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116 Examples Of Behaviors People Later Realized Were Signs Of Neurodivergence
Many people discover, sometimes much later than expected, that they are not neurotypical, often because the signs were there, but just interpreted as, say, a fun, personal quirk. So we’ve gathered examples of neurodivergent and ADHD traits that people thought were just “normal” behaviors for the longest time.
An important note, don’t diagnose yourself from an online list, many of these behaviors are not necessarily exclusive to neurodivergence. Settle in as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own experiences and thoughts in the comments down below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
“waiting mode”. if i have an appointment or something scheduled at like 3, my entire day will revolve around it. like i could wake up at 9 o clock and think no i cant watch a movie, what if it’s accidentally 8 hours long and i miss my appointment. i also will get ready for the appointment at like 11am and literally sit and wait until it’s time
StrangeOne 1 day ago (edited)
I can't. It's like getting dressed up fancy just to sit on the couch or lay in bed. I fear if I start doing something else before the appointment I'll get so wrapped up that I'll lose track of time. I cannot plan any appointments after work. I'll forget about it last minute and go home, in autopilot. It has to be either during my shift hours because I'll be reminding when I have to leave, or just take the whole day off and plan the appointment for the morning, so I can get it out of the way, or plan it on the weekend.
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#2
Starting to clean an area, finding a thing that goes somewhere else, taking it there and seeing that area needs cleaning, start cleaning that area, finding a thing that goes somewhere else….
Robert Trebor 1 day ago (edited)
Starting to.clean, finding a book, or a paper, or a map, and two hours later ...
#3
I wasn’t diagnosed with adhd but is it normal to be reading a book and then realising you’re just thinking about something instead of reading so you have to go back.
meeeeeeeeeeee 1 day ago
I cannae read a book, laddie. No idea what the last paragraph said. I can read online fine tho, weird.
#4
I realized that, when someone tells me a story or something, I immediately think of a similar experience that fits to theirs and share it as soon as they’ve finished, which may come across as „me trying to make it about myself“, when in reality it’s my ADHD attempt to make them feel seen 🥺
#5
Being completely calm in a crisis, but having a total meltdown over the smallest thing
#6
That not everyone’s brain was filled with random clips of music on a loop or a word repeating constantly or that sometimes… sometimes there’s SILENCE in others people’s heads… like whaaattt!? My flabbers were ghasted
#7
Constant music on repeat in my head. People can say certain words that are from songs I know and it triggers a new song to play in my mind. I will wake up in the middle of the night, and the music starts again. It’s really aggravating.
#9
Needing to have the captions on during a movie in order to hear better
#10
Procrastinating, i honestly just thought it was something everyone struggled and I wasn’t weird for waiting to do my school assignments until the night before they are due 😭
#12
Listening to the instructions, but not listening to them- because you need to see it done first and THEN told the instructions before it can “click”. 😅
Rick Murray 1 day ago
Oh yes, visual learning. Instructions are a waste of time, just show me once.
#13
The ADHD paralysis and shame spiral for my horrible, horrible housekeeping skills.
#14
Skipping ahead a few lines while reading then forcing myself to go back and read the now boring bit cause I spoiled the next bit for myself
#16
Eating the same food over and over and over again... and liking it until you're sick of it. Then moving onto another type of food.
Rick Murray 1 day ago
Took the exact same meal to work for about six years. Then I started to feel actually ill eating it. I have settled on a different preferred meal, but the time in between was traumatic and more than a few days going hungry because I'd open it and...oh god no. Colour, texture, things too mixed, I don't know.
#17
One ADHD symptom I thought was normal was needing pressure or urgency to function. I only moved when things felt critical, but went flat when things were calm.
#18
Feeling like Im being watched. Not in a paranoid "the govt is monitoring me" way, just always feeling this underlying feeling that Im being judged even when Im just standing in line at the grocery store
#20
Getting frustrated when people don’t finish their sentences fast enough, or don’t talk fast enough
Rick Murray 1 day ago
This. And then they have the audacity to get upset because you deliver an entire paragraph in the time they manage a few words.
