10 weird autistic traits I had as a child
TLDRIn this reflective video, the creator, Sam, shares personal childhood experiences that were influenced by undiagnosed autism. Sam discusses 10 peculiar habits from their early years, such as eating paper from favorite books, blue tack fiddling, hair sucking, and creating fantasy characters to live through. The video also touches on coping mechanisms like standing fidgeting, listing TV episodes, and rhythmic finger tapping, which were used to manage anxiety and sensory overload. Sam candidly addresses the lies told out of shame to hide their differences and emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance, encouraging viewers to embrace their unique traits without shame.
Takeaways
- 🎬 The video discusses the impact of watching 'The Queen's Gambit' on the creator's memories of their undiagnosed autistic childhood.
- 🧑🦯 The main character in 'The Queen's Gambit' is perceived by the creator as autistic, which resonated with their own experiences.
- 👧 The creator shares 10 peculiar habits from their childhood, which they associate with their undiagnosed autism.
- 📚 Eating paper from favorite books was one habit, done out of preference for certain textures and not due to pica.
- 🔵 Playing with blue tack was a stim that helped the creator self-regulate, and they now use thinking putty as a more socially acceptable alternative.
- 🤔 Hair sucking was a habit that may have been a response to concentration or comfort, but was eventually stopped due to peer shaming.
- 🎭 Living as fantasy characters was a coping mechanism for the creator, allowing them to navigate daily life with an escapist twist.
- 🕺 Stand fidgeting, including rolling on ankles, crossing legs, and toe raising, was a way to deal with the discomfort of standing still.
- 📺 Listing TV episodes was a method to manage anxiety and the fear of others hearing thoughts, showing a blend of autistic and OCD-like traits.
- 🎹 Rhythmic finger tapping was a stim for the creator, helping with earworms and self-regulation, but was stopped after being teased.
- 🚽 Hiding in small spaces like toilets or cupboards was a response to sensory overwhelm and a need for quiet, personal space.
- 🎅 The creator did not believe in Santa from a young age and took pleasure in informing others of the 'truth', showing a disdain for falsehoods.
- 🤥 Lying was not a common trait for the creator, but when it occurred, it was often to cover up autistic traits or to avoid embarrassment.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the video?
-The main theme of the video is the narrator's reflection on their childhood habits and behaviors that were indicative of undiagnosed autism.
What TV show is mentioned in the video that triggered memories of the narrator's childhood?
-The Queen's Gambit on Netflix is mentioned as the TV show that triggered memories of the narrator's childhood.
How does the narrator describe their experience with restrictive food preferences as a child?
-The narrator describes having very restrictive food preferences and a tendency to eat paper from certain books, which they found comforting.
What is the term used to describe the eating disorder where non-food items are consumed?
-The term used to describe the eating disorder where non-food items are consumed is Pica.
What is the significance of the 'Famous Five' series in the narrator's childhood?
-The 'Famous Five' series was the narrator's favorite books during childhood, and they coincided with the time when they were eating the pages of these books.
What is the term used to describe the narrator's habit of manipulating blue tack?
-The term used to describe the habit of manipulating blue tack is 'blue tech fiddling and chewing'.
Why did the narrator stop hair sucking?
-The narrator stopped hair sucking possibly due to being shamed by their peers and realizing it was not a common behavior.
What is the significance of the created fantasy characters in the narrator's life?
-The created fantasy characters served as an escapist fun and a way to cope with the sensory overwhelm of the day.
What are the three types of movements the narrator did while standing?
-The three types of movements were rolling on their ankles, standing with legs crossed, and raising up and down on their toes.
How did listing TV episodes help the narrator during silent prayer sessions at school?
-Listing TV episodes helped the narrator to regulate their thoughts and distract themselves from the anxiety of being in a silent room with many people.
What is the purpose of rhythmic finger tapping for the narrator?
-Rhythmic finger tapping served as a fun and regulatory activity that helped the narrator deal with songs stuck in their head.
Why did the narrator hide in small spaces like cupboards or toilets?
-The narrator hid in small spaces as a response to sensory overwhelm, seeking quiet and a chance to regulate themselves.
What is the 'spoiler alert' mentioned in the video about?
-The 'spoiler alert' is about the narrator revealing the non-existence of Santa Claus to others at a young age.
How did the narrator's lying behavior differ from typical child liars?
-The narrator's lying was not to get out of trouble but rather to cover up autistic traits or embarrassing reactions, often stemming from a place of shame.
Why did the narrator feel the need to lie about their inability to manage their workload?
-The narrator lied about their inability to manage their workload out of shame and because they thought others would not understand or believe their struggles.
