by Bramhi Gunti
Autism Spectrum Disorder, often known as Autism, refers to a wide range of conditions that affect how the brain develops, affecting how people communicate and interact with the world. More than 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. Despite it being such a common condition, people with autism frequently have negative experiences that are indicative of the stigma surrounding the condition. Interviews with neurotypical people have found that autism is perceived by some as violating “accepted societal norms.”
How are they different?
Studies employing the brain-scanning method Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have identified a few areas of the brain that are anatomically unique in autistic individuals. According to various studies, adolescents and children with autism frequently have a larger hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for creating and storing memories), but it is
unknown if this difference remains into adolescence and adulthood. Despite conflicting findings from several research organisations, it appears that people with and without autism have varying amygdala sizes. The amygdala is the brain's threat detector. According to some research, those who have autism (especially those with anxiety as well) have amygdalae that are smaller than those who do not. Others have discovered that early in their development, autistic children have bigger amygdalae, and that the difference eventually levels off. Parts of the cerebellum and brain tissue in general are less dense in autistic people and on a more global level, the cortex - the outer layer of the brain - appears to have a varied pattern of thickness in individuals with and without autism.
In simpler words, the world is a perplexing place for those who are autistic. They struggle to handle the deluge of information coming into their brains due to overly sensitive sensory systems. The end effect is frequent sensory overload, which causes recognizable behaviours including tantrums, anxiety, and social disengagement.
Signs of autism in young children (from the NHS website) include:
Not responding to their name,
Avoiding eye contact,
Not smiling when you smile at them,
Getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound - repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body,
Not talking as much as other children,
Not doing as much pretend play.
Signs of autism in older children (from the NHS website) include:
Not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling,
Unusual speech, such as repeating phrases and talking ‘at’ others - liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes - having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities,
Getting very upset if you ask them to do something,
Finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own - taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg",
Finding it hard to say how they feel.
The Stigma of Autism: When all eyes are upon you
For my aunt, the bullying started when she was just 6. My mother used to tell me how the older girls next door always used to mock and mimic my aunt, which used to make my aunt run back home crying and afraid. Decades later, she is happily married, living her life the way she wants. While, on the other hand, one of the girls now has a disabled and autistic child, hopefully realising the mistake she had made towards my aunt. So, it’s not always the easiest for autistic people and their parents.
Many societies around the world see autism as a cause for embarrassment, frustration, or disappointment. Some studies believe that this social stigma may prevent families from getting the same quality of life as their neighbours, from fully engaging in their communities, and from obtaining a diagnosis and services for their children. An autistic person's capacity to establish friends, date, and obtain or maintain employment may be hampered by stigma. Adults with autism may even be reluctant to disclose their condition to their physicians.
What exactly is stigma?
In 1950, a few years after the disorder was initially identified by an American psychiatrist, Eustacia Cutler's daughter was diagnosed with autism. The husband of Cutler desired to institutionalise their daughter. Many kids with developmental problems were placed in these facilities at the time, far from their homes and communities.
However, Cutler was adamant about keeping her child at home, where she was given rigorous instruction and therapy. Cutler recoiled in 1960 when she was given a tour of an institution for kids with serious disabilities. "However intelligent I think I am, however charitable and reverent of life, lodged deep in my mindless dreams is a clammy anxiety over these poor beings," she recounted, recalling the labyrinth of emotions surrounding what she had seen. Some may become afraid of them just by looking at them.
Three years later, sociologist Erving Goffman provided a definition of stigma that was mostly comparable to Cutler's. He said that the Greeks were the first people to use stigma, literally branding a person to designate him as a slave, traitor, or criminal. According to him, stigma is a "deeply discrediting" characteristic that renders the bearer "tainted" and "discounted." "We believe the person with a stigma is not quite human, by definition." Some keep their distance from those who are stigmatised, as well as their friends and families. Since Goffman's mid-20th century description of stigma, a lot has happened. Countries around the world passed legislation supporting equitable treatment, public education, and the integration of those with disabilities into society.
However, caregivers and adults with autism still report to researchers that the burden of societal rejection, marginalisation, prejudice, and criticism is too much for them to bear.
