Adult Autism Assessment

Considering an Autism Assessment?

You may recognise yourself in some of these experiences.

Everyone’s autistic profile is unique, but if you’re wondering whether an autism assessment might be helpful, you might notice:
 

1. Social Energy & Connection

• Feeling drained after social interactions, even with close friends or family

• Preferring one-on-one conversations over group settings

• Wondering why small talk feels exhausting or pointless

• Needing downtime to recover after being around people

• Feeling like you’re “performing” or wearing a mask to fit in
   

2. Identity & Self-Understanding

• A lifelong sense of being “different” but not understanding why

• Adapting constantly to fit others’ expectations at the cost of your wellbeing

• Feeling confused about who you are beneath social roles and masks

• Struggling to find spaces where you feel safe to be yourself
   

3. Sensory Experiences

• Being highly sensitive to sounds, lights, fabrics, smells, or textures

• Finding certain environments overwhelming or exhausting (e.g. shopping centres, busy workplaces)

• Seeking comfort through repetitive movements or sensory tools (e.g. fidgeting, rocking, listening to the same music)

• Having strong food preferences based on texture, temperature, or smell
   

4. Routines & Predictability

• Feeling more comfortable when there’s structure and routine

• Struggling with sudden changes or unexpected events

• Finding safety and grounding in predictable habits or rituals
   

5. Focus & Interests

• Having deep, absorbing interests or “specialist passions” that bring joy and comfort

• Spending hours researching or engaging in a topic you love

• Feeling frustrated when others dismiss your enthusiasm

• Using your interests as a safe space to recharge
   

6. Emotional Experiences

• Feeling emotions intensely- yours and others’

• Finding it hard to name or explain feelings in the moment

• Experiencing meltdowns or shutdowns when overwhelmed, even as an adult

• Being described as “too sensitive” or “too intense”
   

7. Thinking & Problem-Solving

• Preferring clear, direct communication over vague instructions

• Thinking in visuals, patterns, or sequences rather than words

• Noticing details others miss but struggling with “big picture” tasks

• Finding some workplace or academic expectations confusing or inconsistent
   

8. Overlap With Other Diagnoses

Many adults who later discover they are autistic were previously diagnosed with:

• ADHD

• Anxiety or depression

• Social anxiety

• “Personality difficulties”

Sometimes these labels describe surface experiences but don’t explain the underlying neurotype.