Today autism is on the lips of people more than ever before. It’s being discussed increasingly more often and the awareness of the disorder is spreading. But maybe “disorder” isn’t always the right word to use when talking about autism. While it comes with its challenges and can be debilitating for some, not everyone is as negatively impacted by it. Autism is a spectrum disorder, because of that, every autistic person has a different experience living with it.
For many autistic individuals, it might not be fitting to think about autism as a disorder, but it would be better described as a different way of seeing the world. People tend to see autism as a hardship; however, it also comes with many unique and positive qualities. Autism is too often defined in terms of deficits and treated with prejudice. However, there are many good things that can come with it.
People with autism can be reliable workers. They tend to pay attention to detail and be very accurate. They also excel at seeing patterns and are by nature logical and analytical thinkers. These qualities can make them very reliable in the workplace.
Their thinking is unique. Autistic individuals have a way of seeing the world and processing gathered information that is/ very different from neurotypical (non-autistic) people’s way of thinking.
That can make them very interesting people to get to know, as well as make others around them see things from a completely different perspective. It can be also helpful in problem-solving, as nontypical thinking can help approach problems in a previously not considered way.
They’re creative. According to a study by The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, autism often comes with a natural gift of creativity. When faced with a problem, autistic people often find solutions that require thinking outside the box.
They might not have as many ideas as neurotypical people, but the ideas they have bring a whole new way of seeing the problem to the table. Creativity can also come in the form of art and other forms of expression.
They’re honest. Holding truth in high regard seems universal to people with autism. Lying doesn’t come to them naturally and it might not even occur to them to do so. Asked about their opinion, they will tell you exactly what’s on their mind.
They are loyal and make very good, trustworthy friends. In the world where people often say what they think others want to hear, this is a very rare and important quality. It can help make good friends who value truth as well, and who will stick with them without judgment.
They’re passionate. One of the most exciting qualities to see in another person, at least for me personally, is passion. People who can dedicate a lot of time and energy into learning about a subject can open you up to a lot of information you’ve never come across before and ignite the same interest in you.
This is definitely a very common characteristic shared by people with autism. They can devote hours to explore a topic, which makes them very interesting people to talk to; it might also open the way to a potential career for them.
They’re nonjudgmental. People with autism tend to see through characteristics like a person’s appearance or socioeconomic status and look right at the real person. They focus on your personality and how it makes them feel.
For these reasons, they are really amazing people to have as a friend. When spending time with them, you never have to worry about being judged and can truly be yourself. If you, hopefully, don’t judge them as well, it can be one of the most honest, strong, and understanding friendships in your life.
They hyperfocus. This characteristic enables autistic individuals to focus all of their attention on a certain task. This can be very helpful at work or when there’s a big project to finish. When hyperfocused, all of the person’s attention is completely devoted to one thing. This prevents them from getting distracted and helps them complete the task more efficiently.
While autism comes with its challenges, individuals with the disorder (or a different way of experiencing it!) have many qualities about them that can be appreciated, embraced, and made more visible to neurotypical people. Most importantly, they are unique human beings that deserve to be accepted and loved with all their differences.
Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/16849-autism-advantages-research.html
https://www.leeds.ac.uk/forstaff/download/downloads/id/1485/positives_of_autism
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mom-am-i-disabled/201612/autism-and-creativity
https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/top-10-awesome-things-about-being-on-the-autism-spectrum/
https://opendoorstherapy.com/workplace-social-skills-hyperfocus/
Witten By Natalia Kawalec
“My name is Natalia Kawalec and I’m a 17-year-old living in Philly! I moved to the States one and a half years ago from Poland. I am very passionate about mental health, psychology, and I aspire to be a neuroscientist in the future. I also really enjoy writing! I hope that in the future I can help others with my work.”
