Is autism a mental illness? Autism is not considered a mental illness. There are many differences between autism and mental illness, including the following.

Different causes of the disease

Autism, also known as autism, has many causes, including genetic factors, congenital abnormalities in brain structure and function, and exposure of the mother to radiation during pregnancy.

Mental disorders can also be caused by congenital factors, but most of them are due to factors such as chronic life stress, traumatic childhood experiences or overstimulation.

Different age of onset

Autism occurs mainly in infants and young children.

Mental illness can occur at any age, but most cases occur in adolescents or young adults.

Different Symptoms

Autism has obvious intellectual problems. Most children with autism have intellectual disabilities, including low language skills, poor concentration, and low learning ability.

Mental illnesses are usually not associated with significant intellectual disability, and most people with mental illness have normal intellectual development before the onset of the illness. In addition, many people with mental illness are able to maintain basic intelligence without developmental deficits in language and motor skills after the onset of the illness.

Different treatment methods

The treatment of autism relies heavily on specialized rehabilitation and needs to start at an early age. The first 4 years of life are the prime time for rehabilitation.

Mental illnesses are usually treated with medication and specialized psychotherapy.