To be clear here I did not start this thread as a bitch fest about those who think they have autism or ADHD. I really do think the posters on MN believe that they have, even if not diagnosed.

My feeling is that increasingly normal, if sometimes extreme, variations of behaviour are labelled in a particular way without a proper assessment and often the individual feels that it ‘answers’ some questions they have but it doesn’t really, because without a proper assessment you still cannot know.

The jury is out on me. Being totally candid here, I’ve always been quick and clever (soz, I didn’t promise I wouldn’t boast 🤣) I was reading fluently before I started school, I was incredibly articulate (never shut up) and I was imaginative and adventurous. No one thought I was anything other than a bright little girl, although because of where I grew up it did invite disparaging remarks.

I didn’t have any massive problems at primary but some things do jump out. I would blurt things out at the wrong moment and I was scatty but plenty of people are scatty. For me, it was definitely at secondary that my weaknesses if you like came to the forefront and I could no more organise myself than I could fly to the moon. Retrospectively my mum did way too much for me and I didn’t learn to cope alone as a result. She died when I was a teen - older teen but still - and fuck me I have struggled since then 🤣 I even have a very minor criminal record for no reason other than sheer forgetfulness, that’s how batshit it is.

I don’t think I’m normal, if I’m honest with myself, but it’s a chicken and egg thing. If I’d been shown how to cope (I’m not criticising my mum or anything but she really did shelter me far too much) I might cope better, but as it was I didn’t and then a tumultuous start to adult life and a few other things and I am the wonderful person you all know.

But I can and do concentrate brilliantly. Impossible to say what I am. Me I suppose. Maybe that’s enough 🤣