How to tell if someone is high-functioning autistic?
Karson Hamill
2025-06-21 14:23:12
Count answers: 10
Common signs of autism in adults include finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling, getting very anxious about social situations, finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. You may seem blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to, find it hard to say how you feel. You may take things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg". You may also have other signs, like not understanding social rules, such as not talking over people, avoiding eye contact, getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you. Noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not, having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities, and liking to plan things carefully before doing them can also be signs. Autistic women may be more likely to have learned to hide signs of autism to 'fit in' - by copying people who do not have autism, be quieter and hide their feelings, appear to cope better with social situations, and show fewer signs of repetitive behaviours.