📈Autism in Adults Up 450% — Good News or Bad?
- hmotro
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
At first glance, it sounds alarming. A 450% increase in autism diagnoses among adults aged 26 to 34.
Back in 2011, only about 91,000 adults in that age group had received a diagnosis.*
In 2022, that number was more than 500,000.
Really!?
Are autistic people multiplying like rabbits?
Or is there something in the environment that is causing autism?
Or are more people finally being seen?
Here’s the truth:
This isn’t an epidemic.
The growth is a result of long-overdue recognition.
For decades, autistic adults—especially women, BIPOC individuals, and those with “internalized” traits—were misdiagnosed or missed entirely.
They spent years masking, struggling, over-explaining, and burning out—without a name for what they were carrying.
If you're curious, our autism screeners are a good place to start.
And for couples, that recognition can change everything.
Because when one partner is neurodivergent—and neither of you knows it—misunderstandings multiply.
💔 One partner feels disconnected.
💔 The other feels constantly criticized.
💔 Small moments turn into spirals.
💔 Both partners become the worst versions of themselves!
But once the true dynamic is named, the blame and shame slowly melt away.
What felt like emotional distance starts to look like sensory overload.
What looked like shutdown starts to make sense as a nervous system needing recovery.
What felt like rejection gets reframed as a missed signal—not a lack of love.
Finally healing is possible.
It’s not about fixing each other.
It’s about finally understanding each other.
And that’s the power of recognition.
If you're wondering whether neurodivergence might be part of your story—yours or your partner’s—we’re here.
We offer free autism screeners, in-depth autism assessments, individual support, and neuro-informed couples therapy.
You’re not broken.
You’re not alone.
We can't wait to hear from you!
With clarity and care,
Harry Motro
Clinical Director, Neurodiverse Couples Counseling Center and Adult Autism Assessment Center
🔦 Spotlight on Dre Meller
Specialties
AuDHD, Autism, ADHD
Sex/Physical Intimacy
Emotional Regulation
Parenting (Neurotypical & Neurodiverse)
Blended Families,
Brainspotting
Emotionally Focused Therapy
LGBTQIA+
Communication
Emotional Intimacy
Trauma-Informed
Personal Experience
AuDHD (Autistic + ADHD) therapist with firsthand experience navigating neurodivergence
In a 21-year relationship with autistic partner; raising four neurodivergent children (ages 6–30)
Provides a safe, non-masking space where clients can explore relationships, identity, and life on their terms
* Note: Autism diagnosis figures are based on a reported 450% increase among U.S. adults aged 26–34 between 2011 and 2022, as documented in the study “Autism Diagnosis Among US Children and Adults, 2011–2022” published in JAMA Network Open (2024). Population estimates used to calculate absolute numbers are based on U.S. Census Bureau data from 2022, which places the U.S. population at approximately 332 million, with 13.7% (about 45.5 million people) aged 26–34.
Want to learn more about yourself?
Explore our sister site, Adult Autism Assessment, and take a deeper dive into your journey of self-discovery. Click the links below to get started!
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