#21
Piles. Piles everywhere lmao
StrangeOne 1 day ago (edited)
This used to be me. I hated tidying and cleaning when I was growing up. My mom hounded me about it all the time. Since I've lived away from her, having to clean and tidy my whole home on my own, I do appreciate keeping it tidy on a regular basis so it's not so overwhelming when I decide it's cleaning day.
#22
i’ve seen other people say this who have ADHD & ADD, i don’t miss people.. out of sight, out of mind.
StrangeOne 1 day ago
I never thought of it as an ADHD thing. Throughout my life I've questioned why I don't get upset when friends move or when I move away. I eventually miss them a bit. I think of them once in a while. Wonder if they still think of me. I thought that was normal, but some people are just overly-emotional. Same with crying when very, very happy. I have felt that I need to fake reactions so others don't think I'm cold and uncaring. I hate that I have to fake showing emotions.
#23
apparently there is "ADHD handwriting" where the letters look lazy at some points and sometimes it looks like it was written by different people bc we keep changing our letter style probs cuz we get bored 👀
#24
THE ANGER THAT BUILDS IN YOU HAVING TO REPEAT YOURSELF
#25
Hearing my voice in my head when I’m reading, apparently some people don’t hear any voice….HOW CAN THEY READ 😬😬😬
#26
over sharing to connect with someone. i didn't realize people thought it was being self absorbed. having multiple hobbies/projects. hyper fixation on collections, topics (reading mainly like h*******t, ancient Egypt, the tudors etc)
StrangeOne 1 day ago
The amount of mental energy it takes to not jump in at everything people talk about should be an Olympic sport.
#27
Eating the same food, listening to the same songs, watching the same movies. On repeat.
Nadine Debard 1 day ago
It gives your mind an impression of safety because you already know what will happen.
#28
Replaying arguments (from years ago) and finally having solid comebacks
#29
I always have my brightness all the way down on my phone and notice how it affects my vision when it’s really bright
#30
Not being able to focus on something if I'm not 100% interested in it
StrangeOne 1 day ago
I call this free-will to choose to spend the time and energy on something I'm more interested in.
#31
Thinking nobody likes me and nobody wants to be my friend and I shouldn’t call to hang out because then I’m just bothering people.
#32
Talking to myself… it calms me down but people look at me crazy… I thought everyone did this
#33
Getting unreasonably angry over minor inconveniences affecting your schedule (people walking slow, talking slow, blocking the metro doors, stopping in the middle of a hallway etc)
StrangeOne 1 day ago
I get this and don't like it. I hate impatience from other people. I have it done to me when people think I'm in the way. It's a crappy feeling. So I try to remind myself to be patient and just chill. It's not easy, but I'm getting better at it.
#34
Hyper fixation on a hobby and buying EVERYTHING for it and 2 weeks later it’s in the craft closet with $1k+ of other crafting/hobbies stuff just collecting dust. I also know that I won’t ever be bored because all the stuff in the creating closet so it’s like a safety net. 🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️
#35
Racing thoughts/music playing in my head at night that kept me awake for hours
Nikki Sevven 19 hours ago
Color noise is your friend here. I tend to prefer brown and green noise with just a touch of white noise.
#36
asking someone what they said and then immediately knowing as soon as they start to repeat themselves 😭
#37
Are those ADHD signs? Been walking into door jams & corners my whole life. Who knew?
#38
Task paralysis. I know I need to do it, and it’s not even hard but I just freaking can’t. 😭
#39
Running through social scenarios in my head just in case. for example "if the cashier asks why they havent seen me in a while ill explain I had lots of leftovers after going out"
#40
Talking too loudly, too fast, dominating conversations and over-sharing 😳
#41
Deciding something only takes 20 minutes (when in fact it takes hours) while at the same time avoiding tasks because your brain has decided said task takes hours, when in fact, it really is a 5 minute task. Or when you doom scroll for “5 minutes” that turns into 5 hours.
#43
remembering all negative things that happened to me on a loop randomly through my life. multiple times a week.
Summer Woodsong 2 hours ago
I do this at least once a year. It's accompanied by a lurking sense of dread.
