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Does late diagnosis lead to trauma?

tintal
over 5 years ago

I think it can, and there are a few articles online that explore how autism relates to trauma and PTSD. Compared to neurotypical people, trauma in autistic people has different causes and plays out in different ways.

Some examples: 

  • Exclusion, exploitation or mistreatment by peers, leading to social phobia and mistrust of others
  • Isolation
  • Forcing oneself to put up with loud noises and bright light
  • Pressure and criticism from parents unaware of child's underlying limitations
  • Not knowing how to manage one's stress
  • Forcefully masking stress-relieving behaviours like stimming 
  • Suicidal thoughts in children, with no ability to rationalise or identify the root of these thoughts

Although there is a little research on the topic, I think it deserves more. I would guess that the above examples are all risk factors for depression, stress, alcoholism, heart disease, and a whole host of other health problems.

Parents
  • over 5 years ago

    I don't think it necessarily has to lead to trauma, but I suspect most people have some degree of trauma.  I wonder how much a childhood diagnosis would have helped me?  I'm not sure how much support is available now, but back in the 70s/80s I would think there was pretty much none.  It's kind-of a senseless question though because obviously you can't go back and change what has happened.

    But if a person was lucky enough that they just happened to be born into a suitable environment, and they were brought up as happy and well adjusted Autistic people, and then happened to fall into a niche which suited them, then I don't think they would have to be traumatised.  We probably never hear of those people though because the people who haven't suffered any adversity are unlikely to be looking for anything.

Reply
  • over 5 years ago

    I don't think it necessarily has to lead to trauma, but I suspect most people have some degree of trauma.  I wonder how much a childhood diagnosis would have helped me?  I'm not sure how much support is available now, but back in the 70s/80s I would think there was pretty much none.  It's kind-of a senseless question though because obviously you can't go back and change what has happened.

    But if a person was lucky enough that they just happened to be born into a suitable environment, and they were brought up as happy and well adjusted Autistic people, and then happened to fall into a niche which suited them, then I don't think they would have to be traumatised.  We probably never hear of those people though because the people who haven't suffered any adversity are unlikely to be looking for anything.

Children
  • over 5 years ago in reply to Windscale

    I agree because in the 70s and 80s I would have been disadvantaged had I had a diagnosis back then.

    So I'm happy my parents tried to make me more sociable. I was also lucky that I have no issues learning, even though I got physically punished at school from time to time for being unruly. And no, back then that was not allowed anymore either.