Why do so many autistic people reach crisis point?

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide and bullying / abuse.

In this post, I’m going to be exploring autism and mental health and why I feel so many autistic people reach crisis point and what we can do about it. As defined by the National Autistic Society - Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. More than 1 in 100 people are autistic and there are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK. I was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 14, after experiencing difficulties with my mental health and struggling to attend school. Autism affects me in many different ways, including being more sensitive to sensory input, sometimes struggling with social interactions and making friends, becoming overwhelmed easily and struggling with anxiety and my mental health. 

The facts and statistics around autism, mental health and suicide are incredibly shocking and sad - Autistic young people are 28x more likely to consider and attempt suicide than non-autistic young people, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a horrific statistic. So why do so many autistic people reach crisis point?

 

Many factors can contribute to poor mental health in autistic individuals and it’s important to remember that everyone has different experiences and lives, but there are some things that commonly impact our mental health. 

One of the biggest factors that can contribute to poor mental health is late diagnosis of autism. This is especially common for women, as autism presents differently in girls than it does in boys. It is thought that 80% of autistic girls don’t know that they’re autistic by the age of 18 and one study found that they are diagnosed on average 6 years later than autistic boys. I showed many autistic traits from a very young age, however, I feel they were overlooked due to the fact that I’m a girl, which makes my traits more subtle and means that I’m good at hiding them. This meant that I spent most of my childhood feeling different and not knowing why and I only received a diagnosis once I’d reached crisis point. Receiving a diagnosis earlier on in life could have helped me to access more appropriate support and, most importantly, helped me to realise that it’s okay to be different.

We are sadly more likely to be bullied, due to seeming different or weird, and those of us who are also part of other minorities such as being LGBTQ+ or ethnically diverse are even more at risk of being abused. In a survey by Ambitious About Autism, 75% of autistic young people reported having been bullied. One study found that autistic girls are 3x more likely to have been sexually abused than non-autistic girls. These statistics are truly sickening, as I’m sure you’ll agree, and highlight the urgent need for action to help autistic people feel safe, valued and accepted in society.

Due to fear of being bullied and feeling the need to fit in, many of us - particularly women - mask our autistic traits. This, simply put, means hiding a part of ourselves for fear of it being judged. Masking can be extremely damaging and can ruin our self-esteem and confidence. Feeling the constant need to hide who you really are can be very exhausting and can lead to burnout which can progress into depression if left untreated. Just trying to live and get by in the world can be a struggle for us, as the world is not designed for autistic people. Things that non-autistic people might take for granted, such as going to the shops or school can feel like torture for us and feel impossible. This lack of appropriate support and understanding for autistic people can be really damaging to our mental health, self-esteem and quality of life.

Unfortunately, the current mental health system is not suited to autistic people, so there is a lack of appropriate support for our mental health. Common mental health treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), are often unhelpful for us, as they are tailored towards the non-autistic way of thinking. Many healthcare professionals are not trained in autism, which can lead to us feeling misunderstood. The mental health system could be improved by offering alternative therapies, such as creative, animal assisted and movement therapies and by providing staff with training on autism.

To conclude, I’d like to give you hope that you can change things for autistic people, as, although I have illustrated some of the challenges that many of us face on a daily basis, there are things that you can do to help us. We are often misunderstood in society and there is a lack of acceptance of autism amongst the general public, which can greatly impact our mental health and quality of life, but there are some small things that can make a big difference to our lives. Educate yourself on autism, listen to autistic people’s experiences and  try not to judge people just because they seem different. Everyone is different and it’s important to try to accept that. Be kind and allow people to be themselves, because the fact that everyone is so unique can be a really beautiful thing.

~ The Loud & Proud Misfit  💛

If you've been affected by anything mentioned in this blog post, support is available.

Samaritans (24/7) - https://www.samaritans.org/ - Call: 116 123, Email: jo@samaritans.org, Write a Letter: Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS - A helpline open day and night for anyone struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen.

Shout (24/7) - https://giveusashout.org/ - Text 'SHOUT' to: 85258 - Shout is a crisis messaging service for anyone struggling to cope.

Switchboard - https://switchboard.lgbt/ - Call: 0800 0119100, Email: hello@switchboard.lgbt, Chat: Via website - Switchboard is the national LGBTQIA+ support line, helping anyone with whatever they're going through.

Papyrus UK (24/7) - https://www.papyrus-uk.org/# - Call: 0800 068 4141, Text: 88247, Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org - For children and young people experiencing suicidal thoughts and for anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide.

Childline (24/7) - https://www.childline.org.uk/ - Call: 0800 1111, Email & Chat: Via website (BSL chat available) - Childline helps anyone under the age of 19 with any issues they're going through.

Disclaimer: Everything I write in my blog is based on my own personal experience, opinions and views. Please seek professional advice where needed.