Embrace Autism

The Sensory Perception Quotient (SPQ) is a 92-item self-report questionnaire that explores how readily you detect and distinguish sensory information.

Through our This I Believe series, members of the Embrace Autism community share the beliefs, experiences, and moments that have shaped their lives.

Through our This I Believe series, members of the Embrace Autism community share the beliefs, experiences, and moments that have shaped their lives.

Every autistic person has a unique way of experiencing and making sense of the world.

Every autistic person has a unique way of experiencing and making sense of the world.

The Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (A/ASP) is a 60-item self-report questionnaire that explores how you notice and respond to sensory experiences in everyday life.

The ADHD Traits Profile Questionnaire (ADTPQ) is designed to help you explore patterns of traits commonly associated with ADHD.

The Autistic Burnout Measure (ABM) is a questionnaire designed to measure autistic burnout by assessing changes across several areas of your life and functioning.

The Autistic Traits Profile Questionnaire (ATPQ) is designed to help you explore patterns of traits commonly considered when clinicians assess someone for autism.

Autistic burnout is often described as profound exhaustion, sensory overload, and reduced functioning.

A new 2026 study suggests that repeatedly having your experiences dismissed, minimized, or disbelieved may play an important role in suicidality among autistic adults.

Sensory Overload May Drive Demand Avoidance in PDA Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is often described as a profile of autism characterized by an extreme avoidance of everyday demands.

A 2025 study suggests that while autistic burnout and depression are related, they are not the same thing; autistic burnout has its own unique characteristics.

A 2025 study analyzed nearly 249 Reddit discussions to better understand how autistic people experience burnout, and what helped them recover.

Many autistics feel better after rest or time off, but crash again when life resumes.

Many adults in autistic burnout describe reaching a point where rest no longer works.

Autistic burnout can be difficult to recognize at first, until it becomes unmistakable.

In this article, we will explore more broadly what the RAADS–R measures, what it consists of, how to take the test, and how to interpret your score.

The diagnostic criteria for autism of the DSM-5 can be confusing, ableist, and pathology-based.

For many autistics, autistic burnout is the cost we pay for forcing success in a neurotypical world and adhering to neurotypical standards.

Is this anxiety… or is this autism?

Following rules is not necessarily important to autistic people, yet some rules are followed pedantically.

Autistic people may feel exhausted after socializing, which is often mistaken for disinterest in others.

Masking debt is the long-term cost of repeatedly hiding natural autistic responses and traits to meet social expectations.

We received 18 wonderful ‘This I Believe’ (autism edition) essays, and we were amazed by the quality and originality of your submissions!

Eva: Some see kindness as a weakness; in this article, I explore kindness as a profound strength—to be kind even when others are not, and perhaps warm a cold heart and create human connections.

Eva: In this article, I explore the many ways in which an autism/AuDHD diagnosis can be meaningful and beneficial.

To end 2025, we invite you to share your story in our first-ever ‘This I Believe’-style autism edition essay contest!

Dr.

Claims have been made about a causal link between Tylenol and autism.

Here is my conversation with Dr.

I was recently interviewed by NPR alongside Marian Schembari, author of ‘A Little Less Broken: How an Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole’.)

Please note: This article was originally written more than five years ago.

“I always did well in school.

A link has been found between autism, high intelligence, and giftedness.

This article explores the barriers to accurately diagnosing and effectively treating substance use disorders (SUD) in autistic individuals.

Recent research suggests that autistic people are nearly twice as likely to develop a substance use disorder, and are prone to addiction in general.

To remain regulated and functioning, we need to be able to dissipate stress.

The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) is a 24-item self-report measure of all three components of alexithymia across negative and positive emotions.

Ember: Do you—like myself—have an obsessive & compulsive preoccupation with being a good person?

Jade: I finally had a chance to read ‘The Ultimate Guide to Autistic Burnout’ by my colleagues.

As a typographer and type designer, I LOVE letters.

Selective mutism is often misunderstood as a childhood disorder.

RFK Jr.’s recent statements about autism are not only inaccurate—they are profoundly dehumanizing.

Dr.

Black autistic individuals have shaped history, culture, and advocacy, yet remain underrecognized due to systemic erasure, racial bias, and digital segregation.

Dr.

In honour of International Women’s Day 2025, I wanted to shine a light on the women throughout history who may have been autistic—women whose brilliance, creativity, and resilience shaped the world.

Navigating higher education as an autistic person comes with unique challenges, including accessing appropriate support.

For many autistic individuals, the journey to self-discovery is not straightforward; it often unfolds in stages—influenced by personal experiences, societal expectations, and available information.