Autism Spectrum Disorder vs. Social Anxiety Disorder

Key Differences

Being Extremely Sensitive to Certain Touches, Textures, or Smells
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Core
Social Anxiety Disorder: Not Characteristic
Explanation: In autism, strong reactions to textures, touch, or smells are often a central and ongoing part of daily life, while they are not a typical feature of social anxiety disorder.
Being Extremely Sensitive to Bright Lights
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Core
Social Anxiety Disorder: Not Characteristic
Explanation: Autism commonly involves persistent sensory sensitivity to lights, whereas social anxiety disorder is not usually defined by this kind of sensory processing difference.
Difficulty understanding social cues
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Core
Social Anxiety Disorder: Associated
Explanation: In autism, social difficulty often involves genuinely missing or interpreting cues differently, while in social anxiety it is more likely to come from anxiety interfering in social situations.
Compulsive or repetitive behaviours
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Core
Social Anxiety Disorder: Associated
Explanation: Repetitive behaviours are more central and persistent in autism, while in social anxiety they are less defining and may be more tied to managing anxious situations.
Heart racing or pounding
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Associated
Social Anxiety Disorder: Core
Explanation: A racing heart is more central to social anxiety, especially in feared social situations, while in autism it is more secondary and not a defining feature.

Key Similarities

Symptom How it is similar
Difficulty making or keeping friends Both autism and social anxiety disorder can involve significant difficulty forming or maintaining friendships, which can make them look similar from the outside.
Difficulty having conversations Both can make conversations feel difficult, even though the reasons behind the difficulty may differ.
Feeling socially exhausted People with either challenge may feel drained after social interaction and need time to recover.
Being very self-critical Both can involve ongoing self-criticism, especially around perceived social mistakes or difficulties.
Perfectionism Both may involve pressure to get things right, which can add stress in daily life and social situations.

Most often taken Self-Assessments

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