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Autism and Related Conditions Resources: Connections, Challenges, and Care
Autism often exists alongside other conditions, known as co-occurring conditions, which can affect physical health, mental well-being, and daily functioning. Understanding the relationship between autism and these conditions is essential for providing comprehensive care and support. This resource page delves into the most common co-occurring conditions, such as social anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and more. Here, you’ll find insights into how these conditions interact with autism, strategies for management, and resources to help individuals and families navigate these complex challenges with confidence and compassion.
Recent Articles
Understanding the Link Between Autism and Alcohol Use
As a young teenager, Chelsey Flood felt drawn to alcohol for the reasons many people do. She felt that it gave her access to a more confident version of herself and the ability to relax in group settings.
Although she was never officially diagnosed with a disorder related to alcohol, Flood started to choose drinking over almost everything else. This kept her from living the life she truly wanted to live—enjoying hobbies, practicing healthy habits, and looking after herself.
After Flood became sober in her early 30s, she learned the main reason social settings came as such a struggle to begin with: she is autistic. Recent research suggests that alcohol addiction is more common among autistic people than previously believed.
While many people ask about the link between autism and alcoholism, we won’t use the latter term. Instead, we will use the term alcohol use disorder (AUD). This reflects that the condition is a treatable disorder and a clinically defined, spectrum-based term that is more precise and less stigmatizing.
In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between autism and drinking, why some autistic adults are more vulnerable to alcohol misuse, and why it can be especially risky for them. We'll also learn why standard recovery models can be tough for autistic adults, and what autism-affirming recovery support looks like.
Sensory Processing Disorder in Adults: What It Feels Like
Let’s say you’re taking a walk, enjoying the bright sunshine and fresh air, when suddenly, a loud, smelly garbage truck speeds by. For most neurotypical people, it’s just a brief hiccup in their otherwise peaceful stroll.
But for adults with sensory processing disorder—or the more affirming, sensory processing differences—the truck’s fleeting noise and stench can cause sensory overload, thus destroying whatever pleasure they might’ve been getting from their morning walk.
Sensory processing disorder presents a tricky situation for adults, because while it is a very real condition, it is not a formal diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5-TR). But this grey area doesn’t diminish how difficult and potentially isolating sensory overwhelm can be as an adult.
In this article, we’ll explain what sensory processing disorder is, why it’s not a formal diagnosis, how it can present in adults, how it relates to autism, and what supports exist for those who experience sensory overload.
Understanding The Link Between POTS and Autism
Many autistic individuals report experiences with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. Although there has been some research on comorbid autism and POTS, science is yet to reveal much about the two diagnoses’ relationship. However, we know that they have some overlapping features, and that people with either diagnosis can benefit from support strategies. Read on to learn more about what we know about POTS and autism.
