Autism's Confusing Cousins
5 days ago
- #mental_health
- #autism
- #diagnosis
- Autism is often self-diagnosed or misdiagnosed due to its broad and overlapping symptoms with other conditions.
- Common reasons people suspect autism include discomfort with eye contact, difficulty with small talk, rigid routines, and social exhaustion.
- Differential diagnoses for autism include anxiety disorders, schizoid personality, schizotypal personality, obsessive-compulsive personality, social phobia, borderline personality, social communication disorder, and trauma-related disorders.
- Autism diagnosis requires persistent social communication difficulties and restricted/repetitive behaviors present from early childhood.
- Autism lacks a biological marker and is diagnosed based on clinical judgment and behavioral criteria.
- Conditions like social communication disorder mimic autism's social difficulties but lack repetitive behaviors or sensory sensitivities.
- Trauma-related disorders can present with autism-like symptoms but improve with safe environments and therapy.
- Social awkwardness differs from autism in that individuals understand social norms but find them difficult or uninteresting.
- Comorbidity is common, and developmental context is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
- Focusing on underlying personality traits rather than DSM categories may offer better diagnostic and treatment insights.