#44
Interrupting people when they talk because you already assumed how the story will end (most of the times right)
Rick Murray 1 day ago
It's because talking is such an incredibly slow method of information transfer, and...some...people...are...so...much...worse ThatYouCouldFitAnEntireThoughtInBetweenTheirWords.
#45
Being able to hear electricity. ⚡️
#46
Recognizing in the moment that the thing I am stuck on doing is the thing that’s going to make me late, but not being able to stop until it’s done.
meeeeeeeeeeee 1 day ago
and that is why we wait all day instead of starting a task if we need to be somewhere
#47
Maybe not normal, because I knew other people did not do it, but knowing what is going to happen in series and movies, or guess what other people is going to say before they finish their sentence (not always right in this last one, though) because we are "aware" of patterns and just use them to fill out information.
meeeeeeeeeeee 1 day ago
I like to blurt out the lines in a scene when it's my first time watching it, just before they say it on the screen. Makes me feel like a smug wee b***h.
#49
Making random noises and repeating phrases that feel nice - my latest one is pizza pie (no idea why)
#50
People at work always called me “Rainman”because I remember every detail of something but I can’t remember big things. I thought they were strange. Also, I hate turtlenecks and anything that wraps up around my neck and it seems like everyone else loves it.
#51
Putting things in very safe places and then forgetting where that safe place was. Four years later I still can’t find the very safe place I hid my daughter’s bracelet charms.
#52
Constantly needing stimulation but NOT TOO MUCH. if I don’t have the tv or music or podcast on in the background my mind just won’t stop.
Tabitha 18 hours ago
When I was living alone, I would sometimes have something in the background, the TV, radio, stereo, when I felt like I needed some noise—-not ear-splittingly loud, just enough to hear another human voice. But after I got married and my household started getting chock full of human noises, I started appreciating silence and alone time a whole lot more.
#53
Adhd Handwriting and putting pressure on my fingertips!!
Tabitha 18 hours ago
My mind has always been faster than my handwriting, so it usually devolves into a scrawl, especially as my hand gets tired. I like being able to type—-and correct—-my thoughts when I have to write a letter to someone. It’s nice for me to be able to edit and tweak it before sending it, and they like being able to actually read it.
#54
Misplacing everything all day after I just had it in my hand...
Nikki Sevven 19 hours ago
This is why I keep my keys on a carabiner that I clip to a ring on my purse.
#55
Unable to watch movies without subtitles. Unable to understand verbal instructions unless provided written text or making notes so I don’t forget.
Andrew Keir 2 hours ago
A notebook can be very helpful - "Excuse me while I get a pen out, that sounds so interesting I really must make a note of it". Just, don't lose the notebook ...
#56
Always and I mean always having a song playing in my head. Even when I’m thinking of other things, the song is there.
#57
Feel energy shift in different environments, conversations and people
#58
Not wanting to wear certain type of fabrics/ clothing because it made me feel like a million tiny critters were running over my skin….now I understand 🥹
#60
Learning everything about an activity/hobby I am interested to include buying all the required tools. Map out a routine with an end of year outcome with quarterly, weekly, daily goals. Them, never do said activity.
#61
Constantly tell myself “I’ll clean the house today or imma clean the dishes (and then keep saying and saying it untill on a random day I CLEAN THE HOUSE AND THE DISHES RIGHT AWAY WITH 0 READON)
#62
ADHD paralysis i knew i wasn't lazy just at times I couldn't get my self to do things and I didn't know why
#63
that some people cannot see images in their mind? like extreme disassociation or maladaptive daydreaming. I can replay entire movies in my mind and see and hear everything like I'm actually watching in real time. apparently that's not the normal 😬
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
I remember being bored on the bus home one day and watching the entire Star Trek TOS episode "Amok Time" in my head. People I told were so amazed!
#64
Having one specific line of a song stuck in my head so often that every morning, within five minutes of waking up, I was like “oh that’s today’s anthem”. And then it just…never goes away.
#65
the postural sway 100% I thought everyone could do it🤣😭
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
Yep. My SIL was always saying, "You're making me seasick" if I was talking to her while standing because I sway *constantly*. Also, I can't keep my eyes closed unless I'm lying down because I'll fall over. Even in church, I have to keep my eyes open when praying or I start listing sideways.
