Signs You Might Be On The Spectrum

1. You Might Have Taken A While To Talk When You Were Younger

Image Source / LiveAboutThis first one you might have to check with your parents! Were you a child who took longer than usual to learn how to speak? Or did you choose not to speak much when you were a child, where other children wouldn't shut up? You may have also preferred to communicate by pointing at things instead of talking.

2. Erratic Eye Contact

Image Source / Know Your MemePeople on the spectrum can actually look people in the eye, but holding eye contact for a long time can be difficult. This may mean that their eyes are constantly moving and searching around, like looking right to left and then to the ceiling whilst telling a story, as well as meeting the person's eye in between.

3. Your Body Feels Like It Doesn't Fit

Image Source / RedditWhen you're talking to someone, in a group, or in an awkward social situation, you may feel like your body doesn't quite fit. You may feel really stiff, and almost like you don't know what to do with your body. It's probably worse when there are a lot of eyes on you.

4. Lots Of Fidgeting

Image Source / RedditYou're the master of fidgeting. You find it near impossible to stay still, and may find yourself moving up and down, or having very repetitive movements that you can't seem to stop. You may use these repetitive movements as a way to concentrate or focus in an uncomfortable situation.

5. Going Out Of Your Comfort Zone Could Trigger A Shutdown

Image Source / RedditThat's not to say that everyone on the spectrum can never go out of their comfort zone - it's just that for some people, it can trigger either a meltdown or a complete shutdown. If you're expected to push yourself out of your own boundaries, you can get very overwhelmed and not know how to react.

6. You're Very Specific About Your Daily Routine

Image Source / RedditYou have a set idea of how you want your day to be, and you want to follow that. This could mean deciding to do nothing for the whole day - which is still a valid routine to you - or filling your day with certain things. You don't really like to break from that routine, and sometimes that might mean you miss out on other opportunities.

7. You're Very Good With Patterns

Image Source / RedditThings like maths or organizing things, you're very good at - and you might even enjoy it. You may find that you have a natural talent for things like music, astrology or anything pattern-based that you can follow in a set way, with a strict set of rules. You may also enjoy hobbies like games that allow you to follow a set pattern.

8. You're A Picky Eater

Image Source / RedditThis may have started when you were younger and continued into adulthood. A lot of your picky eating may be based on something specific, like texture or smell. Or, it could have been the layout of your plate, like not wanting certain foods to touch each other, or hating crunchy vegetables (don't we all).

9. You're Hypersensitive To Noise

Image Source / RedditA loud siren going down the street when you're trying to talk to someone could completely set you off. You might not be able to concentrate on two sounds at once, like background music and someone talking to you. You might become very overwhelmed when too many noises are happening at once.

10. You Might Be Overbearing About Your Very Strong Opinions

Image Source / RedditIt's likely for starters that you have very strong opinions about certain things - and when you're expressing your strong opinions, it may come off as very intense and overbearing. You might not even realise you're coming across too strong, and you may give off a very black and white way of thinking.

11. You Find It Difficult To Gauge What Private Information Should Be Shared

Image Source / RedditIf your friends tell you personal information or secrets, you may end up oversharing it with others without realising it wasn't meant to be shared. You find it very difficult to know whether personal information is TOO personal to be told. You're not very good at the whole cloak and dagger sneaky thing - you don't have a good instinct about too-personal info.

12. You Don't Do Small Talk

Image Source / Eonline.comSmall talk is something you can't understand or force yourself to do. You're never someone to try and push small talk. This in particular makes goodbyes at social events difficult for you. You don't know how to say goodbye or do the 'I'm leaving now' chit-chat. You usually either say 'goodbye' firmly and leave, or you leave without saying goodbye at all.

13. You May Also Not Like Being Hugged Or Touched That Way

Image Source / RedditYou may feel awkward if someone tries to give you a goodbye hug, or hug you in social situations. This is because you don't know what to say in response to the hug or can tie in to the 'small talk' thing where you just feel like long hugs or gestures feel like it's dragging out the moment and you don't know how to react.

