worsening autism?

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Is it possible for people to have their autism worsen as an adult? Or is it probably that I just did not realize the extent of my problems when I was younger?

it could progress to a worser level but on the scale of getting maimed in a war zone is probably not all that bad

In my case, the symptoms definitely got worse. I had friends and played like every other kid (albeit a quirky one) up until I turned nine. Then it was like my emotional and social development ground to a halt.

so what happened then?

I was a lot more normal until around the time I turned 12. That's sort of misleading, because before then I still wasn't a normal kid, but it didn't really matter. Ever since, I haven't made much progress at all socially. I think it's because now I'm actually aware of my difficulties.

did you do the "lock yourself in the room" thing as you couldn't be arsed with it all?

This is the standard article to link in situations like this:

http://web.archive.org/web/200805120216 ... istic.html

It could be both - some things for me have been worse. Occasionally things got a lot worse and then got better again once the stress causing it was removed. A lot of things, I just had no idea how thorough or pervasive it was until I could look at things with a more objective eye.

Late last year I had such high anxiety and stress that I had a seizure and it felt like the right side of my head teared. Well right side of my brain actually. Since then I have rapidly regressed in my skills. I'm less independent, my rigid in my routines and interests, my sensory issues are worse, I'm paranoid and I have a seizure disorder now which comes with hallucinations, the usual convulsions, paralysis, loss of speech and short term memory loss.
My condition was exacerbated by 20-30mg of Ritalin in my system a day and a lack of appetite which led me to become a hypoglycemic.

I think I'd much prefer the war wound.

It's been happening to me a lot, actually... especially since I'm learning more about it and understanding it more, I'm finding it harder to cope with at times. I was diagnosed when I was nine and as a child I hardly interacted with children of my age. I isolated myself from others and even though I could communicate, I was teased quite severely for my differences. But at the time I knew nothing about what was wrong with me. I didn't even know why I was being made fun of. Nothing made sense for me and it was the same for my parents because they knew I wasn't an average child.

I didn't find out I had Autism until I was in my junior year. My parents claimed they told me but I had no idea. I saw it on my IEP when I saw the A when were looking at our IEPs in computer class. My computer teacher told us what each initail(s) meant and he said A for autism... so that's how I found out. After that I started looking it up and I realized the reason I was so different from everyone else who didn't have what I had... like when you put together a puzzle.

So its been worsening for me ever since.

I don't think autism itself worsens, but as an adult you are removed from the forced socialization that comes from compulsory education and the school world.

I've never been worse then i am now, I could cope with things as a child I could never cope with now.

very interesting article, thank you, I particularly like:

"Burnout, long-term shutdown, or whatever you want to call it, happens generally when you have been doing much more than you should be doing. Most people have a level to which they are capable of functioning without burnout, a level to which they are capable of functioning for emergency purposes only, and a level to which they simply cannot function. In autistic people in current societies, that first level is much narrower. Simply functioning at a minimally acceptable level to non-autistic people or for survival, can push us into the zone that in a non-autistic person would be reserved for emergencies. Prolonged functioning in emergency mode can result in loss of skills and burnout."

In my case it's eight, or half a year before. After that time I had severe behavioral problems, and I couldn't hold a friendship with my peers of the same age. I wasn't a complete reject, though. I've never returned to the "right path" since then, but I was fine most of the time. There's no guarantee I always will be.

The severity level and the distribution of the symptoms may vary with time, and the overall result may be better or worse. For example, my sensory issues are worse regarding hearing and smells, but I'm better at clothing and foods than I used to be.

my autism is getting worse and worse

You have no idea. Many people have posted about their autism worsening on this forum. It's usually temporary, but sometimes permanent.

If I push myself too hard, or am pushed too hard, I do seem to become more intensely autistic. My symptoms get worse, my ability to understand and follow social situations gets worse, my ability to socialize gets worse, my sensitivities get worse, my stimming increases.