#66
Object permanence. But also getting blind from objects that are always in the same place because my brain doesn’t register them anymore
Nikki Sevven 19 hours ago
I have, numerous times, found items in my house that I swear I've never seen before.
#67
Forgetting to close cabinets...being tired as hell all day then doom scrolling til 2AM...having 10K tabs open on my phone's browser...
#68
believing people were decent and were telling the truth. boy, oh boy did that one bite me
Andrew Keir 2 hours ago
Unfortunately, this is a common mistake. The only person to avoid it was Robinson Crusoe - at least until Friday ...
#69
All of it. All. All of it! Not wanting to cook cus it’s too many steps, not wanting to clean cus it’s too many steps, not wanting to do laundry cus it’s too many steps.. only being motivated by having to.
#70
Rejection sensitive dysphoria. I had no idea how people could just shake it off and move on.
Tabitha 18 hours ago (edited)
Are they sure some of this isn’t caused by conditioning? Like being socially awkward or just not strictly adhering to the accepted social norm, being constantly mistreated and/or humiliated for being different like that (by mean people, for stuff that nice people just overlook because it’s it fatal, and no one would ever notice if they didn’t loudly point it out), which of course hurts like hell emotionally, then constantly worrying about being treated like that again for some trivial and unintentional faux pas. (Yeah, some neurotypicals can be downright cruel, though most are really nice.)
#71
Adhd handwriting, forgetting things, being hyper for no entire reason, saying random things
#72
Doing 5-7 tasks at once? I thought I was just great at multitasking 🤦♀️
Andrew Keir 2 hours ago
I suspect there's a difference between 'keeping several plates spinning' and 'steering the car while cutting your nails'. One is a sequence of activities, close in time, the other requires you to actually 'pat your head while rubbing your tummy'. What people call "multi-tasking" could be either of these; but I'd recommend leaving your nails till you get home ;-)
#73
Vocal stimming. I didn’t even know it had a name. I thought it was just a habit
Lady Eowyn 1 day ago
What is Vocal Stimming? Vocal stimming, also known as auditory or verbal stimming, refers to repetitive sounds or vocalizations made using the vocal cords, mouth, or throat. These behaviors can include humming, singing, repeating words or phrases (echolalia), making animal sounds, or producing sound effects. While vocal stimming is often associated with autism, it can also occur in individuals with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental differences. Verywell Mind +1 Purpose and Benefits Vocal stimming serves several important functions, including: Emotional Regulation: It helps individuals manage their emotions, providing a calming effect during stressful situations or sensory overload. 2 Sensory Input: The sounds produced can offer sensory stimulation that is enjoyable and grounding, helping to balance sensory processing needs. 2 Self-Expression: Vocal stimming can be a way for individuals to express feelings that may be difficult to articulate verbally, allowing for emotional release a
#74
Having my best friends tell me about the coolest things we’ve done together in past, and I have no memory of them 😔 wish I did
#75
Having a conversation in my head first then blurting the other half of it out loud to my partner… or jumping to random topics
#76
Apparently your mind is supposed to be quiet and think one thought at a time. My mind was FLABBERGASTED when I realized that was normal.
meeeeeeeeeeee 1 day ago
I doubt one thought at a time is normal. That seems like a different disorder. One person I've known has said they had that and they are a psychopath - not in like a dramatic evil or bad way, just a psychopath.
#77
Feeling like I’m wrong all of the time.
Michael Largey 21 hours ago
If the OP was wrong all the time, then his statement itself must be incorrect. Therefore he is not wrong all the time. Making him wrong again.
#78
I thought it was normal for people to always be thinking about something and I would ask my husband what he is thinking about and he would say nothing and I would wonder why he didn’t want to talk about what was going on in his head in the background all the time. Then I learned in therapy not everyone has an inner dialogue constantly. it’s a symptom of my ADHD. I was just diagnosed this year. I’m 27. 🖤
Dave Reekie 1 day ago
The other day I was doing the dishes and ‘Nellie the Elephant’ was my current earworm. Halfway through I stopped to ask my wife if she knew the name of Nellie’s friend ( the head of the herd was Colin) She asked me why I was thinking of that and the answer is - well isn’t it an obvious connection?
