The experience of being bullied and excluded is, tragically, all too common for autistic people. These painful encounters often leave lasting psychological scars, shaping how a person views themselves and interacts with the world. While I am not a Jungian, I am Jung-curious and am increasingly finding his work showing up in my thinking and my practice with autistic clients and this is one reason why: in Jungian psychology, the archetype of the Exile provides a compelling framework for understanding these experiences of exclusion, particularly when considered alongside the concept of psychological complexes. Exploring these ideas offers another way of getting insight into the effects of bullying on autistic people and, as a corollary, how creative arts therapy might offer pathways towards healing.
The Exile Archetype and Alienation
The Exile archetype, as articulated by Carl Jung, embodies the experience of profound alienation and separation. It represents the individual who feels disconnected from the collective, either by circumstance or by choice, often leading to deep feelings of loneliness and a sense of being fundamentally different or ‘other’. For many autistic people, this archetype is not just a metaphor but a lived reality.
Autistic people often face significant social challenges, including difficulties with communication and sensory processing, which can lead to misunderstandings and make them targets for social exclusion. When these differences are met with bullying and rejection, the sense of being an outcast is intensified. The repeated experience of being marginalised can embed itself within the psyche, creating what Jung called a complex—a cluster of emotions, thoughts, and memories centred around the trauma of exclusion. This complex might manifest as a pervasive feeling of inadequacy, unworthiness, or self-doubt, which can have long-lasting effects on an individual’s mental health.
Complexes and the Autistic Experience
Complexes are powerful, often unconscious, forces within the psyche that influence our behaviour, thoughts, and emotions. They form around unprocessed or unresolved experiences, particularly those that are painful or traumatic. For autistic individuals who have been subjected to bullying, these complexes may revolve around feelings of shame, rejection, and fear. The bullying experiences may not just be a series of isolated events but rather a core part of how the individual perceives themselves and their place in the world.
Research has shown that autistic people are at a higher risk of developing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Greenlee et al., 2020). These conditions can be understood, in Jungian terms, as manifestations of unresolved complexes that have been triggered and reinforced by the ongoing experience of social exclusion. The internalisation of these negative experiences can profoundly impact an individual’s self-concept, leading them to identify with the Exile archetype, seeing themselves as perpetual outsiders who are fundamentally different and disconnected from others. I think the negative effects of this will be clear.
The Long-Term Effects of Bullying
The impact of bullying on autistic people can be severe and long-lasting, and I speak as someone who was bullied at school. Studies have indicated that nearly half of autistic youth experience bullying, which significantly affects their mental health and well-being (Sterzing et al., 2012). The trauma of these experiences can lead to complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), a condition characterised by difficulties with emotion regulation, self-perception, and interpersonal relationships (Mazefsky et al., 2014).
For many, the effects of bullying extend far beyond the immediate pain of the experience, leading to chronic mental health issues that can persist into adulthood. Other studies report a high incidence of autistic people also being bullied at work, and so the pattern continues.
In this context, the Exile archetype suggests not only the pain of alienation but also the potential for growth and transformation. Jungian psychology views the individuation process—the journey towards self-realisation and wholeness—as crucial to healing. For autistic individuals, this might involve finding supportive communities where we can express our unmasked selves without fear of rejection or judgment. However, the way to this kind of self-acceptance is often complex and fraught with challenges, particularly when unresolved complexes continue to exert a powerful influence on our psyches.
The Role of Creative Arts Therapy in Healing
Creative arts therapy offers a powerful means of addressing the deep-seated wounds associated with the Exile archetype and the complexes formed as a result of bullying. Through creative expression—whether it be through art, music, drama, or writing—individuals can explore and process their experiences in a safe and supportive environment. This form of therapy allows for the expression of feelings and experiences that may be difficult to articulate in words, providing an alternative pathway to healing.
In the context of autism, creative arts therapy can be particularly beneficial. Autistic people often have very specific ways of perceiving and interacting with the world, and creative expression can offer a way to communicate these perspectives in a manner that feels authentic and validating. By engaging with our creativity, autistic people can begin to reframe their narrative, moving from the role of the Exile to one of empowerment and self-acceptance. This process can help to dismantle the complexes that have formed around feelings of exclusion and unworthiness, fostering a stronger, more positively experienced sense of self.
Furthermore, creative arts therapy can facilitate the individuation process (individuation in Jungian psychology is the process of becoming one’s true self by integrating the conscious and unconscious, and the material in the unconscious may also be thought of as ‘exiled’ in a sense) by helping individuals integrate their experiences of being an outsider with a broader, more inclusive sense of identity. Rather than seeing ourselves solely through the lens of the Exile, individuals can explore other archetypal roles and narratives that better resonate with their sense of personhood in more positive ways. This can lead to a more nuanced and holistic understanding of self, one that acknowledges both the pain of exclusion and its alternatives, in terms of framing (perhaps the Exile becomes the Seeker archetype, who embraces solitude and adventure as a means of self-discovery and growth) and as an act of reclamation.
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So…,
The Jungian archetype of the Exile provides a rich framework for understanding the profound effects of bullying and exclusion on autistic people. The formation of psychological complexes, the struggle with identity, and the potential for healing through individuation are all deeply relevant to the experiences of those who have faced being othered and cast-out in some way. Academic research supports the view that these experiences can lead to significant mental health challenges, highlighting the need for support which targets the development of the self-concept. Creative arts therapy emerges as a promising approach in this regard, offering autistic people a powerful tool for healing, exploration, self-expression, and finding the images that can begin to transform our experiences of exclusion into a source of strength and self-agency, ultimately reclaiming a sense of belonging and identity.
References
Greenlee, J. L., Mosley, A. S., Shui, A. M., Veenstra-VanderWeele, J., & Gotham, K. O. (2020). Medical and behavioral correlates of depression history in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(7), 2361-2375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03950-7
Mazefsky, C. A., Folstein, S. E., & Lainhart, J. E. (2014). Overrepresentation of mood and anxiety disorders in adults with autism and their first-degree relatives: What does it mean? Autism Research, 1(3), 193-197. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.23
Sterzing, P. R., Shattuck, P. T., Narendorf, S. C., Wagner, M., & Cooper, B. P. (2012). Bullying involvement and autism spectrum disorders: Prevalence and correlates of bullying involvement among adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 166(11), 1058-1064. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.790
Dr Stephanie Aspin 