The REAL autism crisis we need to be talking about
We need to have a deeper discussion about autism and suicide. Because this is the real “autism crisis” we need to be talking about.
"Available data suggests that autistic adults are 25 times more likely to make a suicide attempt than non-autistic adults."
This is from a recent study on autism and suicide. (Link below)
This is the real autism crisis.
And it's not being talked about nearly enough.
Because while everyone is busy talking about the "crisis" of more people *becoming* autistic (which the research does NOT support)...
And simultaneously claiming that autism is being "overdiagnosed"...
And also, strangely and inaccurately, claiming that everyone "wants to be autistic nowadays for attention"...
No one is talking about the real autism crisis.
That autistic people are dying by suicide at alarming rates. And that...
- It's not because autism is being "overdiagnosed"
- It's not because nonautistic people are self-diagnosing
- It's not because we haven't discovered "the cause" of autism
- It's not because autistic people are exaggerating their challenges and being melodramatic about their needs
- It's not because "everyone is a little autistic"
- It's not because autistic people are "self-involved narcissists" (this is a particularly harmful misconception that I see people claim quite often)
It's because autistic people are suffering.
It's because autistic people are actual victims of a system that isn't just... not set up to help them... but that is actually set up to *harm* them.
It's because autistic people who have tried and failed to get their needs met for an entire lifetime, have felt their lives slip away from them, with no help or relief in sight.
It's because autistic people are traumatized. Exhausted. Hopeless.
To be clear, I am *not* suggesting this is the case for all autistic people. Thankfully, it's not.
I have personally been extremely fortunate to have found supports that have made getting my needs met accessible to me.
But it's also not random nor a coincidence that suicide rates are alarmingly high in the autistic population.
And we need to spend far more time understanding what is causing THIS crisis...
So we can work together to find solutions.
Because fewer autistic deaths by suicide would be a universally good outcome.
For autistic people.
For their loved ones.
For society.
For human existence.
Thank you for reading to the end.
We can make a difference here if we do it together. ❤️
Link for reference...