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How do I know if I am autistic?

How to understand autistic traits and whether they apply to you.

Published 7 July 2025. Written by Leeds Autism Practice Staff.

Do you suspect you might be autistic? In this article, we will explore autistic experiences and how we might recognise these experiences within ourselves. It is designed for anyone who is questioning autism and wants to know more.

It is important to say that this article provides general information and is not a replacement for a formal assessment.

What is autism?

Autism is a way of processing information and experiencing the world. Some people process information in a neurotypical way, others in an ADHD way, and others in an autistic way. Or a combination such as AuDHD. These neurotypes, and many others, make up what we call neurodiversity.

Autism was previously thought of as a mental health condition or neurodevelopmental problem. However, today we recognise it as a difference rather than a disorder.

A definition of autism might look like:

• Differences in social communication such as the way we express emotion, engage in conversation, and build and maintain friendships.
• Differences in behaviour and interests such as a preference for routines, repetitive movements (stimming), and an intense focus on specific passions.
• Differences in sensory processing, such as being unusually sensitive or less responsive to things like light, sound, taste, or internal sensations.

What does autism look like?

Autism is often referred to as a spectrum because most autistic people present differently. There is an adage "If you have met one autistic person, you have met one autistic person".

A traditional stereotype of autism might be someone who is happy in their own world, likes to talk passionately about a few topics rather than make small talk, prefers to keep the same routine and repetitively fidgets with their body.

This stereotype has a lot of truth in it. However, it is also important to note that autism can present in very different ways. Especially in women and girls, and those who grew up unaware that they are autistic.

These individuals may have a more internalised presentation in which they mask or camouflage their autism to fit in with their peers. This often results in a knock-on effect of other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and burn-out.

What does autism feel like?

The most reliable way to identify if someone is autistic is to explore their lived experience. Many autistic people feel they are different even if they cannot name exactly how.

Let's break down each of the key areas.

Social communication differences

Autistic individuals often communicate ideas and emotions differently to neurotypical individuals. They may be more focused on the words people use and less focused on non-verbal communication.

In a world where most people are neurotypical, this may make it more difficult to:

• Follow back-and-forth conversations if you are processing information more deeply or at a different speed
• Engage in small talk if you do not find it valuable
• Make the "correct" amount of eye contact when you do not think eye contact is important
• Maintain friendships if you "over-think" everything
• Manage emotions when you feel them very intensely

Autistic individuals may find it hard to make friends. This is because we typically find it easier to make friends with people of our own neurotype. There are more neurotypical people than autistic people, so it is easier for neurotypical people to find each other.

Differences in behaviour and interests

Autistic individuals often engage in passions, also sometimes called special interests, more deeply than neurotypical individuals. They may have fewer hobbies but do those hobbies more intensely.

A stereotype example might be an individual who loves trains or computers. But it could be anything. This is important because one possibility for the under-identification in women, girls, and people assigned female at birth could be that their engagement in say fashion or make-up is over-looked due to social norms.

Autistic individuals often have a strong preference for routine. They often have an efficient way of doing things and like to stick to that. For example, walking home from work the same way. They may be good at planning and struggle more in spontaneous situations.

Autistic individuals may engage in stimming. This might involve hand flapping, clapping, rocking, twirling their hair, making noises or other repetitive movements or behaviours.

The purpose of stimming is not fully understood. It may be that it helps individuals regulate themselves when they feel overwhelmed. But it may also simply be a way for individuals to explore and interact with their environment.

Differences in sensory processing

Autistic individuals may be hyper or hypo sensitive to sensory information.

For example, someone who notices smells and finds them overwhelming might be described as hyper-sensitive and is likely to try and avoid strong smells. This is known as a sensory-averse profile.

Common examples of this might be lights being too bright, rooms being too loud, or being a "picky" eater because of tastes and smells. Some individuals may want less physical contact and be uncomfortable with hugs or touching.

Individuals can also gain a great deal of pleasure from certain sensations and may seek it out. For example, stroking soft things and listening to the same song on repeat. This is known as a sensory-seeking profile.

There is no single sensory profile. Most people will be sensory averse in some areas and sensory seeking in others. Sensory profiles may also differ over time.

