Does Autism get worse with age?

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I will be coming up for 22 this year, I have known about my Autism since I was 5 and growing up I always assumed it would be something that I would better control as I got older. If anything I just feel its becoming worse as I find myself even less inclined to talk and interact with people in person. Deep down I want to, but once I get passed the initial introductory stage as soon as I begin to see the negative traits of people I want nothing to do with them, its almost like a defense mechanism that I can't seem to control. I also find social interaction more exhausting than I used to, something simple like going out for some shopping can be draining due to all the different people you have to deal with. Also with the way I am stress can get considerably high, if I have to do something important I will put it off because I don't want to face it, or in some cases not do it at all.

I don't want to rant too much about my problems, but I feel that these sort of feelings are really going to hold me back in my life and the thought of it getting any worse worries me. Especially at the moment as I am wanting to work in the near future but not sure how well I will be able to handle it right now. If anyone has some insight into this, particularly those older than myself, I would appreciate it.

I would surmise that what you are experiencing is not entirely due to autism itself, but the secondary effects of being excluded for so many years, b/c of not behaving and interacting at the expected level of peers - so naturally it would cause one to decline. At least that was my experience going from childhood into teens, I really felt socially incompetent as a teen and thought my condition had become worse, but reflecting upon that years later (I'm in my 30s now), I realized it was mostly attributed to anxiety from lack of experience. I'm not saying your situation is definitely entirely attributable to this, but I'd wager that it plays a large part. What I'd recommend is the "push yourself" approach - I did that at the start of my 20s and found that things "gave way" through trial and error, although some of it was emotionally and mentally painful. That was in the 90s when I didn't have the same benefit of supports and online resources etc that they have today.

No, for me, at least, it hasn't gotten worse as time progresses. However, there is something else that has: my perception of my flaws. When I was ten I didn't know there was anything wrong with me. I'm sixteen now, and the fact that there's something wrong with me is as clear as day to me and everyone else. Ignorance was bliss. I was happy not knowing. Now I have to live, every day, with the knowledge that I'm f*cked up. Age hasn't made the symptoms of AS worse for me, but it has made them apparent to me.

That is a really psychologically unhealthy way to think about yourself. You are just different, with negative characteristics and positive ones just like everybody else.

my dad and i both improved with age. could you be depressed?

I will, too, cease to believe that different equals bad, particularly regarding my own amazing mind. It's the only thing I have on this planet: myself (my mind!). Take care of it!

I think what I'm feeling is due to this. Throughout my 11 years in the public school system, I certainly wasn't understood or given the benefit of the doubt by the other children and was often given a hard time. 3 years in the college was an improvement to my working environment, but I still wasn't exactly well received. When I discover the negatives in people I also think its a case of me subconsciously assuming if they don't think like me they won't like me anyway, and that's when I start to shut them out. I do tend to get socially anxiety, especially when it comes to multiple new people, and even with people I do know it can make me hesitate as sometimes I don't hold a lot of value in what I say. I have tried just to push myself, get out my comfort zone but most of the time the outcome still comes out the same. But thank you for you're reply, I'm glad its not just me that has felt this way.



I could see why people may assume this, but I'm definitely not depressed. When I was younger even my own doctor made this mistake and I had been on a few different anti depressants which done nothing for me. Also, if I have to do anything during the day I will most likely get on with things and do it, and don't tend to ever feel particularly sad. Think its more psychological if anything for the reasons I mentioned above.

Gets worse for me. I'm 51 and have only known for about one year that I have Asperger's. Ten years ago I could hold down two simple part time jobs. Then about seven years ago my jobs were getting more demanding, and stressful on me, and finally I had a major break down. I felt like I was dying. I was seeking medical help a lot, and the Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. I quite both of my jobs, and after that I only worked one single part time job at a time. For the last several years, I haven't worked at all. Now I'm applying for disability.

My suggestion would be to work while you can, and as much as you can. Then be ready to go on disability, when you can't work.