Am I autistic?
You might be here because you often feel exhausted, or because you feel you are always working out what other people mean. You might be wondering why things that seem easy for others cost you so much energy.
The hidden strain
Autism is about more than social skills
Many adults who wonder whether they are autistic start looking for answers because of burnout, sensory overload, or the tiredness that comes from masking. Burnout here means deep, long-lasting exhaustion that builds up over time. Sensory overload is when sounds, lights, smells, or touch become too much to cope with. Masking means hiding or changing how you naturally act, so that you fit in with other people. We built SensoryShore to help you see these patterns more clearly, using a free questionnaire called NeuroProfile. It does not tell you whether you are autistic.
The masking toll
Masking is not a single behaviour. Your NeuroProfile results show it in three parts. Compensation means actively working out social rules. Masking, in this narrower sense, means hiding autistic responses. Assimilation means forcing yourself through situations that do not fit you. Seeing the three parts separately can show where your effort goes.
Sensory overload
People sometimes mistake sensory overload for anxiety or irritability, but it is a real physical response. Your NeuroProfile results include a sensory profile. It shows how you respond to what your senses pick up. It covers six areas: sound, sight, touch, smell and taste together, balance and movement, and body awareness. Knowing your own patterns can help you plan for situations that tend to overwhelm you.
In adults
What autistic traits can look like in adults
Autistic traits often look different in adults than in children. Many people only learned what autism can look like in children. Every autistic person is different — this is not a checklist.
Sensory sensitivity
Everyday places — open-plan offices, supermarkets, busy trains — can feel overwhelming. To the people around you, your reaction may seem bigger than the situation. This is a real physical response, not oversensitivity to be managed away.
Masking and camouflaging
Camouflaging is another word for masking. It can mean deliberately planning what to say before a conversation, rehearsing small talk, or holding back natural reactions at work and with other people. The aim is to seem "easier" to be around. This often comes at a real personal cost.
Need for routine and predictability
A strong preference for structure and for knowing about plans in advance. Sudden changes to plans, or to your usual routine, can take a lot of energy to cope with.
Intense, focused interests
Deep, long-lasting focus on particular topics or activities, sometimes for years. These interests bring real energy and expertise. They are not a distraction from "normal" life.
Communication style differences
A tendency towards literal, direct, or pre-planned communication, rather than reading unspoken social signals such as tone of voice or body language. This is a difference in style, not a flaw to correct.
Next steps
Ways people get assessed
Only a formal autism assessment by qualified health professionals can give a diagnosis. If you want one, here are two routes worth knowing about. Availability and waiting times vary by area and are not guaranteed.
Ask your GP
Your GP (general practitioner, your family doctor) can refer you for an autism assessment through the NHS (National Health Service) in your area. It can be useful to describe how these traits affect your daily life, such as sensory overload, masking, or burnout. This can help your GP make a clear referral.
Right to Choose
Right to Choose is a legal right for people in England. It may let you ask your GP to refer you to a different service that the NHS has approved to do autism assessments, still paid for by the NHS. This can sometimes mean a shorter wait, but that varies by area and is not guaranteed.
Self-identification is valid
Many autistic adults recognise that they are autistic without ever having a formal diagnosis. They may not have one because of cost, long waiting lists, or assessment services that do not always recognise how autism shows up in adults. Recognising it for yourself is called self-identification, and it is valid. SensoryShore does not diagnose. Its free questionnaire describes your own patterns, such as how you react to noise or how much effort you put into fitting in. It does not tell you whether you are autistic.
Important
SensoryShore is not a diagnostic tool and does not diagnose autism or any other condition.