14/08/2025
💡 What is interoception?
Interoception is a body sense that is important but lesser known. It helps us notice and understand signals inside our own bodies - like feeling hungry, thirsty, tired, needing the toileting, and even pain.
This sense helps us keep our body in balance, manage our emotions, and feel connected to ourselves and the people around us.
📚 Research shows that Autistic people experience interoception differences more often than non-autistic people (Zachary et al., 2023). Just like our other senses, Autistic people may be extra-sensitive (hyper-) or less sensitive (hypo-) to what is happening inside our body.
This means we may find it hard to notice body signals, feel body signals too strongly, or mix them up with emotions — for example, not being sure if we’re feeling uncomfortable because we’re hungry or because we’re anxious.
These differences can affect many parts of daily life, and have a big impact on our physical health, emotional wellbeing, and how we connect with others.
Read more on our webiste at https://reframingautism.org.au/interoception-knowing-yourself-inside-and-out/
[ID: Against a magenta background with the Reframing Autism logo in the top left corner and the knotwork logo located in the lower right corner is an infographic titled, 'How Interoception Varies in Autistic Individuals'. Beneath are white text boxes with six points which state: Challenges in recognising basic needs; e.g., hunger, thirst or needing to use the bathroom, Emotional regulation - Difficulty in connecting internal physical sensations with emotions, Challenges with reflecting on one’s thoughts and feelings (Introspection), Heightened or diminished experiences of pain, Difficulty in identifying and describing emotions (Alexithymia), Interoception differences can make it harder for Autistic individuals to pick up on social cues.]