What was the narrator's reaction to the idea of Santa Claus and religion during their childhood?
-The narrator did not believe in Santa Claus or religion and found it important to reveal the 'truth' to others, even at a young age.
What does the narrator suggest for moving forward regarding their past experiences?
-The narrator suggests choosing not to be ashamed of their past experiences and not to shame themselves, embracing their differences.
Outlines
😇 Childhood Habits with Undiagnosed Autism
The speaker, Sam, introduces their video about their childhood habits that were influenced by undiagnosed autism. They were reminded of these habits after watching 'The Queen's Gambit' on Netflix, which features a main character coded as autistic. Sam, who was diagnosed with autism as an adult, shares their experiences and the 'weird' habits they had between the ages of six and ten, which they either grew out of or replaced with more socially acceptable behaviors. They emphasize that being 'weird' is not bad and that these habits should not be stopped unless they cause harm. Sam invites viewers to subscribe to their channel for more content on autism and neurodiversity.
📚 Unique Childhood Habits and Coping Mechanisms
In this paragraph, Sam discusses several unique habits they had during their childhood, which they later recognized as coping mechanisms related to their undiagnosed autism. These habits include eating paper from certain books, fiddling and chewing on blue tack, and hair sucking. Sam also talks about creating fantasy characters to live as during the day, which served as an escapist form of fun. They mention that these habits were personal and not necessarily harmful, and they encourage viewers not to feel ashamed of their own or their children's unique behaviors.
🕺 Atypical Movements and Sensory Coping
Sam describes their aversion to standing still and the various movements they used to cope with this, such as rolling on their ankles, standing with their legs crossed, and raising up and down on their toes. They reflect on how these movements may have been related to their hypermobility and dislike of standing still. Sam also talks about listing TV episodes as a way to regulate their thoughts and manage anxiety during moments of silence at school. This habit, along with rhythmic finger tapping to songs stuck in their head, were ways to self-soothe and maintain focus.
🙈 Hiding, Honesty, and Childhood Secrets
The speaker shares their habit of hiding in small spaces, such as toilets and cupboards, as a response to sensory overwhelm and a need for quiet. They also reveal that they were a child who did not believe in Santa Claus or the concept of gift-giving during Christmas, and they would tell others about the 'truth' behind Santa. Additionally, Sam discusses their tendency to lie as a child, not to avoid trouble, but to cover up autistic traits or reactions that they found embarrassing. They provide examples of such lies, including pretending to be homesick to avoid eating disliked food and lying about being sick to avoid confronting anxiety or emotional distress.
🌟 Embracing Differences and Overcoming Shame
In the final paragraph, Sam concludes their video by reflecting on the importance of not being ashamed of one's differences and not shaming oneself for having unique habits or traits. They invite viewers to share their own childhood habits and encourage a sense of community and understanding. Sam also asks viewers to like, share, and support the video to help it reach a wider audience, emphasizing the importance of visibility and acceptance for neurodiverse individuals.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Autism
💡Stereotypes
💡Neurodiversity
💡Pica
💡Stimming
💡Fantasy Characters
💡Hypermobility
💡Regulation
💡Masking
💡Shame
💡Lying
Highlights
The Queen's Gambit on Netflix triggered intense memories about childhood and undiagnosed autism.
The main character's portrayal as a girl around nine years old is quite obviously autistic.
The speaker, Sam, was diagnosed with autism as an adult and creates content about autism and neurodiversity.
10 unusual habits from childhood with undiagnosed autism are discussed, some of which were eventually replaced with more socially acceptable behaviors.
Eating paper from certain books was a habit, possibly related to restrictive food preferences and pica.
Blue tack fiddling and chewing served as a stim, later replaced with thinking putty due to hygiene concerns.
Hair sucking was a personal stim, likely stopped due to peer shaming.
Creating and living as fantasy characters was a form of escapism and self-regulation.
Stand fidgeting involved various movements to avoid standing still, possibly related to hypermobility.
Listing TV episodes was a strategy to manage anxiety and the fear of others hearing thoughts.
Rhythmic finger tapping was a stim to regulate and manage earworms, later discontinued due to embarrassment.
Hiding in small spaces like toilets or cupboards was a response to sensory overwhelm.
Lying about the existence of Santa was driven by a desire for honesty and a disbelief in the concept.
Lying was not frequent but often covered up autistic traits or embarrassing reactions, stemming from a place of shame.
The importance of not being ashamed of one's differences and choosing self-acceptance is emphasized.
Invitation for viewers to share their own childhood habits and to engage with the video by liking and sharing.
Transcripts
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