When we talk about the lifespan of autistic person, the conversation usually gets heavy, really fast. It's uncomfortable. People want to look away from the numbers because, honestly, the data looks pretty grim at first glance. You might have seen headlines floating around social media claiming that autistic people only live to 36 or 39. It sounds terrifying. It sounds like a death sentence. But if you actually dig into the peer-reviewed science—the real stuff from places like the Karolinska Institute or the University of Cambridge—the story is way more complicated than a single, scary number.
Statistics are tricky things. They don't always mean what we think they mean.
When a study says the average age of death is 54, it doesn't mean every autistic person magically drops dead at 54. It means there are specific, preventable factors dragging the average down. We aren't talking about a "biological clock" built into autism itself. Autism isn't a terminal illness. It's a neurodevelopmental difference. So, why the gap? Why are we seeing such a discrepancy between the general population and the autistic community?
The Elephant in the Room: Why the Gap Exists
Let's get real about the 2016 Swedish study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. This is the one everyone quotes. Led by Tatja Hirvikoski, researchers looked at over 27,000 autistic people. They found that the average lifespan of autistic person was about 16 years shorter than the "neurotypical" group.
For those with a concurrent learning disability, the gap was even wider.
It's not the autism. It’s the stuff that comes with being autistic in a world not built for you. We're talking about massive rates of epilepsy, which is way more common in the autistic community than the general public. Then you have the mental health side of things. Suicide is a massive, heartbreaking driver of these statistics. When you feel like you don't fit, when the sensory input of a grocery store feels like a physical assault, and when society treats your communication style as a "deficit," the psychological toll is immense.
Health Inequities and the "Diagnostic Overshadowing" Problem
Ever heard of diagnostic overshadowing? It's a fancy term for a dangerous problem. Basically, it’s when a doctor sees an autistic patient complaining of stomach pain and assumes it’s just "part of the autism" or an "anxiety-related stim." They miss the actual gallbladder issue or the tumor because they can’t see past the diagnosis.
Communication barriers are a literal killer. If you're non-verbal, or even if you're hyper-verbal but struggle to identify internal sensations (that’s called interoception), how do you tell a GP that your chest feels "weird" in a way that makes them take you seriously?
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Many autistic adults avoid the doctor entirely. Think about a standard waiting room. The flickering fluorescent lights that hum. The smell of antiseptic. The kid screaming in the corner. The receptionist asking vague questions. For someone with sensory processing disorder, that’s a nightmare. So, they stay home. They let the "small" problem turn into a big one.
Co-occurring Conditions and Physical Health
We have to talk about the "comorbidities." It’s a clinical word, but it just means "stuff that happens at the same time."
The lifespan of autistic person is heavily influenced by gastrointestinal (GI) issues, sleep disorders, and heart disease. There is some evidence suggesting that chronic, long-term stress—what some call "Autistic Burnout"—actually causes physical weathering on the body. It’s the "Allostatic Load." When your nervous system is in a constant state of fight-or-flight because the world is too loud or too bright, your cortisol levels stay spiked.
Over decades, that trashes your heart. It messes with your immune system.
- Epilepsy: About 20% to 30% of autistic people develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. Uncontrolled seizures are a major risk factor for premature death.
- Accidental Injury: For younger autistic individuals, especially those with significant support needs, wandering (or "elopement") leading to drowning is a terrifyingly high risk.
- Metabolic Issues: Some medications used to manage behavior or co-occurring mental health issues can cause massive weight gain and diabetes risk.
The Suicide Crisis
This is the hardest part to write about, but we can't ignore it. Autistic adults without intellectual disabilities are about nine times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. That is a staggering, shameful statistic.
It’s not because they have autism. It’s because of "camouflaging" or "masking." Imagine spending every single waking second of your life performing as a different person just to be accepted. You suppress your movements, you script your conversations, and you force eye contact that feels like needles. It leads to a total loss of self.
Cassidy et al. (2014) found that 66% of newly diagnosed autistic adults had contemplated suicide. This isn't a biological fate. It’s a social failure.
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The "Average" is Not Your Destiny
Here is the thing about the "36 years old" statistic: it’s skewed by childhood mortality. If you have a group where some people die very young (due to accidents or severe medical complications) and others live to 80, the "average" lands in the middle. It doesn't mean most people die at 36.
There are plenty of autistic people living into their 70s, 80s, and 90s.
We just don't hear about them as much because they were often never diagnosed. They were the "eccentric" professors, the "loner" clockmakers, or the "quirky" aunts. As our diagnostic criteria improve, we’re starting to see a clearer picture of aging in the autistic community. Research from the University College London is starting to focus more on the "older" autistic population, looking at how neurodivergence interacts with things like dementia and age-related decline.
Can We Fix the Numbers?
Yes. Absolutely.
The lifespan of autistic person isn't fixed in stone. If we improve water safety and wandering prevention for kids, the average goes up. If we train doctors to stop "overshadowing" and actually listen to autistic patients, the average goes up. If we create workplaces where people don't have to mask until they burn out, the suicide rate drops, and—you guessed it—the average goes up.
It’s about "support needs," not "functioning labels." Someone who is "high functioning" might be at a higher risk of suicide because they are masking so hard, while someone "low functioning" might be at a higher risk of a missed medical diagnosis. Everyone needs a different kind of safety net.
Real Steps for a Longer, Healthier Life
If you’re autistic, or you love someone who is, you don’t have to just accept these statistics. You can take control of the variables that actually matter. It’s about building a life that accommodates the nervous system rather than fighting it.
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Find a Neuro-Affirming Doctor
You need a GP who gets it. Someone who will turn down the lights, explain exactly what they are going to do before they touch you, and understand that your pain might manifest as "shutdown" rather than "screaming."
Address Sleep Early
Melatonin is often a game-changer for autistic people, as the body’s natural production can be wonky. Chronic sleep deprivation is a massive strain on the heart and brain. Fix the sleep, fix a lot of the long-term health risks.
The "Sensory Diet" Matters
It’s not just about food. It’s about what you let into your ears, eyes, and skin. Reducing the baseline of sensory stress lowers that Allostatic Load we talked about. Wear the noise-canceling headphones. Buy the seamless socks. It’s not "giving in"—it’s medical prevention.
Community is a Life Raft
Isolation is a killer. Finding "your people"—other neurodivergent folks who don't require you to mask—is one of the best things you can do for your mental health. It validates your experience and reduces the "thwarted belongingness" that often leads to crisis.
The Bottom Line on Longevity
We need to stop looking at the lifespan of autistic person as a tragic mystery. It’s a roadmap of where our society is failing. The gap exists because of a lack of support, a lack of understanding, and a healthcare system that is often inaccessible.
It’s not the autism that’s the problem. It’s the friction between the person and the environment.
If you are an autistic adult, your future isn't a statistic in a Swedish study. Your health is a combination of genetics, yes, but also how well you can protect your peace and get your physical needs met.
Next Steps for Better Health Outcomes:
- Audit your sensory environment: Identify three things in your daily life that cause sensory "spikes" and find a way to eliminate or muffle them.
- Create a "Medical Passport": Write down how you communicate pain, your sensory triggers, and your "baseline" behavior. Give this to your doctor so they have a reference point that isn't based on neurotypical norms.
- Prioritize Seizure Screening: If you or your child have "staring spells" or unexplained "fogs," get an EEG. Identifying epilepsy early is one of the single most effective ways to protect the long-term health of an autistic person.
- Ditch the Mask: Find at least one hour a day where you can "unmask" completely—stim, make the noises, move the way you want. Your nervous system needs the break.