Going over the current diagnostic criteria for PTSD (DSM-V), this post focuses on the ways in that autistic traits may resemble or
appear similiar to symptoms of PTSD even with no trauma or
PTSD present.
(It’s completely possible to be autistic and have PTSD at the same time though. If you’re autistic and have experienced trauma and / or PTSD you are still valid!)
Diagnostic criteria taken from here.
Criteria A-E, as F-H and specifiers don’t really apply to the post I’m making.
Criterion A: stressor
Statistically,
autistics are
at
greater risk for a variety of scenarios and experiences that may
expose them to “death,
threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or
threatened sexual violence“, including an overall “higher
mortality rate”, “elevated deaths” due to, for example,
seizures or
accidents,
treatment
in schools or institutions
(The link above has a paragraph entitled “Restraint / Seclusion” that lists consequences / risks of these things in detail, so if you are easily triggered by that be careful or skip over the paragraph.), bullying and an increased risk for sexual abuse.
In addition, events and stimuli that may not be perceived as such by allistics may be perceived by autistics as overwhelming, stressful or threatening by an autistic person due to, for example, sensory sensitivity or differences in perception or interpretation of events, such as social confusion.
Criterion B: intrusion symptoms
- Echolalia or intrusive thoughts may resemble “recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories”.
- repetitive play as part of routines, special interests or stimming may resemble “children […] reenact[ing] the [traumatic] event in play“.
- “Traumatic nightmares“ may be assumed to be the cause of sleep disturbance in ASD.
- sensory sensitivity or overload, meltdowns or shutdowns may resemble or go along with “dissociative reactions […] which may occur on a continuum from brief episodes to complete loss of consciousness“, “intense or prolonged distress after exposure to traumatic reminders” or “marked physiologic reactivity after exposure to trauma-related stimuli“.
Criterion C: avoidance
- lack of interest in topics or activities, such as topics not related to a special interest, or avoidance of stimuli due to, for example, sensory sensitivity may look like “persistent effortful avoidance of distressing trauma-related thoughts or feelings” or “external reminders (e.g., people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations)”, or may be seen as the result of growing up in a dysfunctional family, preventing the assumed allistic person from growing into their healthy, wholesome self who may have enjoyed these things or who would have developed the expected social skills required (unlike their assumed underdeveloped, unhealthy or lacking self).
Criterion D: negative alterations in cognitions and mood
- memory problems (common in ASD) may seem to resemble “inability to recall key features of [an assumed] traumatic event”.
- black and white thinking, catastrophizing, worrying and overthinking (common in ASD) or different than expected expectations or core beliefs due to heightened sensitivity or different perception may resemble “persistent (and often distorted) negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world (e.g., “I am bad,” “The world is completely dangerous”)”.
- the experience of being different from other people or the treatment of others may lead to “persistent distorted blame of self or others“ (in general, not just “for causing the traumatic event or for resulting consequences“).
- difficulties in regulating emotions (often a part of ASD) or intense emotional responses to, for example, sensory input, social situations or stress may resemble “persistent negative trauma-related emotions (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame)”.
- lack of interest in activities assumed to be enjoyable, such as small talk, socializing or surprises, may seem to resemble “markedly diminished interest in (pre-traumatic) significant activities”.
- “Feeling alienated from others (e.g., detachment or estrangement)” is a common experience in ASD.
- differences in expressing thoughts and emotions and differences in body language, tone of voice, facial expressions or eye contact may be interpreted as “constricted affect: persistent inability to experience positive emotions”.
Criterion E: alterations in arousal and reactivity
- “Irritable or aggressive behavior” or “self-destructive or reckless behavior“ may occur during a meltdown or sensory overload.
- sensory sensitivity may lead to “hypervigilance“ or an „Exaggerated startle response“.
- “Problems in concentration“ are common.
- as is „sleep disturbance“.
biggest-gaudiest-patronuses
