Connecting the dots

Growing up, and into adulthood, I was always aware that there were quite a few things about me which was considered odd, different, rude or just very strange behavior. All through the years me and my family have simply accepted each and every one of these traits - although I've never stopped "working on them", but have had a tendency to look at them singularly. Once I, or actually one of my sisters, started looking at all these traits as a group she/we begun to connect the dots and very clear pattern emerged. When I was diagnosed (through friends, family and research, no official diagnose as of yet) the main feeling for me was relief.

Its a question of quantity. Instead of there being 1000 things wrong with me, there was only one. The one was much bigger than the parts of course, but at least I could stop thinking I was simply this crazy person who couldn't function socially if it killed me (which it nearly did on occasion, but thats another story) and had many areas where I either over achieved or under achieved to a nearly extreme level.

I had imaginary friends, two of them and both boys, that mirrored these two aspects of me. They were such big parts of my life from about 3-4 years of age up until adolescence that my mother and some of my sisters can still name them and know which was which. I'll write a separate post on them - imaginary friends.

The dots that need connecting were many, I can't even clearly recall them all as I have effectively blocked quite a few of them out, but I'll start this list and work on it continuously. Each of these issues is an Aspie trait. Some are only "true" Aspie if combined with others, while other traits are red flags on their own. If you have a child that exhibits some or many of these traits, please consider having him evaluated. Early intervention can REALLY improve your child's quality of life during the formative years. I didn't have early intervention, and I truly don't wish my childhood on my worst enemy. Living alone of the Far Side is a place which is rather devoid of positive human emotion.