Having a Rescue Complex as a Child

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When I was little, I clearly remember having a strong rescue complex. Well, that's what I'd call it today. Back then, I just called it "kindness". I even considered myself to the kindest child to have ever existed, and hoped to someday be beatified as a saint by the Catholic Church, despite being Jewish. (The small-town preschool I went to was Catholic-owned; even though it wasn't faith-based and had no prayers, I'm sure some Catholic ideas leaked through, and I subconsciously picked them up over a couple years.)

Anyway, I always felt strongly compelled to approach and comfort crying babies and toddlers in public, although I had the restraint not to. But my rescue complex was even stronger with animals, cats and dogs in particular. I always wanted take an injured stray kitten or puppy into my home (or even an adult cat or dog), nurse it back to health, care for it, and have it become a loyal friend. Or even take in an injured bird or non-predatory mammal, although I knew I'd reluctantly have to release it when it's healthy again. Although I stopped short of wanting to care for a snake, because of the old parable: "What did you expect? I'm a snake."

Since my family was very much anti-pet, taking in and healing an injured animal was out of the question. So instead, I projected the same mindset onto the stuffed animals I had. I came up with backstories for them, that is, what their lives were like before they came into my home. (Which translated to real life as before my family bought them for me.) Each and every stuffed animal's backstory consisted of some form of misery and/or abuse, until the Benevolent Rescuer (me) took them in and made their lives better and happier. All of it was very much giving and altruistic, because I couldn't stand seeing someone smaller and weaker be unhappy, considering how "miserable" was one of my first "big" words.

The rescue complex didn't apply to kids my age and adults. Those demographics were associated with cruelty and power-obsession, respectively, in my mind, and therefore undeserving of my kindness/rescuing. Today, I found a healthy outlet for my former rescue complex by occasionally volunteering in animal shelters; dogs and cats there seem to like me. And little kids and their crying make me want to run off to the ends of the earth.

Anyone else had a rescue complex like this as a child? Is it common among aspies? What do you think causes it?

I don’t know if it’s Aspie.

I feel drawn to comforting unhappy little kids.

I feel strongly drawn to helping cats.

Animals yes, other people not so much. Maybe the one person in my life I actually like, but that's it. If your species is homo sapien, I probably will not really have that much concern. As for whole species dying out I don't really care. It's not worth it to lock them up in zoos just so we will have a living specimen or two locked up to look at somewhere when said species' habitat is annihilated. I'm more concerned with actual individual animal not the species as a whole. But that is an entirely different subject.

I feel drawn to taking wandering toddlers back to their parents and talking to the rare dogs I'm not scared of who are off lead and taking them back to their owners.
But you're not actually meant to talk to people (or even animals) you don't know in public so I keep quiet.
It just worries me when I see someone vulnerable walking about by themselves and (in the case of humans) falling over. They always run off at the bridge near my house.

No.
If something or someone is in trouble, it entirely depends if I feel like doing 'good' or flat out ignore them.

Animals? I'm pretty apathetic to animals. I'm neither compassionate nor cruel towards them.
Kids? I'm likely more drawn to toddlers and younger kids. As long as they're not being annoying or clingy that is...
Other? It varies...


I see myself as more of a violent brute as a child than a good or cold hearted. Just someone who just know what I want. Although my sense of right and wrong isn't off or weak...
I'm more of prideful hothead who doesn't care much really. To please my 'pride' could be done by many things, but being 'nice' is not one of them -- even now.

If a bully victim comes running to me, I don't mind as long as they're not getting in my way. I don't mind if some poor kid asks me to buy them some food as long as they don't beg me for it or do it on regular basis.
I don't mind if some bunch of girls or kids drag me into the dark restroom just to quell their anxieties and fears. I don't mind if someone tells me to jump in first if no one else would.
I don't mind if people asks me to risk myself over things they worried, fear, or harm them as long as I feel like doing it or that if I seriously have to. I won't mind if someone asks me to help animals on the road as long as I'm not keeping it.


I won't act sympathetic, I won't look at them in pity, I don't appeal to tragedy. If someone explicitly asks me to hold their hand, I will. But as a child, my patience burns rather quickly and would rather be damn annoyed.

All the same, I don't just help unless they asked. I'd hate it even more if I were some unwanted help above else.

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