The world needs people who think differently. In a world where everyone thinks the same, nothing would ever change.

Autism Awareness and Understanding

Autism is part of everyday life. Yet even though 1 in 100 people in Scotland are autistic, it’s often misunderstood.

Autism is a neurological difference; put simply, autistic brains work differently to non-autistic brains. They see and experience the world differently to non-autistic people. It’s important that we all understand more about autism – both what it is, and what it is not.

Autism fact:

1 in 100 people in Scotland are autistic.

Autism is not a mental health condition.

However, many autistic people do suffer with mental health conditions.

Fact v Fiction

Autism is usually thought about in the context of children.

However, people don’t grow out of autism. Autistic children become autistic adults.

Fact v Fiction

People are born autistic.

You don’t develop autism, although some people aren’t diagnosed until later in life.

Fact v Fiction

Autism is not something that can be cured.

Being autistic is an inherent part of who that person is.

Fact v Fiction

Many autistic people see autism as integral to their sense of self.

Autism affects the way they experience the world, both positively and negatively.

Lived Experiences