Reacting, Retreating, Regulating, and Reconnecting: How Autistic Adults in the United Kingdom Use Time Alone for Well-Being

Background: Firsthand accounts by autistic people describe a need for regular time alone. However, there is little in the literature that explores (1) why time alone is desired, (2) how that time is spent, or (3) where that time is spent. This article describes a neurodiversity-informed, qualitative study that demonstrates the importance and purpose of “alone-time” for autistic adults.
Methods: We interviewed 16 autistic adults living in the United Kingdom about how and where they spent their “alone-time” and the benefits experienced from this time. We conducted the interviews online, some using a video link, and some using a synchronously accessed text-based document, according to the participants’ preferences.
Results: We used Reflexive Thematic Analysis with the interview data to generate four qualitative themes as follows: (1) reacting to social and sensory overwhelm; (2) retreating from social and sensory overwhelm; (3) regulating, recovering, and recharging; and (4) ready to reconnect with others.
Conclusions: These themes highlight a need for balancing social activities and spaces with time and space alone and the benefits of creating or protecting spaces, which encourage recovery from overwhelm.