Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

by Devon Price

Of course, many non-Autistic people might resonate with some of the feelings and sensations I just described. There’s a difference between being allistic (which simply means non-Autistic) and being fully neurotypical (which means lacking any mental illness or cognitive disability). An allistic person with a social anxiety disorder may also feel overwhelmed in busy bars and restaurants, just as Autistic people do. Someone with post-traumatic stress disorder may similarly be rattled by a noisy pinball machine. The difference between Autism and these other disorders, however, is that Autism is a cognitive and sensory difference that affects every area of life. You wouldn’t expect a socially anxious person to get overwhelmed by the sound of a clanking radiator when they’re alone at home, for example (unless they’re also Autistic or have a sensory processing disorder).