14. You Often Completely Misunderstand People's Intentions

Image Source / ImgflipThis is very likely to be people's emotional intentions specifically. You may find that when you're watching a movie, you don't understand why a character does what they do, or why they make a certain decision based on emotions. This can also affect your own friendships because you might have trouble understanding your friend's emotional viewpoint.

15. You Speak With A Lot Of Conviction: Your Way Is The Right Way

Image Source / RedditComing back to the black and white way of thinking, you may find that the thoughts and opinions you have are very strong and unwavering. So much so that you don't understand why other people may not share the same beliefs, and when you speak your own opinions, you speak with conviction that people will find it hard to break.

16. You Don't Really Understand How To Bend The Rules

Image Source / RedditThis doesn't mean that you don't want to break the rules, but you can have trouble knowing where to start. When you were younger, you may have followed the rules to a T. But when you learn that rules can be bent or broken when you get older, you don't really know how to do it. This could also go back to the fact that you don't know how to keep private information secret or don't know what the rules are with oversharing.

17. You Can Take Jokes Way Too Far

Image Source / TwitterIt's almost like you latch on to one specific joke and push it for as long as possible. If you've found a joke that makes your friends laugh and which you think is hilarious, you're probably going to use it for as long as possible. You don't really understand where the line is so you'll keep pushing it, and probably think you're being hilarious.

18. You Stumble Over Sentences And Talk In An Intense Way

Image Source / RedditIf you're telling a story, you may find that you struggle to separate sentences with them often coming out in a rush. You might speak very intensely with an overload of information, or stories can be fumbling with a lot of repetition and you saying the same thing over and over. It's also likely you'll focus on the most unimportant details of a story, and skip over the important parts.

19. You're Very Comfortable Doing Things Alone

Image Source / RedditAnd you might actually prefer it. You don't mind doing things alone that people usually do with others, such as going to the cinema or doing a craft project at home. You're completely comfortable spending time with yourself and it doesn't feel weird to be on your own.

20. Hanging Around After Hours Isn't Your Thing

Image Source / RedditWhether it was extra-curricular activities at school, or hanging round after your shift has finished for a quick chat with your co-workers, you just don't have time for it. You don't understand fully that these are opportunities to make friends or socialise, because you just think you have better things to be doing than making small talk with people.

21. Certain Trips Or Vacations Can Be Hell For You

Image Source / Ruin My WeekThis isn't to say that you don't like traveling - it's just that it has to be a setup you're comfortable with. Specific circumstances, like traveling with people you don't know very well, traveling for a long time or taking very badly-planned trips can cause you to feel panic and stress and this is a no-go for you.

22. You Might Struggle With The 'Give And Take' Of A Conversation And Talk Too Much

Image Source / RedditWhen you're having a conversation with someone, there are usually places where you know where to break and let the other person speak, listen, reply and repeat. It's a give and take to exchange words on an equal level. This is something you might have trouble with - it may lead you to either speak in a very long monologue without giving the other person chance to speak at all.

23. OR, You Might Stay Quiet Because You Don't Know What Input You Should Have

Image Source / MacRumorsOn the opposite side, you may not know what to 'give' to a conversation or be able to take the prompts of when you're supposed to speak, so you end up just staying silent. This can result in the other person thinking you're not interested in the conversation or that you're not inputting enough to it.

24. There's A Moment When A Switch Flips And You Tune Out

Image Source / RedditIt's almost like an instant thing - you can be involved in a conversation, and then at some point a switch flips in your head and you're done. You're just not interested in the conversation anymore and it feels like it's gone on too long. To others, it might look like you've zoned out into your own little world.

25. You're Extremely Knowledgeable About A Niche Subject You Love

Image Source / Know Your MemeIt's highly likely there's one subject area that you're really passionate about, knowledgeable about and fixate on. This isn't just some general knowledge - you know absolutely every little tiny thing about this subject area, which is most probably a niche one. You might even find that you're not very interested in anything that isn't this.

