Autism treatment for adults is, in many ways, similar to that of kids. You still want to have occupational therapy for sensory issues and for helping autistic adults navigate through different areas of their lives.
Some medications can still be helpful, as well as psychotherapy to help them accept and adjust to some of their limitations. But one thing that can be particularly helpful for the treatment of autism in adults is in finding community, such a support groups where they can meet other people like themselves.
A lot of the support that kids with autism get stops after age 21. Almost all of it, in fact. So finding a peer group of other adults with autism who can relate what an adult with autism is going through can be very helpful.
Many cities have support groups for adults with autism spectrum disorders. You can find them through your local autism society, or from Internet searches or newspaper ads.
Adults with autism talk about their problems, discuss what is helping, and help others to come up with solutions to their problems. They also help each other celebrate when something good happens in their lives. Above all, they let each other know that they are not alone. It turns out that community can be an excellent treatment of sorts for adults with autism.
Finding an Autism Support Group for Adults
How do you find a group like this? There are several places you can try. The largest one that has groups for those with Asperger's is called The Global Regional Asperger's Partnership (GRASP). This group is based in New York City, but has more than a dozen groups on the East coast and in many other parts of the country as well. For a list of the support groups currently offered, go to their website at grasp.org. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) also has a lot of groups across the country. You can find them at autisticadvocacy.org. There are other large independent groups in Washington, DC, Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco, among other places.
What about online groups?
If you can't find a group locally, it can also be quite helpful for adults with autism to seek support online. There are many websites that serve as support communities for people with autism. For some, the anonymity of writing online can be freeing and an easier way to communicate. Many people are able to communicate better in writing than they can in person. A lot of people with autism who get very nervous in social situations where they have to look people in the eye and decipher body language do much better online, when the only thing that is important is the words that you write, instead of the body language that you use to convey them with. You can try websites such as wrongplanet.net, aspergerinfo.com, the GRASP online group, and various Yahoo groups.
All in all, there are many avenues one might pursue for autism treatment for adults. But one of the easiest and most effective is giving them a source of emotional support. In the end, treatment for adults with autism can encompass many different things, but finding friendship and emotional support should never be overlooked.
Luckily, there are sites what provide not only direct connections to support groups but also provide additional tips from parents and adults with autism. These tips can be extremely helpful. A great site that has tips and suggestions for additional support options for adults with autism is the AmericanAutismSociety.org