#80
hearing absolutely everything at once and being unable to focus on singular sounds or just blocking it out which apparently is a thing neurotypical people can do
Andrew Keir 2 hours ago
I hate it when I 'm supposed to be listening to two or more people talk at the same time. Can't do it. Please don't make me try, I won't understand what either of you is saying. And, please, no dominance games about who gets to yammer on , and who has to be silent. I'll choose ...
#81
Too much information thrown at me then shutting down as a result
Tabitha 18 hours ago (edited)
Sometimes I can just soak it all in and get it right away, and other times I just get overwhelmed and shut down. I think it depends on the subject matter, and whether I’m actually interested in it, have already taken a somewhat deeper dive into it, so already know and can relate to a lot of it, or not. If I find it stultifyingly dull, am just not interested in it, or really turned off by it, I can end up tuning out or getting overwhelmed because I just can’t stir up any enthusiasm about it. Additionally, if you just throw a lot of orders at me and expect me to blindly follow them without knowing the whys and wherefores about them, you’re in for a surprise because that ain’t happening without a ton of questions from me. It’s the reason authoritarians and I do not get along. I question authority a lot—-not from spite or hubris, but from interest and maybe, after gaining some good experience with, and understanding of, a task, seeing and suggesting a better and more streamlined way of accomplishing it. Authoritarians hate that.
#82
Needing to research something for days, weeks, months comparing each one on multiple different websites different models or years, learning everything about it. finding a YouTube video unboxing, how it looks. then how it is when it has a problem. Then if it is something that a lot of companies would make a case for that I could find that I liked. Whole time it’s a Nintendo switch. Or how it would look in my house like for tvs. I think everyone does this but after like 7 hrs straight or a couple days of that that’s it but it’s like I can’t I need to know I’m right
#83
I thought everyone had constant chatter/sounds or songs going through their head 24/7. Apparently that is not normal 😃
#84
Deconstructing food and not making direct eye contact with people. Also, maladaptive daydreaming.
StrangeOne 1 day ago
Maladaptive Daydreaming is a specific mental condition. There is overlap with ADHD inattentiveness and MD, but it's not exactly the same. MD can cause an obsessive tendency to really immerse one's self in a fantasy they've created, blurring their imagination and reality, to the point the person with MD will think it's real. Basically, a state of delusion. Inattentive ADHD and MD both disassociate, hyperfocus, become unaware of their surroundings and what's going on, become angry at being interrupted, sleep problems.
#85
having layered thoughts constantly, maladaptive daydreaming, listening to a song/eating the same thing over and over till i’m sick of it, having “a thing about textures”, burst of motivation that cuts short randomly. the list goes on lol…
Nikki Sevven 18 hours ago
The textures issue is real, especially regarding food. I like cottage cheese, but can only eat large curd. Small curd is repulsive.
#86
Auditory processing disorder. I used to call it auditory dyslexia until i found out the actual name. I can hear people, i just dont understand what theyre saying cause it sounds like gibberish
Tabitha 18 hours ago
My husband tends to mumble something he wants to tell me, without even getting my attention first, then gets frustrated because I misheard him, or didn’t hear him at all. I have told him a hundred thousand times to be sure he has my attention and SPEAK TF UP if he wants to be absolutely certain that I heard what he said. Especially if there’s at least one other source of LOUDER noise going on at the time, or my full attention is fixed elsewhere. If you just randomly mumble, you’re just taking a gamble—-an a real long shot at that—-whether I’ll hear you, or hear you completely and/or correctly, or not.
#87
I hip check everything. I'm suuuper clumsy. Always in need of stimulation, but can't be overly stimulated.
#91
being able to actually read people. almost like knowing all the answers to a book...before you even open it
Tabitha 18 hours ago (edited)
I can read the general foundation, but not necessarily the specifics. In other words, I might definitely know what kind of person they are, as well as their motivations, so can make some general predictions about them, but I can’t necessarily tell you what they’re going to say word for word, or do blow by blow, in the next minute.
