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Topics: Mental Health, TikTok, Health
Joshua Nair
A medical professional has revealed the five common signs that could indicate autism in adults.
Dr. Jaleel Mohammed is a consultant psychiatrist based in London, and states that his job is to 'diagnose and treat mental health conditions'.
The medical expert has over 214,000 followers on TikTok, educating viewers on various different subjects relating to the mind and mental health on his page.
Dr. Mohammed has now revealed the five things that can indicate autism in adults, and it could apply to more individuals than you'd think.
The video has gone viral, with over six million views on the social media platform so far.
The medical expert states: "People with autism often have a very specific routine: What they do, how they do it and the order they do it in."
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He explains that this could be a specific morning routine, whether it be a way you brush your teeth, a particular breakfast you must have, or an order you must eat it in.
Mohammed says that people can vary their routine with no problem, but those with autism will feel distressed and anxious if their routine changes.
Dr. Mohammed explains that people with autism can 'come across sounding very harsh or to the point with their speech,' without actually meaning to.
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"For people with autism, it's just an efficient way of speaking, they don't mean to be rude or come across that way." The psychiatrist says.
Also known as the theory of mind, it is 'the ability to gauge what other people are thinking or feeling'.
In autism, this is often underdeveloped, Dr. Mohammed explains, which can cause people with autism to struggle with feelings of empathy and sympathy.
"At its most severe, people with autism avoid making eye contact at all, but most people with autism can make eye contact, but it's just very uncomfortable to do so," Dr. Mohammed reveals.
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If you are a very eye contact-focused person, you may find this with some people that you talk to.
If you notice small things that others might not, it may be a sign of autism.
"The brains of people with autism can pick up on very small details and recognise patterns that others don't see."
The medical professional pointed out the examples of noticing the order something is arranged on a table, or a design on a carpet that would otherwise be dismissed by others.
It must be noted that these signs don't absolutely determine if a person has autism - they are simply traits common in autistic people.
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The NHS recommends speaking to a GP or healthcare professional if a person believes they may be autistic, which can lead to an autism assessment being carried out.
An assessment is only done by autism specialists, and is the only way to find out if a person or child are autistic. For more information, click here.