Nor is it limited to our external senses. Autistic individuals may process internal sensory information such as interoception and proprioception differently, too. This may make it difficult to figure out what is going on inside of their body, or they may find they bump into things more than other people.

Recognising autism

Many autistic individuals are highly successful and so may not receive an autism identification in childhood. This does not mean there are not challenges, however. Many unidentified autistic individuals experience challenges around their mental health.

Many adults run into challenges later in life, perhaps during life transitions, and go looking for an explanation. Others see autistic memes and find that these describe what their life has been like all along.

If you suspect you may be autistic, here are some questions to reflect on.

Social communication questions:

• Do you prefer a small circle of close friends to a larger group?
• Are your friends neurodivergent?
• Do you struggle to understand non-verbal communication and prefer clear verbal communication?
• Do you find it easier to communicate via writing (e.g. text, email) than speaking?
• Do you sometimes struggle to follow conversations or find they move too fast?
• Do you prefer deep conversations over small talk?
• Do you feel exhausted after socialising, even if you enjoyed it?
• Do you often feel misunderstood or like people don’t “get” you?
• Do you often rehearse conversations in your head before they happen?
• Do you mimic others’ social behaviour to fit in?

Behaviour and interest questions:

• Are you particularly passionate about your hobbies?
• Do you have routines or rituals that bring you comfort?
• Do unexpected changes or interruptions feel especially stressful or disorientating?
• Do you collect or organise things in a specific or methodical way?
• Do you feel a strong need to do things in a “correct” or “efficient” order?
• Do you find it hard to multitask or switch between tasks?
• Do you need extra time to prepare for new or uncertain situations?

Sensory questions:

• Do you find bright lights, loud noises and strong smells overwhelming?
• Do you find certain clothing materials (e.g. wool, tags, seams) unbearable?
• Do bright lights, especially fluorescent or flickering ones, give you headaches or make it hard to concentrate?
• Do you avoid certain textures in food or struggle with mixed textures (e.g. crunchy and soft together)?
• Do you find some sounds or textures calming, like soft fabrics, tapping sounds, or white noise?
• Do you often feel "too much in your body" or not enough — e.g. forget to eat, not notice you're in pain?
• Do you experience sensory overload — where everything feels “too much” at once?

Other common autistic experiences:

• Do you have a strong sense of social justice?
• Do you feel confused or indifferent about social conventions such as fashion, small talk, or gender roles?
• Do you feel emotions very strongly or have difficulty identifying what you’re feeling?
• Do you tend to take things literally or find it hard to spot sarcasm or subtext?
• Do you sometimes feel more comfortable with animals than people?
• Do you struggle to understand or agree with social hierarchies (e.g. workplace, school rules) and pointless rules?

Should I get an assessment?

If you believe you may be autistic, one option is to pursue a formal assessment.

This is not required to "be autistic". Self-identification is a valid identity. Autism is not a disease. Some authors have compared it to sexuality: you don't need an assessment to tell you if you are gay; you just know.

However, many individuals choose to pursue a formal identification. The benefits of doing this include:

• Greater self-understanding
• Gaining validation and external acceptance of their identity
• Access to additional supports in school, university or the workplace
• Protection from discrimination by having a recognised and legally protected characteristic

If you choose to pursue an assessment, you can do so for free via the NHS. However, waiting lists can often be several years long and so many individuals choose to pay for a private assessment.

Other individuals may have had negative experiences with previous mental health services and want to seek out services that explicitly offer a neuroaffirmative approach: one that is accepting and celebrating of neurodivergence. Or bypass GPs that refuse to consider autism because "you have friends" or "you make eye contact".

Next steps and further reading

If you would like to read more, explore our articles section. In particular, you may wish to read our articles "What Is Autism?" and "Autism in women and girls".

If you want to read more in-depth, there are many books we could recommend. Two of our favourite books are But you don’t look autistic at all and The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook.

If you are considering a private assessment, or looking for autism-friendly private therapy, get in touch with us as we would be happy to help.

Conclusion

Autism is not a set of behaviours but a different way of experiencing the world. Therefore, the best person to understand if you are autistic is you.

If you want to pursue a formal identification, this is best done by working in collaboration with a psychologist. We recommend seeking out one who is neuroaffirmative: someone who believes that autism is a difference, not a deficit.