it difficult to form relationships. Still, successful relationships blossom all the time, both in a romantic and friendly sense.

One of the best ways to form relationships as an adult is to find people with shared interests. To make it easier, there are support groups for people with autism, many of which centre around meeting new people and working on communication skills.

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) run a range of support groups for adults from wellbeing workshops and cooking classes to social skills services and networking events.

Finding communication more difficult might can make it seem like it will be harder to find a romantic partner, but there are loads of positives that people with autism are more likely to have than others.

Honesty, for example, is a trait that most people look for in a partner, and it is also a common trait among people with autism. Loyalty is another positive trait associated with autism and is appreciated in both romance and friendship.

Aspect Australia refers to autistic minds as "a different brilliant"

Understanding autism: changing stigma

A barrier to people with autisms’ ability to form relationships is the attitudes of neurotypical people towards the disorder. Negative attitudes come from both the stigma around an official diagnosis and a lack of representation in mainstream media.

Depictions of autism in the media are generally well-meaning, but some pieces miss the mark completely and risk spreading harmful misinformation about autism.

A recent display of misinformation is the 2021 movie Music by singer, Sia. Music has drawn heavy criticism from the autistic community and critics as well as audiences in general, mostly due to its inappropriate depiction of autistic behaviours and use of a neurotypical actress.

Autism is becoming more talked about and less feared, but Music shows that there is still some way to go.

If you have recently been diagnosed with autism or are struggling with any aspect of adulthood, remember that there are support services aimed at making life easier to navigate with autism.

Felicity Thompson

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