“Mind”, “Body”, and “Behavior” in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as the name implies, is currently regarded as a continuously transitioning spectrum rather than a categorical one. Recently, a large-scale epidemiological survey reported that the disorder is seen in approximately 2% of cases and tends to be regarded as a common disease. It is easy to have various problems, such as lack of socialization, ease of isolation because of difficulty in communication, difficulty in adapting to environmental changes owing to a lack of flexibility, and ease of being accompanied by comorbidities. Not all ASDs require treatment or support. Patients who appeared in our clinical setting were those with comorbidities.

In this paper, we discuss the “mind,” “body,” and “behavior” of ASD, comorbidities, physical symptoms including psychosomatic disorders and suicidal behavior, as well as their mutual relevance and how support should be provided.