Authism and Psychology

In this blog I want to talk about autism and psychology, that is, autistics who are interested in psychology. I had no idea this was a thing until I was diagnosed with autism last year, very late in life. After an almost lifelong interest in psychology I had no idea just how many people (women in particular) are interested in psychology. A lot of speakers on the subject of autism have studied psychology to degree level or beyond or are trained psychotherapists. Many of the assessors at Axia (where my sister and I were diagnosed) are in fact autistic themselves as well as being at the forefront of research. 

I myself was interested in psychology since I was teenager (probably before if I'd known what it was). After O levels I was all set to to do hairdressing but then I switched and studied A levels at Southport Tech, and one of those was psychology. Then a few years later I went on to do my degree in psychology followed by several years as a Research Psychologist in the addictions field. I suppose it shouldn't really have come as a surprise when you think about it just why autistics are fascinated by psychology - we want to find out how people work and what motivates them! 

Here's an article I found online which addresses this:

"Autistic females, in particular, are often very imaginative, artistic, and highly capable in the arts. This can include interest and talent in writing, painting, drawing, sculpture, singing, acting, theatre, music, and so on.

Autistic brains tend to be very detail-oriented, leading to a tendency to be very good at science and analytical thinking. Whether or not an autistic person ends up in the sciences (and especially a career in science) largely depends on their upbringing and influences. Those who had the advantage of receiving good education and had the resources to attend post-secondary school often excel in academia.

One common area of interest for many autistic females is in psychology. Since they grew up feeling different from everyone else, they often look to psychology for answers — often reading self-help books and psychology texts long before their peers. For many, this leads to independent study and the development of a special interest in psychology.

Several choose careers that are related to psychology in some way, either as researchers, psychologists, therapists, school counsellors, or social workers.

While autistic people can be interested in a diverse range of career fields, they are over-represented in the arts, sciences, technology, and in psychology. Their traits and strengths may be especially well-suited for academia, and many find themselves to be lifelong learners — interested in pursuing formal and/or informal educational opportunities throughout life."

https://other-autism.com/2020/04/24/5-signs-you-may-be-an-undiagnosed-autistic-woman/comment-page-1/

I thought this was really revealing and interesting, especially as I've only found this out in my 60s after my autism diagnosis. But we're learning all the time. 

Psychology also relates to writing very much: there's rich material there about what makes people tick, their characters, motivations and personality types, how they are socially and so on. I realize now that I've gravitated toward and pursued a line that is compatible with the autism mind: psychology and writing, and marrying those two together!

Below is the video version on YouTube. Many thanks.