Clinical guidanceClinical guidelineNICE
Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management (CG142)
NICE clinical guidance covering the identification, assessment, diagnosis, support and management of autism in adults, including communication, sensory needs, coexisting conditions and access to appropriate services.
Evidence noteNICE clinical guideline for adults aged 18 and over with suspected or confirmed autism. It covers identification and comprehensive assessment, interventions, coexisting mental health conditions, behaviour that challenges, support for families and carers, and how services should be organised. It also recognises sensory sensitivities, difficulties with flexibility and emotional regulation as common features that may need to be considered in assessment and support.
Official guidanceNHS Every Mind Matters
Dealing with stress
Practical NHS guidance on recognising stress, understanding common triggers and using simple strategies to reduce pressure, regain a sense of control and prevent stress from escalating.
Evidence noteNHS guidance covering common causes and symptoms of stress alongside practical self-care strategies. It includes recognising personal stress responses, using problem-solving and CBT-style techniques, reducing avoidable pressures and seeking further support when stress is affecting daily life. It is general stress guidance rather than neurodivergence-specific advice.
Clinical guidanceManchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Emotional Regulation
Practical NHS guidance explaining how to recognise intense emotions, understand what may be driving them and use strategies such as naming emotions, checking the facts, grounding, self-soothing and problem-solving.
Evidence notePractical NHS guidance covering how to notice and name emotions, identify urges, check whether an emotional response fits the situation, use calming or grounding strategies and reflect afterwards on what helped. It also notes that tiredness, hunger and sensory overload can make regulation more difficult. Although hosted by CAMHS, the page states that these experiences can affect both young people and adults.
Charity / support organisationNational Autistic Society
Meltdowns — a guide for all audiences
Practical guidance on recognising overload, reducing demands during distress and using structure, visual supports, countdowns and calming activities to make unexpected changes and everyday transitions easier to manage.
Evidence notePractical autism-focused guidance covering what to do before, during and after overload or a meltdown. For changes and transitions it recommends approaches such as clear visual explanations, preserving predictable parts of the routine, countdowns or timers, structured timetables and access to familiar calming activities. Strategies should be adapted to the individual rather than applied universally.
Charity / support organisationNational Autistic Society
Preference for order, predictability or routine
Practical guidance explaining why routines and predictability can help autistic people manage stress, energy and uncertainty, and how to prepare for changes more safely and gradually.
Evidence notePractical guidance covering the benefits of routine and predictability, when rigid routines may become difficult, and ways to prepare for change. Suggested strategies include advance warning, visual prompts, practising journeys or new situations, creating backup plans and allowing extra processing time.
Clinical guidanceEast London NHS Foundation Trust
Support available for adults with ADHD
Practical NHS guidance for adults with ADHD covering emotional regulation, routines, organisation, coping strategies and ways to reduce day-to-day difficulties.
Evidence notePractical NHS support material for adults with ADHD, including guidance on recognising emotional escalation, pausing before reacting, calming strategies, routines and other day-to-day coping approaches. It is ADHD-specific practical guidance rather than a formal clinical guideline or research study.
Clinical guidanceLeicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
The benefits of familiarity and predictability for autistic people
Practical NHS guidance on using routines, advance planning, visual supports and familiarisation to make changes and transitions feel more manageable.
Evidence notePractical NHS guidance explaining why familiarity, predictability and routine can support wellbeing and reduce anxiety for autistic people. Suggested strategies include finding out about changes in advance, using calendars and planners, explaining what will stay the same, using visual timetables or social stories, and visiting unfamiliar places beforehand.
Charity / support organisationNational Autistic Society
What can I do if I’m having trouble at work?
Practical guidance for autistic people experiencing problems at work, including conflict, bullying, harassment, discrimination, performance concerns and dismissal.
Evidence notePractical employment guidance explaining common workplace difficulties autistic people may encounter and how to respond. It covers conflict, bullying and harassment, discrimination, performance or capability concerns, disciplinary issues and dismissal. Suggested actions include speaking with a manager or HR, involving a trade union representative, using informal or formal grievance procedures and seeking external advice from organisations such as Acas or Citizens Advice. It also explains how autism-related communication, sensory overload or disrupted routines can sometimes be misinterpreted as performance or behavioural problems.
