Autistic Or Introverted: How To Tell?
Introversion and autism, while sharing some similarities, are distinct. Introverts often prefer solitude and find social interactions draining, but they understand and navigate social norms. Autistic individuals, on the other hand, may struggle with social cues and norms, which can lead to difficulties in social situations.
What Does It Mean That Someone Is Introverted?
Being an introvert is about how you gather energy. If someone finds themselves energized by spending time alone and prolonged social interactions evoke feelings of being drained, it might be a sign of being introverted.
Introverts thrive in quiet environments and they find joy in spending time alone. In social settings, introverts are a bit reserved and it may appear to others that they lack enthusiasm [1, 2].
Typically in introversion, there are four domains that help us identify this personality trait.
- The Social Domain
This describes the tendency to prefer spending time alone or in smaller groups
- The Anxious Domain
This links to the social domain and refers to enjoying spending time alone because the company of other people makes you feel shy and socially awkward and you lack confidence in big settings.
- The Thinking Domain
This is characterized by spending a lot of time absorbing your imagination and the inner landscape of your thoughts.
- Inhibition
This simply means that you are more likely to act with restraint than with impulse [1, 2].
However, it is important to state that while someone might be naturally introverted, it does not mean that they don’t like people or that they have social anxiety. It simply means that they prefer smaller more intimate settings[1, 2].
What Are The Signs Of Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition. It is a spectrum disorder, meaning it can manifest in a variety of ways. In addition, the manifestation also varies from individual to individual, meaning that individuals with autism may exhibit the condition with completely different traits and symptoms [1].
Autism is typically underpinned by repetitive patterns of behavior or interests with differences in communication and social behavior in comparison to non-autistic individuals.
Some signs of autism for instance with respect to repetitive behavior is repeating movements. This can include hand flapping, spinning or rocking back and forth [3, 4, 5]. People with autism may have strong emotional reactions when unexpected changes occur or an intense interest in a special subject or multiple ones [6].
Another sign of autism can be having hard times in social situations. Autistic people often have problems with eye contact, so they avoid it. They also might have a preference for playing alone and have trouble understanding and expressing emotions [3, 4]. In addition, a person with autism may have problems with understanding and using nonverbal communication such as body language and facial expressions [1].
Other signs of autism are language and communication problems. Often times autistic people can’t form sentences properly, they repeat words or phrases and may have difficulties with understanding jokes, sarcasm, or teasing [3].
Further, individuals with autism may have unusual reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, or textures and show signs of irregular eating and sleeping habits [3].
How To Tell Whether Someone Is Autistic or Introverted?
Telling whether someone is autistic or introverted can be challenging due to overlapping characteristics. However, there are key differences that can help distinguish between the two.
People with autism may not make eye contact and they do not initiate it [7]. They may also use repetitive language or possess with intense and focused interest in objects or a subject [7]. They can’t evaluate and recognize facial expressions that are neurotypical [3, 6] and may exhibit a lack of empathy in social situations [4].
On the other hand, introverts just simply prefer calm and minimally stimulating environments. They tend to have smaller circles (although this is a shared characteristic with autistic people) and they protect their alone time. It may take a while for them to open up, especially in the company of new people and they often may feel nervous in parties or crowds of people [8].
In conclusion, while both introverts and autistic individuals may exhibit social withdrawal, the reasons behind their behaviors are different. Introverts choose to be alone because they find it draining to be in social situations, while autistic individuals may struggle with social interactions due to their neurodevelopmental condition.