Are There More Autistic People Than There Used To Be?

Author: Mark Palmer | 3min read

When I was at primary school in the 1970s, I struggled. I could do the academic work just fine, but I found it hard to make friends, I was rather strange, and I was bullied a lot as a result. Looking back, I can see that autism was the obvious explanation. I am sure that if I went to primary school now, a good special needs teacher would provide the support that I needed. 

But in the 1970s, autism was very little known and even less understood. It did not occur to my teachers or my parents that I might be Autistic for the same reason that it did not occur to them (or almost anyone else) that all the fumes we were pumping into the atmosphere might have a detrimental long term effect on the climate. Knowledge and understanding of both climate change and autism was just not available to most people at that time.

Greater understanding

Times change, and just as we now much better understand the impact we have on the climate, the fact that some of us have brains that work in a different way is also much better recognised and understood. Now we not only know that autism and other neurodivergent traits can impact on many aspects of our lives, but in the UK and many other countries, being neurodivergent gives a legal right to reasonable adjustments at work.

To return to the opening question, the number of Autistic people is probably around the same as it has always been. What has changed is our understanding and recognition of autism, and as a result the number of people being diagnosed as Autistic is increasing. 

I did not pursue a diagnosis of autism until I was in my mid-forties. This was both because it took me a while to get used to the idea (one aspect of my autism is struggling with change), and because for a while it would simply have been a label and held against me rather than offering access to the support that I needed. That is no longer the case.

An increase in diagnoses, not prevalence

While the numbers of Autistic people are probably about the same as they have always been, what are increasing is the number of people being referred for and receiving an autism diagnosis. In the UK, NHS figures show that the number of people referred for a diagnosis increased from just under 6,000 in October 2021 to over 7,700 in March 2022. Given the huge pressures on the NHS though a Covid winter in this period, this is an astonishing increase of nearly 30% in just 6 months. 

The same figures show that in the UK, there are now over 80,000 people waiting for their referral for a diagnosis to be actioned. This again reflects the pressure that all NHS services are under, but it is a great pity, for a diagnosis not only offers access to much needed support, it can be life changing in terms of self-understanding and acceptance.

When anything starts to be diagnosed more frequently, there will be some who dismiss at as a fad, and accuse others of simply joining a trend, particularly in the case of celebrities. But I do not believe that this is the case with autism and other neurodivergent conditions. If you read the many accounts of adults who have been diagnosed as Autistic in later life, celebrities or not, what is common is a lifetime of feeling different, struggling to fit in, and thinking that there was something wrong with yourself. It is not something that can or should be taken lightly. 

A positive step

An increase in diagnosis of autism is a good thing. It means that knowledge and understanding of autism is increasing, and that Autistic people are on the way to getting the support and adjustments that they need. For an individual, a diagnosis is often life changing. It can feel like getting to the end of a book where nothing really made complete sense, getting that final piece of vital information from the author, and suddenly everything else that has gone before clicks into place. A diagnosis does not change who an Autistic person is, but it explains why they are as they are. It really can feel like a new beginning after living a life of confusion.

An autism diagnosis is also not the end of the road, but the start of a new part of the journey. The process for getting the adjustments needed at school or at work is not always straightforward, but it is often hopeless without a formal diagnosis to support it. 

Finding your tribe

Autistic people by their nature often struggle socially, but there are many thriving Autistic communities both in person and online. Whatever you have gone through or are going through, there are other Autistic people who have faced similar challenges. The strength that you get simply from knowing that you are not alone in facing something, and that others have overcome similar obstacles is immeasurable. It is now several years since I received my diagnosis, and I still regularly learn about new aspects of my life and behaviours that are related to being Autistic. The process of rethinking pivotal events in the past and considering how undiagnosed autism played a role in them can also be hugely rewarding and helpful.

New ideas for a broken world

Autism is not increasing, but the recognition, diagnosis and appreciation of the strengths and gifts that may come with it are. Greater understanding of any aspect of why we are as we are can help us to better know and accept ourselves, and to channel our strengths to areas where we can be most effective. In a broken world where fresh ideas are needed, Autistic people have a vital role to play by contributing new ways of thinking and alternative perspectives. Increased diagnosis, support and understanding can only help with this.