I understand how you feel. I used to think I was pretty good at "passing" as NT, since I would just mimic phrases and tone of voice that I have observed my mom using when she interacts with others (my mom is my role model because I view her as a pinnacle of kindness and virtue, and she is incredibly popular with the people in our neighborhood as well as our fellow family members).
However, I found out I was sorely mistaken about my ability to fit in when a kindly man at the Y approached me and offered me a position on the local Special Olympics team. I initially thought he meant "Paralympic" team and told him that I wasn't physically disabled. I joked that I had some "problems upstairs" though, to which he replied solemnly, "I know."
Nowadays, when I look back at the way other grown adults have treated me, it's pretty obvious that they could tell something was... different about me. For instance I am often spoken to and treated as a child, even though I am approaching my mid-twenties. I mean, it's nice that people are always so, well, nice to me, but sometimes I get frustrated that I'm not treated as an equal. I once even lost my temper at my own mom over this, exclaiming that "I'm not a child anymore!" (Somehow I have forgotten the events leading up to this outburst, even though it happened fairly recently).
Anyway, I don't really have any meaningful input. Just wanted to share my experiences as a fellow autistic person.
Can you tell if someone is mildly autistic?
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I understand how you feel. I used to think I was pretty good at "passing" as NT, since I would just mimic phrases and tone of voice that I have observed my mom using when she interacts with others (my mom is my role model because I view her as a pinnacle of kindness and virtue, and she is incredibly popular with the people in our neighborhood as well as our fellow family members).
However, I found out I was sorely mistaken about my ability to fit in when a kindly man at the Y approached me and offered me a position on the local Special Olympics team. I initially thought he meant "Paralympic" team and told him that I wasn't physically disabled. I joked that I had some "problems upstairs" though, to which he replied solemnly, "I know."
Nowadays, when I look back at the way other grown adults have treated me, it's pretty obvious that they could tell something was... different about me. For instance I am often spoken to and treated as a child, even though I am approaching my mid-twenties. I mean, it's nice that people are always so, well, nice to me, but sometimes I get frustrated that I'm not treated as an equal. I once even lost my temper at my own mom over this, exclaiming that "I'm not a child anymore!" (Somehow I have forgotten the events leading up to this outburst, even though it happened fairly recently).
Anyway, I don't really have any meaningful input. Just wanted to share my experiences as a fellow autistic person.