26. You Have Trouble Showing Emotion

Image Source / RedditThis is quite a common one for people on the spectrum - not being able to show or express emotion very well. This can make you seem standoffish from the outside, but actually you're feeling a whole wealth of emotion on the inside. You definitely fully understand your own feelings, you're just not likely to show it in an obvious way.

27. You're Confident In Wearing Exactly What You Want To Wear

Image Source / RedditBecause people on the spectrum might struggle expressing themselves through conversation or through showing emotions, their fashion choices can actually be an ideal way of expressing that personality. You may find that you have no qualms about dressing exactly how you want to dress - whether that's the same t-shirt for a week, or a bright pink suit with a green wig.

28. You Find Yourself Questioning Society's Rules

Image Source / RedditYou have absolutely no problem questioning the opinion of the masses. You could very confidently go against the mass opinion, without caring what other people think. You would never act a certain way, or say certain things, simply because you feel like that's the 'done' thing and feel pressured to.

29. You Feel Like You Went Through Puberty Later Than Everyone Else

Image Source / RedditLooking back, do you feel like you matured a little later than everyone else? Did you feel like you were playing catch up and you didn't quite understand the 'maturity' other people were going through? This could specifically be the case for romantic or sexual relationships. A lot of people on the spectrum can be asexual and/or not overly interested in romantic relationships. While everyone was rushing to lose their virginity, were you just not interested?

30. You've Always Felt Like There's Something Off About You

Image Source / www.meme-arsenal.comYou've always just had this feeling that something wasn't quite right with you - that's to say society's idea of 'right'. You've noticed you're a little bit different to others and you couldn't put your finger on why. Likewise, other people may have made it clear that they feel like there's something off about you and they can't pinpoint what that weird feeling might be.

31. Lack Of Interest In Interacting With Others

Image Source / RedditAs well as not being a huge fan of small talk, you may also find yourself losing interest in interacting with other people at all. You might find the concept or pressure of making new friends as strange, and may go out of your way to spend as much time alone as possible instead of forcing yourself to interact more.

32. You Find It Difficult To Make Friends

Image Source / RedditIt makes sense why somebody who might be on the spectrum would have difficulty making friends, as it can be a result of you not being willing to make small talk, being uncomfortable in social situations, not putting yourself out there or even being misunderstood by those around you if they think there is something socially 'off' about you.

33. You Can't Really Read Body Language

Image Source / RedditYou find it very difficult to read and understand other people's body language. You wouldn't be able to get a general vibe from a person based on body language, gestures or facial expressions alone, because you find it too confusing - or may even be choosing not to pay that much attention to someone in a social situation you don't want to be in!

34. You Say A Lot Of Inappropriate Things

Image Source / CaracTourYou might say the worst things, at the worst possible time - without meaning to, or without fully understanding the vibe you've just caused! It's most likely that you'll say inappropriate things in an attempt to be funny, or in a social situation that you feel awkward in.

35. You Find Yourself Repeating Speech Back To People, Or The TV

Image Source / RedditIn conversations, you might often repeat certain words and phrases back to the person who said them, and you might also do this alone when you're watching TV. If you're binge-watching the latest Netflix show, do you often say out loud words and phrases that the character has said, or things they say all the time on the show?

36. You Often Have Hyper-Focus

Image Source / RedditThis means that you're intensely focused on one particular activity for a very long period of time. While this may sound great that you're not procrastinating, it can actually be annoying at the same time because if you're in a state of hyper-focus it might mean you forget to eat, drink water, get up and walk around or even avoid going to the toilet for a bit because you're too focused in the moment and don't want to break off.

37. You Can Get REALLY Annoyed By Certain Sounds, Smells Or Sensations

Image Source / RedditYou can go from 0 to 100 in terms of feeling annoyed or upset, if a certain sound or other sensory experience makes you feel uncomfortable. This is most likely to happen in a public setting where there's a lot going on, and you may even decide to take yourself out of the public place and go home, or somewhere silent.

38. You're Usually Very Impulsive With Decisions

Image Source / RedditImpulsive might be your middle name. You can be a very good decision maker in general, but you also might be likely to make very impulsive decisions. This can also relate to things that are expensive or seen as extravagant, like costly impulsive purchases, or they may refer to hobbies that you're obsessing over.

