We have plenty of events dedicated to “awareness” – but we’re at a point where we need more than that. We need Autism Acceptance Month because awareness alone isn’t enough. People know about autism – but do they accept autistic people?  - Luke Parkes

My Experience with Anxiety and Autism

As an autistic person, my challenges with social interaction have led to intense social anxiety. Along with sensory overload, this has made it difficult to connect with others. I constantly worried about saying something that might abruptly end a conversation. I wondered whether others were silently questioning my intelligence – and then I started doubting myself. I’d hear echoes of childhood bullies calling me the r-word. 

At the same time, I struggle to focus. Maintaining eye contact, interpreting nonverbal cues, and processing what someone is saying – all at once – can be overwhelming. Sometimes, I’m so busy trying to decipher a hand gesture or mistakenly interpret a glance away as disinterest that I completely miss what’s being said.

To be clear, not all autistic people experience social anxiety, but many of us do.

One of the most challenging experiences for me has been job interviews. I never know what to expect: what questions will be asked, how I’ll answer them, or whether I’ll process my thoughts quickly enough. I overthink every possible outcome, suppress the need to stim, and often sit there, speechless, imposter syndrome kicking into gear. Bright lights, unfamiliar environments, and trying to maintain eye contact while answering questions only add to the stress. 

But in reality, many autistic people are the best fit for certain roles – interviews just aren’t where some of us shine.  

The Challenges of Navigating a Neurotypical World

Like many other societal norms, we’re expected to live a certain way, and it can be frustrating. Autistic people are expected to accommodate neuro-conforming expectations, but what about us? What about our comfort?

Misunderstandings are all too common. Some people believe that autistic people lack empathy, which isn’t true. The double empathy problem explains that the difficulty in understanding goes both ways – neurodivergent and neurotypical people struggle to relate to each other.

Much of my anxiety stems from being misunderstood, which happens a lot.

For example, people sometimes notice that autistic people “talk about themselves” in conversations. A former friend once shared a problem, and I related by mentioning a similar experience. Instead of seeing it as my way of trying to connect, they assumed I was trying to make it about myself. When this happened, I felt selfish – like I had taken the spotlight away from them. That worry stuck with me, replaying in my head over and over. Eventually, my anxiety around this grew so much that I started avoiding it altogether, afraid of being perceived the wrong way.

Why Autism Acceptance Month Matters

We have plenty of events dedicated to “awareness” – but we’re at a point where we need more than that. We need Autism Acceptance Month because awareness alone isn’t enough. People know about autism – but do they accept autistic people? 

We need to challenge ableism because autistic people are targets of it too. Often, we’re dismissed since our challenges are “invisible” – or not as visible as people with physical disabilities. We need accommodations and accessibility to thrive. That includes flexible work arrangements, sensory-friendly environments, and interview structures that don’t disadvantage neurodivergent candidates. 

If you want to support autistic people, ask us what we need. Don’t assume – understand that we know ourselves best. 

Conclusion

I may always struggle with anxiety, and being autistic isn’t something I can change. But that doesn’t mean I can’t thrive.

Anxiety is part of the human experience, and for some, it can stop you from truly living. 

I’m hopeful for the future, witnessing more neurodivergent creators on social platforms and seeing more companies expression a willingness to accommodate people living with disabilities during job interviews (Though, I won’t lie – I often question how genuine these efforts are). 

The more we challenge ableism and push for acceptance, the closer we get to a world where autistic people don’t have to fight so hard to be understood.