Published on 12, July, 2020
What "autistic" things do you find yourselves doing? I do a lot of different things which I know a neurotypical wouldn't think twice about.
One of them is making sure everything in my house is straight, so the chairs, my books and DVDs on the shelf, pictures hanging on the wall and plenty more than that.
Recently I was doing up an MG Maestro and had noticed the offside headlight wasn't seated properly and was facing a little to the side. This bothered me so much, playing at the back of my mind until finally I went out and straightened it because I couldn't cope with it not being right.
I feel like I was actually approaching a meltdown, that's how much this sort of thing bothers me.
Am I alone in being this way?
I do the same and if I notice something out of place then it really bugs me like an itch until I correct it.
OCD is often found in autistic people according to studies. Not everyone has it but a large percentage of the autistic population tends to, and it's the same with anxiety disorders as well.
Keeping things straight and neat could also be a repetitive behaviour you do, rather than feeling you have to do it you just like the routine and repetitivity. This is something I do myself and have done since early childhood.
At the second assessment it was suggested this might be a repetitive behaviour rather than a ritual linked with OCD. Autism, OCD and anxiety mimic each other in a way. It can be difficult to understand what's causing what at times.
Every time I see your name an Earth Wind and Fire song comes into my head.
Not sure if it's autism related but there's a song database in my head that is constantly triggered:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6mV8ew_stNs&pp=ygUbZmFudGFzeSBlYXJ0aCB3aW5kIGFuZCBmaXJl