The Problem with Mistaking Autism for High Sensitivity

The Clinical Breakdown
リアクション
2026年07月24日 ▼
Is your 64 sensory overload really just 'high sensitivity'?
Many autistic adults go through life being told their intense reactions to the world are simply a sign of being a highly sensitive person. While HSP and autism can look identical, both involve rapid overload and a need for quiet; the mechanisms behind them are fundamentally different.

In this breakdown, we explore:
- Why the hsp label can be a painful oversimplification.
- How autistic masking compensates for fundamental neurological differences.
- The technical difference between emotional amplification and sensory habituation deficits.
- The major difference between HSP and autism

Question for you:
When you feel overwhelmed, is your brain taking in too much, or is it having trouble filtering things out?

This video is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis.
If you’re struggling, a qualified clinician can help.

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Research used to develop that episode:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/habituation
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10303917/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10687592/
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010836/full
https://petervermeulen.be/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/High-sensitivity-vs-Autism-communique-ENG-2025.pdf




The stock used in that episode is from
Pexels.com
Music:
License code: ADBJEANKPTOD1WJL
Artist: : Benjamin Tissot