What Does Autism Do to Emotions? The Real Story
Emotional perception: not a lack, but a difference
One of the biggest myths out there (ugh, still?) is that autistic people don’t feel emotions. That’s simply false. In fact, many people on the autism spectrum experience very intense emotions — sometimes even more than neurotypicals. The difference is often in how they process or express those emotions.
Misreading social cues
Let’s be real — facial expressions, tone of voice, body language... that stuff can be a confusing mess. Especially if your brain is wired to process info literally. So, what might seem like “emotional coldness” from the outside may just be a person genuinely not picking up on subtle signals.
Internal emotions vs external expression
An autistic child might feel sad when someone is hurt, but instead of saying, “I’m so sorry,” they might ask a bunch of questions about what happened. Not less empathy — just a different route of showing it.
Emotional regulation: the real rollercoaster
Oh boy. This one hits hard. Emotional regulation can be tough for many autistic individuals. We’re talking about extreme highs and lows — and sometimes in rapid-fire succession.
Meltdowns, shutdowns and everything in between
Meltdowns aren’t tantrums. They’re full-on emotional overloads. Like when you’ve held it together for hours and one tiny thing tips the scale.
Shutdowns are the opposite: emotional withdrawal. It’s like your system goes offline to protect itself.
I've seen a friend of mine — super bright, always joking — go completely silent during a stressful event. Not because he didn’t care, but because he cared too much and didn’t know how to show it safely.
The role of sensory overload
Imagine trying to feel calm and focused when your shirt tag itches, the light buzzes like a swarm of bees, and someone’s chewing loudly next to you. Yeah. It’s no wonder emotions can get tangled.
Emotional fatigue is real
All that extra processing? It can be exhausting. Some autistic folks talk about needing recovery time after social events — even if they enjoyed them. It’s like emotional jet lag.
Building emotional skills: the growth is possible
Here’s a cool twist — many autistic individuals build their own emotional “maps” over time. With support, practice, and patience, emotional understanding can deepen hugely.
Therapies and support tools
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tailored for autism can really help
Visual emotion charts — sounds childish? Nope. Super helpful
Mindfulness — yeah, it’s trendy, but it works (sometimes)
There’s no one-size-fits-all though. What works for one person might be totally useless for another. And that’s okay.
In summary: emotions in autism aren’t broken — just different
Autism doesn’t take emotions away. It reshapes them. Makes them sometimes louder, sometimes quieter, occasionally messy, and often misunderstood. But underneath? There’s empathy, love, frustration, joy — the whole spectrum.
And honestly? If you’ve ever had a deep convo with someone autistic about how they feel, you know: they don’t fake it. When it’s real, it’s raw. And that’s a kind of emotional honesty the world could use more of.
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Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.