Anxiety in People with Autism

Anxiety is a serious mental health issue that many people in the world experience on a daily basis. It’s a condition that affects a lot of different people from a lot of different walks of life.

It can range in seriousness from mild to severe, and can significantly impact a person’s life, even potentially restricting them from doing certain things in life they may want or need to do, such as attend work or school, or establish meaningful connections with other people.

While anxiety isn’t discriminating, it is a rather common mental health challenge that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face. There are many different reasons why people on the autism spectrum suffer from anxiety, and many different ways in which it can affect their lives.

Below, we’ll discuss what anxiety is and why it affects people with autism a lot.

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What is Anxiety?

According to the Mayo Clinic, almost all people experience anxiety from time to time. In fact, for many people, it’s a normal part of daily life.

Anxiety can also be much more serious, though, and can impact someone’s life quite substantially. If a person experiences anxiety in such a way that life becomes overwhelming at times, it can be termed an anxiety disorder.

Some of the common signs of anxiety include a worried or restless feeling, a feeling that your stomach is churning, an irregular heartbeat or a fast heartbeat, faster breathing, hot flashes and/or sweating, nausea, trouble sleeping and even panic attacks.

Is Anxiety Common in People with Autism?

Anxiety is unfortunately very common in people with autism.

According to the UK-based organization Autistica, more than half of all adults who have autism will be diagnosed with at least one anxiety disorder at some point in their life. More than 40% of children with autism experience an anxiety disorder, compared to only 3% of children who aren’t on the autism spectrum.

In total, roughly 80% of all adults with autism will experience a mental health challenge in life.

This shows just how impactful ASD can be on someone’s life, how serious an issue it is and how much it needs to be addressed.

Why Do People with Autism Suffer from Anxiety?

Anxiety isn’t included in the diagnostic criteria for autism, even though many people with ASD suffer from it. Instead, anxiety can be seen as a common effect of many of the challenges that people with autism struggle with.

For instance, people with autism often have trouble with social interactions. This could be because they struggle with communication since they don’t often process nonverbal cues such as body language and tone of voice well.

As a result, they may suffer extra anxiety when they know they have to interact with others, such as in a school environment or other situation.

In addition, people with autism often face sensory challenges. They may be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to strong odors, bright lights and loud sounds, for instance. This could all cause them to become overwhelmed quickly and experience anxiety.

Another common source of anxiety for people with autism are changes to routine, particularly if the changes are unexpected and sudden. People on the autism spectrum typically thrive when they have a predictable routine, and even minor changes to such a routine can cause issues.

Finally, the stigma associated with autism can cause anxiety. The fact that many other people view them as being “different” could result in people with autism being cast aside by peers, which by itself could be a source of anxiety.

How Can Anxiety in People with Autism Be Treated?

There are many ways in which anxiety disorders can be treated. For people who have autism, one of the best methods is called applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy.

This science- and evidence-based approach to learning and behavior helps people with autism build social, communication and daily life skills with which they often struggle. It also helps address some of the common sources and triggers of anxiety, which over time can be reduced.

Using positive reinforcement and repetition, ABA therapists help their patients understand these triggers and help them adjust their behavior and responses to things so they feel more comfortable and less anxious in certain situations.

Blue Gems ABA Helps Address Anxiety in Children with Autism

People with autism suffer from anxiety at much higher rates than those who aren’t on the autism spectrum. Fortunately, there are treatment methods that help them address the root causes and triggers of this anxiety.

At Blue Gems ABA, our team of dedicated BCBAs administer ABA therapy on a one-to-one basis to children on the autism spectrum. By creating personalized treatment plans, we help address each child’s unique strengths and challenges so they can experience less anxiety.

To learn more, please contact us today.