People with autism are more affected by (social) anxiety – new study

What if I miss the bus and am late for an important work meeting, what if I don’t do a good job in the meeting, what if my boss is unhappy with my performance and would rather see me resign? There is a lot to worry about and worrying is also a natural part of life, but too much and constant worrying can lead to negative consequences in the form of Difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and poor quality of life. Some people also seem to feel more anxious than others. A new study by, among others, Melissa Black, a researcher at the npf KIND Competence Centre at Karolinska Institutet, has shown that people with autism are more affected by anxiety and worry than neurotypical individuals without a diagnosis.

“Within the autism community, it has long been known that anxiety and worry are common among people with autism, but until now no study had investigated how anxious they are or what they worry about. That’s why we decided to do this,” she says. Private nest.

Unique study with survey and interviews
The study was recently summarized in an article in the scientific journal Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders It is based on both a survey and interviews. The questionnaire was answered by autistic and neurotypical adults, and consisted of questions about how often they worry, what are the main sources of worry and how worries affect daily life. Similar questions were also asked during the interviews. The result was quite clear: autistic people clearly worry more than neurotypical people.

“Of course it wasn’t too surprising because this has been discussed for a long time on social media and in autism circles, but now there’s finally a study that confirms the experience of many people with autism,” says Melissa Black. “When we have evidence, we can also, in the long run, better support people with autism in healthcare.”

More anxiety in general – and stronger anxiety about social matters
People with autism worry about many of the same things that neurotypical people do—everything from the future and relationships to money and jobs. But the study also shows that people with autism are more concerned about social situations and how others will judge them. So it doesn’t seem like people with autism are the only ones who worry. more, Also the original and the reason Anxiety is different from normal individuals.

“Our interviewees told us that this anxiety has significant consequences in everyday life. For example, sleep is often affected, which in itself can contribute to various forms of mental illness. Anxiety can also lead to people starting to avoid situations and contexts. ‘We need to study this more,’ says Melissa Black.

Special Nest has been rewritten. Damian Milton Research shows that it is not just people with autism who have difficulty communicating with the neurotypical environment, but that even neurotypical people have difficulty understanding people with autism. So it is a matter of a reciprocal and two-way problem in socialization. But Melissa Black's study shows that people with autism do feel major Neurotypical anxiety about their performance and piano playing in social contexts.

– People with autism have a different way of thinking and a different way of communicating. As a result, people with autism may receive more negative feedback about their interaction style and feel more pressure to conform to neurotypical norms and hide different aspects of themselves. In the long run, this can increase anxiety.

In this context, it can be noted that research shows that people with autism value social contact with other individuals with autism, an association that often has a positive impact on their lives – see for example here.

Anxiety and fatigue caused by autism
Special Nest recently reported on this phenomenon. Autistic burnoutwhich can be described as a state of stress that can arise from having to navigate a world designed primarily for neurotypical people. When Melissa Black was asked if the effects of alcohol and severe anxiety could be linked to autism fatigue, she replied:

– Anxiety is normal, but constant, persistent, and difficult-to-control anxiety can play a role in fatigue. When you’re constantly anxious, your brain is essentially working “overtime” thinking about potential problems and worries – and this can drain your mental resources and be extremely stressful. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to help people with autism overcome their anxiety.

It can lead to new efforts.
The new study thus confirms a long-held line of thought in the autism community: that people with autism suffer from more anxiety than others. Melissa Black hopes that, in the long run, this research will lead to better treatments for anxiety, worry, and depression in people with autism. She also hopes that autism research will help increase awareness and openness about autism.

“It would also be good if we could develop support and interventions that could help people with autism manage and reduce their anxiety,” says Melissa Black.