#92
deep dives. I thought everybody took a deep dive out of curiosity every now and again.
#93
Thinking so multidimensional and in layers all at once. The pattern recognition that comes w that caliber of thinking. It’s very hard for me to have conversations w “normal ppl” and I’m working on how to articulate better to ppl
Tabitha 17 hours ago (edited)
Being able to see more than one side of a conflict. Seeing a world that is not only not black nd white, it talks not just various shades of gray. Seeing it as being all kinds of colors and their various shades. Multidimensional. A hell of a lot more complicated and intricate and layered (and because of that, often more difficult to adequately explain), than most people do. Sometimes taking those deep dives into what seems to most to be just subjects that interest us actually helps us better understand the layering itself, if the subject matter we researched relates to the issue at hand (like for example, diving deeply into the history of a region helping you understand the various historical reasons for present day conflicts, such as past unresolved issues and conflicts that have been festering maybe even for centuries).
#94
Being able to physically feel music and sound. I never knew that wasn’t normal. Found out I have synesthesia 2 months ago. I just turned 49 🤷🏽♀️
Tabitha 17 hours ago
I’m 65, and only found out not long ago why certain musical types or works or passages give me the sensation of the hair on the back of my neck standing up, or raises goosebumps, or makes me feel out of breath, or simply gives me the sensation of actual physical uplift. It’s because I truly feel it deep down inside of me, right down to my bones. For me, it doesn’t happen with all music, so I don’t know if that’s normal or odd. Then again, maybe not liking certain types of music is the result of feeling it, but the feeling being really negative.
#95
Actually being a genuine person 😅 I learned the hard way people are not authentically kind or care about you
#96
15 conversations with myself. All in my head. All,with diff character voices & faces/bodies. Also, not officially diagnosed, but I've read a thing or two.
#97
Stimming!!!! My parents used to belittle & slap me for me doing it up into my young (mid 20's) adulthood.
#98
Everything is a soundtrack. The need to overshare. Having 400 tabs open on ur iPad. Listening to the same song hundreds of times. Waiting until the last minute to do everything.
#99
consistently switching jobs 😟
Tabitha 17 hours ago
That’s mostly because you’re looking for a company where the vibe is one of acceptance and appreciation of other people’s quirks and differences, instead of judgement or ridicule of anyone who isn’t a carbon copy of themselves. Those unicorns do exist, they just take a while to find.
#100
being clumsy. It clicked so hard when I found that out. 😭😭😭
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
My mother always said to me, "You're so onhandig" ('onhandig' is Afrikaans for 'unhandy', so basically clumsy). Then couldn't understand why I struggled with socializing in high school, and blamed me.
#101
Taking what people say at face value.
Tabitha 17 hours ago (edited)
Mostly because you realize there might be so many layers to it, and you just don’t want to waste time trying to figure out what they REALLY saying. Some people have the annoying tendency to speak in riddles, even when there’s no point in doing so. They think it makes them look clever, when it actually makes them look like a******s. Just be straight with me, and quit making me have to work so hard to know what you mean, ffs, or I will stop giving a s**t about you and never talk to you again because you’re f*****g exhausting.
#102
being honest and authentic.
#103
Remembering people's birthdays you haven't seen in 30 years. Knowing what year most movies came out.
#104
I smell everything I eat and if it even smells a tiny bit off I can not eat it. 😬😅 My mom says looking back she can clearly see the signs but I’m a 90s kid so 🤷♀️😅
#105
Hypersensitivity, when I was younger I was diagnosed with ADHD and then I later developed 2 anxiety disorders. I thought having strong emotions and feelings towards people, environments, and words they say was normal. But I guess it wasn’t.
#106
When ppl make small talk and I didn’t know what to say so it became awkward immediately
#107
Maladaptive daydreaming, being calm under enourmous stress and pressure but blowing up over tiny things that aren’t a big deal, hyper focusing on tasks I find interesting but unable to start/do tasks I loath.
#109
That normal people don't ruminate over every task for twice as long as it takes to do the task. They just do it? apparantly, I guess.
