My introduction to autism

A few years ago, one of my children was diagnosed with autism. As I listened to the rationale for the surprising diagnosis, I realized that I really knew nothing about autism; I just had a collection of prejudices and phobias informed by society and Hollywood. But I also realized that I shared many of my child’s difficulties when I was a child and even throughout my adult life. I began to wonder, could I be autistic? I had to know the answer.

I’ll finish that story in a bit, but right now let’s pause and take a dive into the nature of autism, a condition that, according to the CDC, affects 1 in 36 children.

What is autism?

The first thing to know about autism is that it is a condition. It is classified as a disability under the ADA. It is not an illness. For that reason, it is important to refer to an individual as `autistic’ rather than `having autism’. Either you are born autistic, or you are not. It is simply not true that `We’re all a little autistic.’ (In fact that is an incredibly insulting thing to say to an autistic person, especially a child.) Children do not become autistic as a result of vaccination.

The next thing to know is that the brain of an autistic individual is simply `wired up’ differently than that of a neurotypical (or allistic) individual. These differences lead to autistic people processing sensory information differently than allistic people. One consequence of this is that autistic people can have great sensitivity to bright lights and certain kinds of sounds and smells.

Autism is a spectrum condition. There are a wide range of symptoms an autistic person may experience, and there is a wide range of severity in their manifestation. Many autistic people function independently and successfully. Others require around-the-clock supervision.

A common misperception is that autistic individuals are socially awkward mathematical geniuses. Some autistics are very good at math due to their strong ability to focus. Others however struggle with dyscalculia (difficulty with arithmetic). Autistic people may be socially awkward, but it is important to understand why. Because they process sensory information differently, they often have trouble interpreting facial expressions and tones of voice. In addition, their own facial expressions and tones of voice may not reflect what they are saying to an allistic person. Also, autistic individuals tend to interpret language very literally. As a result, the many `social lies’ and ways society has developed to politely refer to uncomfortable topics often make no sense to autistic individuals, and they may speak very bluntly which can be misinterpreted as rudeness.

An autistic individual’s difficulties with social situations often leads to masking. This refers to copying phrases and facial expressions they have seen others use, in particular from movies and television shows. This usually happens at an unconscious level.

Another common misperception is that autistic people don’t care about other people’s feelings and have no feelings of their own. Neither is true. Autistic people have feelings; in fact they can often be very sensitive. It may take an autistic person a little longer to understand another’s emotions, but they can understand them. The fact that they don’t comprehend another’s emotions instantaneously based on a facial expression or body language may be mistaken for indifference.

Finally, autistic people often have trouble with executive function. In fact, there is considerable overlap between the symptoms of autism and ADHD. For example, an autistic person may be able to go to work and do a sterling job as a computer programmer, but then require assistance purchasing groceries or planning and cooking a meal.

In summary, autism is a neurological condition and not an illness that can be treated or cured. It is a spectrum condition with many kinds and levels of manifestations. It is still not well understood.

And now the rest of the story…

In the Fall of 2023, I was diagnosed with autism. This diagnosis was liberating. It explained many of the problems I had experienced in life. The constant stress of trying to figure out how to be normal vanished; I just didn’t care anymore.

It also explained my love of backpacking; especially long-distance hiking. Autistic individuals often seek and even require environments with greatly reduced sensory stimulation. For me, nothing is more relaxing than being out in the woods with just the sounds of nature, especially the sound of the breeze in the trees. The simplicity of the lifestyle reduces the burden on executive function. While I originally took to the trails as a misanthrope seeking solitude, I have met many wonderful people and had many enjoyable evenings of conversation. I think this is because out on the trail we are all a little unkempt and united by a common experience. There is no room for pretense. The conversations have a kind of earnestness, simplicity, and kindness that is harder to find in `civilization’.

So, for autistic individuals, our trails can be a very important resource. So, in addition to Leave No Trace practices, I suggest we also need to commit to `Keep the Trails Quiet’ practices. Add this to the list of reasons not to use an external speaker to listen to music or books while hiking. Consider not using an electronic mattress inflator when camping around others. Keep your voice low when conversing with others. These practices contribute to the experience of all hikers, but for neurodivergent individuals they may maintain one of the few sanctuaries they have.

If you would like to learn more about autism, visit the Autism Foundation: www.autism-foundation.org.