In a comprehensive study of autistic children, it was discovered that almost 75% of them were frequently or sporadically excluded from activities by other children. Thirteen percent of them experienced physical bullying, while thirty-seven percent were teased occasionally. According to the study, a child's disruptive behaviours and autistic symptoms were the main factors that determined how frequently the youngster was rejected by others. The more behaviours the child displayed, the more alone and ostracised from friends, family, and social events the child felt.. According to the report, almost 32% of the families were left out of social gatherings, and 40% of them distanced themselves from friends and relatives.
Furthermore, the lingering consequences of stigma might impact people's self-perceptions. Self-stigma is a problem that some autistic individuals and their families report. They may think that society is telling them that they are not as good as other people. Researchers have heard from adults with autism who attempt to disguise their condition "to avoid feeling ashamed" or "because being me isn't good enough." However, autism doesn't hold people back at work and does not limit them in any way.
Can you still be successful with autism?
Although autism might be difficult, many people on the spectrum have achieved great heights.
Albert Einstein: Although there is no proof, there has been much conjecture that the great Albert Einstein was autistic. There were characteristics of autism in his personality, such as: compulsive hobbies, trouble forming social connections and having communication issues. Until he was seven years old, Einstein repeated words and phrases and was labelled as a "loner." According to scientific studies, "there does not seem much doubt" that Einstein was autistic.
Leonardo da Vinci: Although some people think the well-known painter was autistic, two experts who looked at historical reports concluded that the Mona Lisa painter most likely had Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which shares characteristics with autism (as they are along the same spectrum). The researchers discovered that "his notebooks show mirror writing and spelling errors that have been considered suggestive of dyslexia." The prevalence of dyslexia, left-handedness, and atypical hemisphere dominance is higher in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD.
Dan Aykroyd: Popular comedy actor Dan Aykroyd is among the most well-known individuals with Asperger's syndrome. When a doctor diagnosed him with mild Asperger's syndrome in his childhood, he had already been expelled from two separate schools. Aykroyd has spoken candidly and openly about his experiences growing up on the autistic spectrum ever since. The actor and writer, who is nominated for an Academy Award, has also talked extensively about how his own experience with autism influenced his role in Ghostbusters.
Susan Boyle: The majority of people are familiar with Susan Boyle as the quiet, introverted Scottish woman who, after competing on Britain's Got Talent, sold over 14 million albums. However, Boyle's announcement that she had been given an Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis—a diagnosis that, according to Boyle, felt like "a relief"—inspired even more individuals. Boyle is constantly learning about the effects of her autistic spectrum condition, but as long as she sings, people will undoubtedly be moved by her inspiration.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The master of music was, according to most academics, somewhere on the spectrum. It is said that Mozart was very sensitive to loud noises. His attention span was infamously short, and he could switch between facial emotions in a matter of seconds. In a well-recorded instance, a bored Mozart started meowing like a cat and vaulting over tables and executing cartwheels.
And many more wonderful and successful people.
What can we do to reduce the stigma?
Autism stigma may be reduced by raising awareness and educating more people about the condition. According to a study (Gillespie-Lynch et al., 2020), comprehending other people's viewpoints is correlated with a decrease in the stigma associated with certain diseases, such as autism. In light of this, the study discovered that stigma decreased in training sessions when people with certain diagnoses discussed the causes of particular behaviours; this was true for all diseases examined in the study, with the exception of psychopathy. More "autism friendly" locations should be created in order to lessen stigma. There ought to be more uplifting depictions of autistic persons in the media. Additionally, they ought to enhance public and professional knowledge about autism. Finally, they ought to encourage neurodiversity.
In conclusion, Autism still carries a great deal of stigma, which needs to end. Even now, some autistic people feel compelled to conceal who they really are. People may tell an autistic person they don't want to be friends, for instance, if they do something unusual or make a mistake. However, some autistic people develop a curiosity with particular subjects and occasionally fail to recognize when they are dipping too far. It’s not fair to place judgement upon anyone when you don’t even fully know them. Autism is not a disability; it is a different ability.
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