I work with children who have a range of special needs and it's only since learning about the way autism affects girls that I'm now considering the possibility that I've been concealing my own problems.
As a child, I felt different. I was extremely creative, very articulate, I loved writing and was good at it. I couldn't wrap my head around maths at all.
I was constantly falling out with my friends and getting easily upset, I would always blurt out exactly what I was thinking and had the tendency to offend people.
Both children and adults alike.
I was very good-looking in my teens and had older boyfriends, loved having sex and being affectionate. Still do.
My Dad was clearly undiagnosed autistic and was a very angry man. He had strange habits and routines and would blow up if anyone threatened to alter them.
I was bullied at high school, I was an easy target somehow, never included or involved with the popular kids, crap at sports.
As an adult, I get really passionate about certain topics (another trait that I've seen in the young girls I work with). I was also like this as a teenager and would become offended by other peoples views.
I seem to have married a man who has the traits of aspergers; he's a little odd, like me. But he's also quite cold and unfeeling, whereas I'm the opposite.
I'm highly sensitive. To light, sounds. As a child, I would complain that I could hear my parents TV on the lowest volume. My DH is loud and boisterous and unaware of his volume. I get overwhelmed by all the noise of both him and DCs and often want to cry.
One of my DCs is quite hyperactive and I struggle with her jumping around all the time, it makes me feel uneasy, like I'm on a rocky boat.
Im always on MN complaining about people and their ways of doing things- peoples actions impact me too much.
I'm not sure if I'm just highly sensitive or possibly autistic. Any ideas? Is it worth getting a diagnosis? What help might I receive if I got one?