10 weird autistic traits I had as a child

Although as a child, I seemed pretty normal from the outside, I kept my weird and strange autistic traits mostly to myself... until now.

My workbook, "So you think you're autistic" is available now!

[rachelllewellyn]

Charles Schultz the creator of Peanuts, sent a drawing in reply to a fan letter from a little boy. The boy's mother wrote back and said "He liked your drawing so much he ate it." and Schultz said that was the best compliment he could ever have received. Lol.

[lestariabadi]

One time I was punished in school, locked up alone in a meeting room. Was so disappointed when the punishment was over. Teachers didn’t know being alone in a bright, quiet, big room was a treat, not a punishment. They didn’t need to lock the door, I’d gladly stay there all day.

[alixdied]

I cried watching this. Regardless of if I'm autistic or not, I cried watching this because as a currently 14 y/o kid with mental health issues I've never been able to put my experiences into words, so I get overwhelmed and emotional when other people can do it for me.

[Chase]

I vividly remember a teacher very seriously calling me a liar because of how many times I said I was sick to go home early. Now I know I was not really ill but overwhelmed and just needed a quiet space to retreat and feel safe, but her telling me that I was "the boy that cried wolf" shook me to my core. I felt like she hated me and that she thought I should be punished for my need to escape, so I began to deliberately lie to my mom about being sick to not even go to school in the first place. Then when that didn't work, I would find ways to hide in school or leave early without telling any adults where I was going. I was seven at the time.

[elladoggy]

And I used to push on my eyes to see lots of different colours when I got overwhelmed!! I thought everybody did it

[maxfrank]

I used to pretend I had imaginary friends because I thought every kid did and that I was weird for not having any.

[sacrilegiousboi]

Hypermobility is super common in AuDHD females. The majority have it. As soon as you said you hated standing and crossing your legs or standing on tiptoes would make you feel better, I instantly suspected hypermobility and possibly POTS/low blood pressure. And then unsurprisingly you went on to say you find it hard to get comfortable when sitting normally, also a classic symptom.

[roadlesstraveled]

"being physically sick is more acceptable than what's going on in my head..." god that hit home big time. My childhood was RIDDLED with self imposed shame.

[stacykorinek]

Did anyone else walk on the sides of their feet as a child?

[LilMorphineAnnie]

Omg the lying about feeling sick at school just because of anxiety. Yep. That’s my childhood.

[julialay]

The fantasy world is so relatable! I did this up to age 18, when I brought it up to my therapist. At first I thought it was some type of maladaptive daydreaming. Turns out it’s some kind of obsessive disassociation tool that I’d use to help ‘escape’ from my everyday troubles. It slowly faded after I got into a serious relationship and in turn spent my time thinking about the relationship instead of the fantasy!

[RudeOptics]

So I have a tendency to dig into depressive episodes where I can't get myself to take my meds, work, but I've managed to get myself to at least feed myself and walk the dog. On these days I try to work myself out of it by watching videos like yours. I cried a lot on this one. Late diagnosis makes me think back on childhood a lot. This is so relatable.

[rondarawson]

I liked to read alot because I could actually see the book in a film in my head...

[julieabraham]

Lying about what's really going on inside. That is my life. Inventing a fake illness on the spot is so much easier and less exhausting than trying to explain AND JUSTIFY my mood for the moment.
Saying, "I have a headache, " is so much easier than saying:
"I have been building a scenario in my head, inspired from something that happened a year ago, which has upset me and I although I am happy with the person in reality, the person in the section of the scenario that I have invented has really upset me. I am also frustrated because this hasn't really happened but I want to respond to it as if it were real. I am also upset because this is MY head but I can't stop my head from inventing more of the scenario and it's taking up space!!!"

[lakemark-eh]

The rhythmic finger tapping is so real! I play the trumpet and if there is any song stuck in my head or playing out loud I cannot stop myself from mimicking the trumpet fingerings for them, and I’ve been doing it for years

[darkstarr]

I did the hair sucking one all the time as a kid! And I still have the fidgeting, and standing or sitting in positions that may seem unusual, probably related more to ADHD (which I have been diagnosed with). Being characters is one way that someone could look at things. The tapping out songs is something that my entire immediate family does. I also used to play in my mom’s closet. She accepted it totally… wow.

[sarawawa]

I can’t comprehend people who are perfectly okay with standing still for prolonged periods of time

[Britiswitz]

As my 13 year-old Aspie son would say, “Nobody’s normal, everybody’s weird”.

[AuthenticHollyHaygood]

Your honesty and vulnerability is not only refreshing, it is quite lovely. And you are truly able to help people because of this. Thank you

[YTistooannoying]

My son is a psychology major. He came home one day and presented me with several tests, including a masking test. I scored low on the typical test, but really high to the others, especially the masking test. Took an aspergers test and got 138 out of 200.

As for ear worms... OMG, I once got The Christmas Song stuck in my head until July one year. I have to avoid Lilly Allen songs because they really really get stuck and drive me insane.

I lived in a fantasy world too but as for religious beliefs I am very, very spiritual but I have had far too many miracles and paranormal experiences to not believe. I also still believe in Santa but not as everyone else does.

I would lie about being sick too. I had a very difficult time in school and I never wanted to be there because I was so very uncomfortable there.

I've never had texture issues with food, but I have bad reactions to having dry skin and touching things with that dry skin. I use a lot of lotion.

Noise is big for me. Heavy bass or too much treble or the balance messed up at all and it will give me a melt down. Looking at things I think are ugly, like clothes with ugly colors and patterns will make me feel sick.

Another thing is, I am a picker. I will pop all your zits. I will dig into your hair or ears. I used to pour sand in the crew cuts of my male friends heads so that I could pick out the sand. I was the weird girl running around the neighborhood always singing and spinning in my own magical world. Adults, older kids, and peers thought I was weird but I had a whole following of little kids who easily slid into my imagination with me.