You Know You’re Autistic When…

[Lilacleia16]

I'll start:

...when you can't multi-task because the focus required for each task can't be prioritized. You don't know which to do first.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you can't stop paying attention to everything in your thoughts, body, and environment to the point that you just want to go home.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when thinking in steps (sequential thinking) is hard for you and so it is impossible to understand the logic of directions on recipes or impossible to get from the intense feeling of hunger to the steps needed to actually fulfill that need.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when new environments, people, or objects scare you. Stranger danger for adults is real.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you can't sit still too long without needing a recess break.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you need to be reminded to stop a project in order to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom much like a toddler that doesn't want to leave their favorite toys.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when whatever pops in your head is your directive even if it cancels out the last thing that popped in your head until you see several things you haven't finished yet.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you hate getting wet to the point that you avoid washing your hands after using the bathroom or avoid taking a bath or shower. (I clean myself with oil daily but I don't like to clean myself with water more than once a week. Water literally makes me faint in the shower.)

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you feel a negative feeling and have to really brainstorm to find out what it is and it takes hours but then it is something simple like, "Oh I woke up at 11pm after going to bed at 8pm because I had to pee! That's all it was?", but before that you tried eating, reading a book in case you were bored, turning on the air conditioner in case you were hot, meditating in case you were tense, or any number of other things until 2am!

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when your skin feels like it always tickles.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you doodle or listen to music, or chew on things, or stim too much, or hold your nose constantly. Or do all of the above all while chewing gum.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you raise your hand too much in class and it annoys the other students because the teacher holds the class there later in order to answer all of your questions.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you have no idea why you try so hard but still have very few if any friends.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you finally realize your brain has a slow processing speed.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when independence and autonomy are hard for you and you seem to be stuck at Erik Erickson's 2nd Stage of Psychosocial Development.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you either exert too much willpower or not enough (Erik Erickson's 2nd Stage of Development virtue).

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you don't realize you have to pee until it's an emergency.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you don't realize you are hungry until you are nauseous.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when looking at a menu or looking into your closet to pick out what to eat or wear is an overwhelming task to the point that you are like, oh just pick it for me! Or you want your independence so bad that you will pick the exact same thing to eat at every restaurant or the exact same outfits to wear every week.

 

[Lilacleia16]

...when you can admire other children growing up that knew what careers they liked and seemed to have a purpose but you had a hard time even figuring out what to play with, let alone what to work with.