Think you might be on the spectrum as an adult?
Hold up before you jump to conclusions. While diagnoses of neurodivergent conditions have been soaring in the past few years, thinking or functioning a bit differently doesn’t have to be pathologised. Here are 14 totally normal behaviours that people often mistake for signs of autism. Remember, a real diagnosis comes from a pro, not Dr. Google or your well-meaning but clueless friend.
1. You sometimes struggle with eye contact.
Feeling awkward about staring into someone’s eyes doesn’t automatically put you on the spectrum. Maybe you’re just shy, or perhaps you grew up in a culture where direct eye contact is considered rude. I mean, sometimes you’re just tired and focusing on eye contact feels like unnecessary work. It’s normal to have days when you’d rather look at the person’s nose or forehead instead of their eyes.
2. You prefer routine and get a bit frazzled when plans change.
Who doesn’t love a good routine? It’s comforting, efficient, and lets you autopilot through parts of your day. Getting annoyed when someone throws a wrench in your well-oiled machine is totally normal. It doesn’t mean you have autism — it just means you’re human and sometimes change is a pain in the butt.
3. You occasionally misread social cues.
Missed that your friend was being sarcastic? Didn’t realise your coworker was hinting for help? Join the club. Social interactions are complicated sometimes, and everyone has moments where they’re not picking up what other people are putting down. It’s not necessarily autism — sometimes our social antenna just needs a bit of tuning.
4. You have intense interests or hobbies.
So you can recite every line from your favourite movie or know an oddly specific amount about 18th-century spoons. That doesn’t mean you’re on the spectrum — it means you’re passionate. Having deep interests is part of what makes life fun. As long as your hobbies aren’t taking over your life, dive deep into what you love!
5. You sometimes feel overwhelmed in noisy or crowded places.
Noise and crowds can be a lot for anyone. Feeling overwhelmed at a packed concert or a busy mall is a pretty standard human experience. It’s okay to need a breather or to prefer quieter environments. Your nervous system isn’t broken — it just has preferences.
6. You occasionally struggle with small talk.
Let’s be real — small talk can be the worst. Fumbling through conversations about the weather or struggling to come up with witty responses doesn’t make you autistic. It might just mean you prefer deeper conversations or that you’re having an off day. Small talk is a skill, and like any skill, some days you’re better at it than others.
7. You sometimes take things literally.
Missed a joke because you took it at face value? It happens to everyone. Our brains sometimes need a moment to shift gears between literal and figurative language. As long as you’re not constantly confused by idioms or metaphors, you’re probably just having a normal human moment.
8. You have specific food preferences or textures you dislike.
Can’t stand the texture of mushrooms or always order your steak the same way? That’s just having taste buds, not autism. Everyone has foods they love and foods they’d rather never see again. As long as your diet isn’t severely restricted due to texture issues, you’re just being a normal, picky human.
9. You sometimes need time alone to recharge.
Craving alone time after social interactions doesn’t mean you’re on the spectrum — it might just mean you’re an introvert. Even extroverts need downtime. Wanting to curl up with a book or binge-watch your favourite show after a day of socialising is totally normal. It’s called self-care, people!
10. You occasionally miss social cues in text or email.
Ever sent a lengthy reply to a rhetorical question or missed the joking tone in a text? Welcome to the digital age, where tone is hard and emojis reign supreme. Misinterpreting written communication happens to everyone. It’s not autism — it’s the pitfall of trying to convey complex human emotions through screens.
11. You have a few repetitive behaviours or ‘quirks’.
Maybe you always organise your desk a certain way or have a specific morning routine. Having habits or quirks doesn’t automatically signal autism. Repetitive behaviours can be comforting and help us feel in control. As long as these behaviours aren’t interfering with your daily life, you’re just being delightfully you.
12. You sometimes struggle with changes in plans.
Getting annoyed when your carefully laid plans go awry is a universal experience. It doesn’t mean you have autism — it means you’re human and sometimes change is frustrating. Being flexible is a skill we all have to work on, neurotypical or not.
13. You have strong reactions to certain sensory experiences.
Hate the feel of tags in your clothes or can’t stand the sound of people chewing? Join the club. Having sensory preferences or aversions is part of being human. As long as these sensitivities aren’t severely impacting your daily life, you’re just navigating the sensory world like the rest of us.
14. You sometimes feel out of sync with your peers.
Feeling like you don’t quite fit in or that you’re on a different wavelength than other people your age is a common experience. It doesn’t necessarily point to autism — it might just mean you have different interests or perspectives. Remember, there’s no one “right” way to adult. You’re allowed to forge your own path.
