Individuals with autism experience and understand emotions differently. They may have difficulty regulating intense feelings, which can lead to hyperactivity when happy or meltdowns when frustrated, and they may struggle to communicate their emotions.

Those on the spectrum may also find it hard to interpret others’ emotions, which can be misinterpreted as indifference or a lack of empathy.

Emotional regulation is the ability to manage one’s emotions. Various tools are used to help one understand their emotions and how to manage them in healthier ways.

Autism can affect how we interact with the social world around us. Those on the spectrum can often struggle with social cues including facial expression, tone and body language.
Those on the spectrum may struggle with social norms which can result in misunderstandings.
Despite these differences in a supportive, understanding and inclusive environments they can thrive.

This is the brain’s management system, which helps us plan tasks, remember things, and generally get things done. For those on the spectrum, executive functioning can be challenging for a variety of reasons. Someone may feel stuck and struggle with task initiation, find switching between tasks anxiety-provoking, or become overloaded by too many steps, leading to shutdown.