Is apathy a sign of autism?

[u/Beautiful_Sky3102]

Im working on getting an autism diagnosis and I was talking to my psychologist about it the other day.

I was describing my lack of caring and emotion in most if not all things in my life. I don't care for my future. I have no aspirations. I have no dreams or anything I'm working towards. I don't see a future for myself and living is exhausting. I have morally correct opinions on human rights and in politics, but I could genuinely care less. I can pretend I care, but I cant force it. I used to be treated strangely as a child for my weird behavior.

I only find meaning in things that catch my interests. Games, books, TV shows and movies, materialistic item, etc. As of right now, I'm obsessed with a certain movie and have spend dozens of hours watching and reading and drawing the media and I consume it daily.

She told me it gives off indicators that I could have autism and is urging me to get tested. My therapist and primary care physician also want me to get tested for other reasons as well. But I haven't heard of or known anyone with autism who experience the same lack of anything that I do.

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[u/somnocore]

Apathy is common in depression and in burnout but it's not specifically a sign of autism. Autism doesn't specifically cause apathy, but some difficulties autistics face can lead to apathy.

Apathy can be confused with alexithymia too, which is difficulties in identifying and understanding your emotions.

Burnout is not specific to autism, either. But it can be common in autism. Have you looked into burnout?

[u/HammyHavoc → u/somnocore]

'alexithymia' is a new word for me, never heard that one before, just having a read about it. That sums up my life until I got into my thirties and gradually began to recognise what I felt by talking about stuff in detail with my partner.

~50% of people with the 'tism have it too? Can't believe I hadn't heard of it. Then again, have been finding a lot of words I was totally unfamiliar with that I shouldn't be, which explain a lot.

Thanks for sharing!

[u/Plastic_Scarcity7204]

yes, but im strangely crazy empathetic and apathetic at the same time, just about different things.

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/u/Beautiful_Sky3102, We also have a wiki page on this topic that you may find useful, and you can find that here.

It goes through who can diagnose autism, whether you should go for an assessment or not, how to make an appointment, how to prepare and the common questions we get, what to expect at an assessment, how to reduce anxiety, what to do while you wait for your results, and what to do if you didn't get diagnosed.

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[u/Avon_Barksdale63]