39. You May Have A Very Worried, Pessimistic Outlook

Image Source / Daily StarThis could apply to a lot, if not all, of your daily situations. You may find you're constantly worrying about whatever comes your way, and you struggle to think positively about a lot of things. This could come from social fears but also 'harm avoidance', which is a type of personality trait that can see you suffering with worry, anxiety and shyness.

40. You Tend To Prefer Facts To Stories

Image Source / RedditYou can come across as very direct when talking about things you want to talk about - so much so you probably speak abruptly and to the point, saying that facts straight away instead of filling in the gaps with context or story. People may have also told you that you can be very direct.

41. You Take No Pauses When Talking About Something You Like

Image Source / Meme MakerWhen you're talking about something you're really passionate about, there's no time for pausing or breathing! You don't leave any space for anyone to input or reply, and you can usually let out a huge stream of words about anything you're excited about. You'd usually only do this to people you like, though, and not strangers.

42. You Don't Actually Intend To Be Rude

Image Source / Yahoo Movies UKSome people who are like this can just be rude people without actually being on the spectrum, but if you know that you're never trying to be rude or dominate a conversation, and don't even realise you're doing it half the time, it's more a sign it could be something to do with the spectrum. This is also because you might not know the 'normal' rules of give and take conversation.

43. If Someone Flags Up Eye Contact, You Over-Compensate

Image Source / RedditBecause you're likely to have eye contact that's all over the place, or little eye contact, someone might have actually brought this up and told you. In response, you might try extra, extra hard to make eye contact to the point where you're just staring at them intensely and not breaking eye contact at all!

44. You Have Bad Manners (But You Actually Don't)

Image Source / RedditThis relates to what society would say are 'bad manners', when you actually don't mean anything rude by what you're doing. Examples could include walking off when people are in the middle of talking to you, ask someone to do something with you but then not make any effort to talk to them when they're there, or open the door for a visitor and then walk off.

45. And If Someone Calls You Out On This, You Don't Really Understand

Image Source / Smart Tech BuzzSay all of the above happened and one of your friend's told you that they think you're being a bit rude because you walked off, ignored them or didn't greet them properly at the door. You might take the time to listen to what they're saying, but not really understand what you did wrong - because you didn't mean to be rude, and you don't really understand these 'normal' rules.

46. You Obsessively Collect Something

Image Source / RedditYou can be very hyper-focused and passionate about your hobbies - or one particular hobby - and it's also common for people on the spectrum to obsessively collect things if it relates to their interest. You might spend a lot of money on growing your collection, which is probably HUGE and probably something you tell people about all the time.

47. You Never Pick Up Cues That Someone Is Bored

Image Source / RedditIf you're in the middle of one of your long speeches about something you're passionate about where you not letting the other person get a word in (without meaning to), they may start to look bored of the conversation if it's gone on to long and check the clock. But you'll be oblivious to that, as you don't really understand body language or expressions of boredom!

48. You Find Your Emotions Confusing

Image Source / Teen VogueAs we've mentioned, people on the spectrum DO feel emotions, and can empathise. But that doesn't mean that you don't find what you're feeling very confusing. You may often feel overwhelmed with your own emotions and not know how to sort through them - least of all, how to talk about them with someone.

49. You Never Share Personal Experience Or Ideas Unprompted

Image Source / FacebookIt would take someone to directly ask you how you're doing, how your day has gone or about your hobby for you to start talking about it. You would never be the first to speak about it, start a conversation about something or share your ideas with a person without being asked first. If nobody asks, you'll probably stay silent throughout a whole exchange.

50. Last Minute Change Of Plans Are Your Worst Nightmare

Image Source / Bullet JournalThis can not only overwhelm you, but could actually make you feel really update and panicked. While some people can shrug off last minute change of plans or cancellations with a bit of annoyance and move on, you can't - you don't feel comfortable with these last minute changes at all, especially if the changes aren't just cancellations but something that will completely upheave the situation.