Redefining Autism

Abstract

Autism is neither neurodevelopmental nor a disorder. It is simply an inherent neurophysiological difference in how the brain processes information. We who are autistic live in a specialized inner space that is entirely intellectual, free from emotional and social distractions. We observe the world in scholarly detail but without any emotional attachment to what we see. It may be time for the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to consider if autism should continue to be included in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).