Living with autism requires a certain level of adjustment but it all depends on what extent it impacts your life and career on a daily basis.
There are companies providing job training for autistic adults, for example, and help and support are often available when you need it.
The first step is assessing whether you have a certain level of autism before working out how it will affect aspects of your life.
Here are some pointers that might be suggesting you are likely to register on the autism spectrum.
Your gender can make a difference when it comes to autism
The first point to make is that autism can present itself differently in men and women.
A typical example of this would be the fact that autistic women tend to be more introspective and hide their feelings as a coping mechanism whereas men struggle to keep their autism from revealing itself externally.
Social anxiety
A classic symptom of autism in adults is when you experience an unusual level of anxiety in social situations.
You might also find it harder to make friends or nurture relationships, preferring instead to be in your own company.
Do you upset others without meaning to?
Another prominent feature of autism in adults is when you come across as unnecessarily blunt or rude to others despite not meaning to appear that that way.
If you are not in full control of your emotions in that way and struggle to avoid causing offense even though you don’t want to come across as someone who is perceived as rude by others that might be a sign that you have autism.
You like a set routine
There is nothing wrong with being highly organized and liking to stick to a specific routine each day but if you get unduly anxious when any changes to that routine occur that could also be a hint that you have an element of autism.
A lack of understanding when it comes to personal space
Many of us feel uncomfortable when it comes to feeling that someone has invaded our personal space but a typical symptom of someone with autism is not understanding that social etiquette.
Autistic people can often get too close to other people without realizing that this is making the other person uncomfortable.
You like to focus heavily on a subject or activity
It is always good to have a hobby or a specific interest but a sign of autism can be when you focus an undue amount of your attention on a certain subject or activity.
Thinking ahead of doing something
If you like to plan ahead and work things out in advance that doesn’t mean you have autism but if you are bordering on obsessive about planning carefully that could be a different matter.
An eye for detail
Also, autistic people can often notice certain patterns, details, and even smells or sounds, that others simply don’t register.
If you display some of these classic symptoms of autism in adults it is worth talking to a health professional to confirm whether your actions and behaviors are a result of autism. Your next step would be responding to those and take advantage of your uniqueness for the benefit of your career.
