In the growth of children, parents pay too much attention to their activities, behaviour, responses, and so on. When they overdo it, they can even confuse the normal body’s response to neurodevelopmental issues.
The child may sense danger and react as frightened or anxious; it has nothing to do with any psychological threats like autism or ADHD. But how to tell the difference? Let’s dive into the blog to find the difference between anxiety disorder and autism with the guidance of a psychologist.
Anxiety vs Autism
Anxiety is the natural body mechanism. When the body senses excessive threats, it causes worry, fear, and nervousness. It can happen to people of all ages, regardless of the situation they face or in a stressful environment. It is usually a common bodily response trigger. However, it becomes aggressive and overlaps with autism symptoms, so it is good to seek the support of an autism psychologist Melbourne to find out what exactly it is. Once it is confirmed as an anxiety disorder, the regular sessions to teach mind and body resilience and control of stress become flexible.
On the other hand, autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that leads to discomfort to the individual in proper communication, social interactions, and making eye contact. Beyond the anxiety threats, the slight change in daily routine makes autistic people break down. It can be diagnosed early with a simple session with autism psychologist Melbourne Hospital. The psychologist guides the individual and family with specific strategies to accept and live with the traits.
How Psychologists Analyse The Difference
History of growth
The psychologist analyses the path of individual growth. The individual’s past traumas, abuse, and bullying are interconnected analyses of their anxiety disorder. Whenever they cross a situation that reflects their past abuse, the body responds with fear and nervousness. However, autism is a strongly genetic condition and shows numerous signs, such as eye contact limitations, speech stuttering, lack of social interactions, and so on.
Social Life
The way of interacting with the world is entirely different for autistic and anxious individuals. The autistic individual tends to avoid social communication with strangers and the outside environment. Even the sequence of sounds can make the autistic individual uncomfortable. However, anxious individuals often have a social life yet are held back by judgment and mockery.
Behaviour Response
Through the interview session with the individual, the psychologists analyse the way the individual responds and changes their behaviour. For an anxious person, the repeated questions of “what if” in a situation may cause them to respond. They try to hold back their behaviour even in discomfort.
On the other hand, autistic individuals have a “what will” situation. Sudden loud noises, disorganised things changing in daily routine, and even non-rhythmic patterns of activities can disturb the individual.
Place Of Threats
To autistic individuals, every place is a threat. Whenever you face any discomfort, they burst out without any reason. In contrast, anxious individuals respond only in threatening situations. For example, they may feel uneasy in school but relax at home. It is due to their lack of confidence and the judgmental looks of others.
Psychological Testing
To treat people individually, the psychologist considers formal assessment tests, such as interviews, observations, and diagnostic tools like the ADOS and SAD, to analyse and work on the necessary regulations.
Winding It Up
Neither anxiety nor autism is curable, yet their difficulties in life can be redirected. With the guidance of a psychologist, the individual can train their mind and body to understand the situation and control any unnecessary outbursts. The proper strategy of the psychologist helps them to live their life with self-acceptance. So, help both anxious and autistic individuals to live comfortably!
