The Global Pandemic: How People with Autism Learned to Cope

Scott Klumb is a filmmaker from Boulder, Colorado, whose late autism diagnosis at the age of 23 inspired his award winning 2020 film Autism: One Man’s Journey. As a person with autism, Scott Klumb understands how difficult it is for people with autism spectrum disorder to cope with the unavoidable lifestyle changes caused by the global pandemic.

As a group that relies on schedules and structure, the pandemic took a toll on many people with autism by disrupting their daily routines, putting a halt on social gatherings, and closing many of the care centers and community groups they rely on for health and support. Though advances in telehealth allowed people to connect with their doctors and communities, many people on the spectrum experienced increased feelings of loneliness and depression without their much-needed social interactions and felt heightened anxiety, especially around issues of safety and infection risk. Over 70 percent of adults with autism are unemployed or underemployed, and the pandemic made it even harder for them to get or maintain jobs.

Despite the challenges, mental health experts were surprised to discover that many people with autism found new ways to cope, and even thrive, during the pandemic. Introverted individuals found the new way of life less overwhelming and welcomed the break from social interactions. Those with sensitivity to sensory input like sounds, smells, and images also adapted well to the new normal. Emerging on the other side of the pandemic, people with autism will have to adapt to new routines again, but mental health experts think our society will be more autism-friendly, with more virtual interaction options and less sensory overload.