How does a woman camouflage autism?

byTalles Alves

Brain dysfunctionautismIt is said that females have lower incidence than men. Women who suffer from autism have a lot of cases to study about diseases so that their symptoms will cure, and as a result, there seems to be cases in which they are psychologically chased.

How Girls and Women "Camouflage" Their Autism - The Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/02/women-camouflaging-autism/553901/

Jennifer who was diagnosed as having autism at the age of 45. Except for relatives and closest friends, the surrounding people do not know that Jennifer is autistic. When Jennifer seemed to take a changed behavior, parents and friends stopped forcibly, so Jennifer would not know that he was autistic until this year, Jennifer said about herself I am talking.

Francine Russo, The Reporter at The Atlantic, was interacting with Jennifer for a couple of weeks via e-mail, and Jennifer had some of the tricks he had done to hide his autism is. The trick is, for example, when you communicate with someone, not to look between the eyes of the other, but to look into the back of the eye. This seems to make Jennifer himself uncomfortable, but it is a perfect way to conceal that it is autism.

byClem Onojeghuo

After exchanging with mail, Russo and Jennifer will communicate using Skype or other video chat. Mr. Jennifer seems to have confessed that he is nervous to face the interview, but Russo's eyes seemed to feel tense firmly. However, in fact, in order to conceal the tension, Jennifer seems to distract himself by letting his feet be scattered under the desk which bites the gum and does not appear on the camera. The sign that Jnniffer sees as being nervous as seen from Mr. Russo says, "It was about a gesture to raise my hair."

The video chat interview took place for more than an hour. Among them, I also reveal that Mr. Jennifer is a 48-year-old writer and I feel difficulties in communication and social connection in my daily life. Mr. Jennifer can easily express him / herself by writing in the occupation of a writer, but I confess that in face-to-face communication it does not work like that. "With informational communication with immediacy, information processing occurring in me is confused," Jennifer says.

Also, Mr. Jennifer seems to have a sudden feeling of explosion, says that he is also practicing behavioral methods for such cases. For example, when attending a son and a birthday party, Mr. Jennifer says to turn himself "on" to correct his own posture and habitual troubles. Also, in order to continue the conversation, he seems to be using familiar phrases such as "This is surprised!" And "I do it quite well because I do it", said Jennifer, "I am indifferent if I nod it I do not think so. "

byCory Gazaille

According to scientists, in the last few years many women, like Jennifer, are hiding signs of autism. Men are more autistic than women3 to 4 times higher incidenceAlthough the research results have come out, The Atlantic wrote that this may be related to the fact that there are many women skillfully hiding being autistic. It may also be related to the fact that young women show severe symptoms of autism and that women with advanced academic ability tend to be diagnosed as having autism since becoming older .

We make daily lives by making minor adjustments to ourselves so that nearly everyone can meet social norms and conform to social standards. Autistic women are doing such adjustments to maintain relationships and careers, but it is clear that physical and mental fatigue will also increase, while benefiting from it.

"Hiding autism (camouflage) is often hopeless and also a potential survival competition, which is an important point.The camouflage often develops as a natural adaptation strategy to navigate the reality It is important for many women not only to properly diagnose and recognize autism but also to be accepted by themselves, "says the nerve at the Lynchoping University in Sweden Kaisa Igelström, assistant professor of science.

Even so, all women who hide being autistic are not necessarily wanting to know about their symptoms as soon as possible, and researchers are firmly aware of the complexity of this problem. Undertaking formal diagnosis will lead women to better understand themselves and gain greater help, but for women this is the reason for "catching themselves as a nuisance" and accusing themselves There is also the possibility of connecting.

byMario Azzi

As many overwhelming men are diagnosed with autism than women, the doctor thinks that even if you look at a quiet or socially suffering woman, "Autism may be the case" Not necessarily. William Mandy, a clinical psychologist in London and his colleagues say that they regularly see girls going around hospitals. But as time goes by, Mandy starts to notice that autistic boys and girls look totally different. And while studying multiple women and girls, it is possible to observe how skillfully "camouflaging" the symptoms of autism, although signs of autism are not seen.

Indeed, in a study published in 2016, it is common for women with autism who have high intelligence quota to camouflage their symptomsDiscovereddoing. In addition, as a reason why a doctor can not distinguish autistic girls, autistic boys are easy to distinguish by overactivity, while girls are uneasy to see strongly as depression and Mandy Pointed out. Besides, American researchers surveyed autistic children, autistic girls tend to approach other girls, while autistic boys tend to play alone with them The tendency is also clear that it is. Even with these research results it is clear that girls with autism tend to be overlooked.

Mr. Drain, who was diagnosed as having autism since becoming an adult, seemed to feel that herself and other girls were too different from early childhood. However, I learned about my favorite girls and said, "If you pretend to be whatever you like, and follow all the places where you go, your opponent will accept yourself," your own experience He says that there are ways to be accepted around even autism.

Also, methods such as "Autism Diagnosis and Observation Schedule (ADOS)" to find autism in early childhood are designed for boys, so autistic girls tend to be overlooked often There is Reed Rat who works at the Autism Spectrum Disorders Center in Washington, DC.

byErik Eastman

Women who camouflage to be autistic have each devised ways to deal with them in their own way. For example, if you are not good at starting a conversation, you have practiced laughing at the beginning of the story or practicing a joke. In the case of Jennifer, he seems to practice in front of a mirror often to learn other people's behavior, gestures, wording, etc. and to speak as they think.

In addition, Mr. Danean dared to prevent his unstable state from being distracted to the surroundings, for example when the event does not start on time due to unforeseen circumstances and irritation within me is about to explode "I can not concentrate because I am angry, so I can not talk right now," he said.

Furthermore, Mr. Rai says, "For many people with autism, self-stimulating behavior is a means to settle oneself or self-control and relieve anxiety." In this "self-stimulating behavior" there are things that waving hands, turning around on the spot, scratching, and striking the head.

byDmitry Ratushny

It is clear that these methods require considerable effort. Russo says that the people with autism interviewed are totally exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. One woman said that if you camouflaged for a long time, you need to make it small and round at the pose of the fetus to recover for a while.

Also, some people feel that they are lying to the surrounding people, others explain that their friendship is not genuine but loneliness. In order to skillfully control camouflage, it is considered important to take a rest, for example, to escape to the bathroom only for a few minutes or to leave early from the event. Mr. Deren explains how to get in touch with the method of camouflaging autism, "I learned how to better care for myself."

bySydney Sims