Autism (Image AI Generated)
In the past there was an almost unanimous acceptance of the distinctiveness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and psychosis as two distinct mental health issues. There may be a stronger link between these two than anyone thought, however, new research indicates.
Autistic people may be more susceptible to having symptoms of psychosis (delusions, schizophrenia-like conditions or hallucinations), according to scientists. This does not always mean every autistic person will go on to develop psychosis, it's relevant to the mental health monitoring and early help that needs to be more effective, experts stress.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines autism spectrum disorder as a disorder that affects communication, social interaction and behavior. Symptoms typically start in childhood and differ in intensity and occur in individuals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that autism is a spectrum term, which means that some people require a great deal of assistance, and others can live independently.
Psychosis is a mental health condition where a person may lose touch with reality. She may experience hallucinations, delusions, confuse thoughts and reality.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says that disorders like schizophrenia, severe depression, or bipolar disorder can trigger psychosis.
New research, conducted on a large scale, has revealed that there may be a substantial overlap between the signs and symptoms of Autism and Psychosis, and also between the diagnosis of Autism and Psychosis. Autistic individuals were more likely to have experienced psychotic symptoms than non-autistic individuals, researchers found.
A research article published on PubMed also showed a correlation between autism symptoms in individuals with early psychosis and alterations in brain white matter pathways known to have a connection with both schizophrenia and autism.
However, experts believe that the understanding of the association at an early stage could facilitate earlier diagnosis and tailor-made treatment by the physicians. Mental health providers might have to carefully monitor autistic people that exhibit signs of social withdrawal, excessive anxiety, suspicious thinking patterns, and/or odd sensory interactions.
The study also discovered that those with young-onset psychosis who were also autistic tended to stay in hospital for longer, and receive more mental health care.
Autism is not a mental disorder and most Autistic people will never suffer from psychosis, doctors insist. This study could only show that there is perhaps an enhanced risk in certain people.
Autism is a unique condition that impacts each individual differently, and early behavioral support, therapy and mental health care can help improve the quality of life.
Likewise the NHS recommends families to take up professional support when behavioural and emotional shifts get to extreme levels or make people feel distressed.
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