New research disproves the myth that persons with autism don't form deep social relationships because they experience loneliness more strongly than the general population. The new study examined the experiences of autistic persons and attempted to quantify the degree of suffering connected to loneliness while also offering a qualitative look at loneliness in autistic adults.
One of the authors, Dr Gemma Williams, a public health research officer, said, “In the quantitative part of the study, our results indicate that sensory differences are related with higher loneliness and associated poor mental health in both autistic and non-autistic adults. This effect was exacerbated in autistic adults due to a greater presence of sensory processing differences.”
She collated first-hand reports from autistic adults on intense loneliness and the obstructive role of sensory environments, which refute stereotypes about autistic adults lacking social motivation. Dr Williams said, “The cost of transport in the city, it’s really quite expensive and prohibitive for some people. So, especially if people are out of work or in transient work or zero-hour contracts where they don’t know how much or how many hours they’re gonna get from one month to the next.”
Meeting up for activities during a crisis in the cost of living may be beyond the means of many people, but people with autism are particularly vulnerable since they often face financial disparities related to not just a lack of support and employment prospects but also access to benefits.