Tabitha 17 hours ago
They also don’t realize we’re already (metaphorically) beating ourselves to a bloody pulp when we make a stupid mistake, so they really don’t need to (metaphorically) pound on us even more. (I specified metaphorical beating so you wouldn’t think I’m referring actually being physical beaten for a stupid mistake, though that does happen too.)
#111
constantly being reminded how mean people will be to me, even though I always treated them with kindness, courtesy, and friendship - including family 😔
Tabitha 17 hours ago (edited)
Yeah, it’s amazing how many neurotypicals can be downright cruel, just because someone’s different from them. TBH, if it wasn’t for all the different people, whether neurodivergent or eccentric or whatever, the world would have no color, no glamour, no interest, no fun, no life. It would be f*****g stultifyingly dull to be surrounded by nothing but cookie-cutter sameness. But try to tell some of the supposedly “normal” people that, and see just how well it’s received.
#112
“Zoning out”. I was getting called out by teachers for disassociating during class as a young child
Andrew Keir 1 hour ago
"Pay attention" - as if it was a debt we had incurred. We're usually told this by teachers who haven't learnt to be interesting.
#113
Losing a week if my daily schedule deviates from my normal routine
Grant Slade 1 day ago
Reminds me of a cartoon I once saw. Kathy said, "I slept in so my day is ruined. My day is ruined so my whole week is ruined. The week is ruined so the whole month is ruined. The month is ruined so my whole year is ruined. The year is ruined so my whole life is RUINED !!
#114
Just being extremely fast. Whether its walking, doing an activity or task. Telling a story i’ll skip to like 5 side stories so pplnoften said I was bad at explaining things in a step by step way
#116
Knowing people’s intentions of what they’re thinking and feeling, even though they’re not acting like it, I thought everybody was able to do that until I realized that it was not normal
What do you think ?
Multa Nocte 1 day ago
Clinical psychologist here. BP readers PLEASE do not use this list of quirky behaviours to self-diagnose. One of the biggest frustrations I have as a psychologist is having people come to me and telling me they are neurodivergent because they compared themself to something they read on the Internet. A number of these descriptions don't even technically fit in as definitions of any characteristic of neurodivergence. It is always important to know the context - when does it happen, how often does it happen, how does it impact the person's functioning versus is something that is just "quirky." If you have been diagnosed by a competent clinician who has experience with neurodivergent people and is licensed to use the DSM (or whatever diagnostic manual is used in your area of the world), that is great. However, a friend, a colleague, or an article on the Internet is just a start. Just as you shouldn't use Dr. Google to self-diagnose medical conditions, please don't use Dr. Google for this.
Lady Eowyn 1 day ago
The more I learned about autism, the more it seemed like me. So, I talked to my psychiatrist about it. She was the one who told me I absolutely am on the spectrum. I was 69 years old at the time. It's an explanation, not an excuse.
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Tucker Cahooter 1 day ago
I don't think I saw compulsive list making in this thread. One of the reasons my wife thinks I am weird
Multa Nocte 1 day ago
Clinical psychologist here. BP readers PLEASE do not use this list of quirky behaviours to self-diagnose. One of the biggest frustrations I have as a psychologist is having people come to me and telling me they are neurodivergent because they compared themself to something they read on the Internet. A number of these descriptions don't even technically fit in as definitions of any characteristic of neurodivergence. It is always important to know the context - when does it happen, how often does it happen, how does it impact the person's functioning versus is something that is just "quirky." If you have been diagnosed by a competent clinician who has experience with neurodivergent people and is licensed to use the DSM (or whatever diagnostic manual is used in your area of the world), that is great. However, a friend, a colleague, or an article on the Internet is just a start. Just as you shouldn't use Dr. Google to self-diagnose medical conditions, please don't use Dr. Google for this.
Lady Eowyn 1 day ago
The more I learned about autism, the more it seemed like me. So, I talked to my psychiatrist about it. She was the one who told me I absolutely am on the spectrum. I was 69 years old at the time. It's an explanation, not an excuse.
Load More Replies... Tucker Cahooter 1 day ago
I don't think I saw compulsive list making in this thread. One of the reasons my wife thinks I am weird
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