write all of your traits and how often you deal with them.

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Let's start with the facts and you can tell me where you think I fall on the spectrum. I'm diagnosed PDD-NOS btw, which is supposed to be very mild. I'll make a list of traits and challenges I face. I encourage you all to do this too, so I have something to compare it to. I've rated the behaviors from: everyday, very often, often, sometimes, not often, a few times. At the end I'll put some things that I do NOT struggle with.

childhood challenges

-head banged (often)
-bit my hands when frustrated. Sometimes to the point of bleeding. (very often)
-obsessed with video games and drawing. (everyday)
-had repetitive hand movements when excited. (everyday)
-struggled with small talk and meeting new people. (very often)
-struggled with my relationships with my parents. (everyday)
-social anxiety and awkwardness(very often)
-was overly sensitive emotionaly (sometimes)
-was overly sensitive to sounds (sometimes)
-was overly sensitive to smells (sometimes)
-perfectionism (everyday)

things I did not struggle with

-I always had 1-3 friends. I never really had no friends at all.
-I like humor and understand most jokes and sarcasm.
-I never really had any terrible reactions to changes in routine or rituals. I moved around a lot as a child.

adult challenges

-self injury (sometimes)
-small talk and meeting new people (not often)
-routine change (often)
-obsession with autism (everyday)
-secondary obsessions which are ballet, drawing and lady gaga. (very often)
-relationships, romantic and friendships. (often)
-social awkwardness (sometimes)
-overly sensitive emotionally (sometimes)
-overly sensitive to sounds (sometimes)
-overly sensitive to smells (sometimes)

things I do not struggle with THIS IS IMPORTANT

-social anxiety
-I have good friends that I like, who I can talk to about things. Though I'm prone to get in fights with them often.
-I can get a date and get laid, I just can't get things to work out for a relationship.
-I can support myself on my special interest and keep a job.
-now that I don't live with my dad, I have a better relationship with him.
-I like people, being around them just exhausts me.
-I have synethesia, which is a trait but not a challenge. In fact I quite like it.
-I can live in a big city


So what do you all think? It's hard to tell, that's why I'm asking. I'd like to see what challenges you all face on a daily basis as well. What challenges do you face only sometimes, but not everyday? You don't have to write it out as a chart, but it helps.

Very RARE

Clumsiness

Often

Saying the wrong thing leading to upsetting others


Almost weekly

Inappropriate emotional response (AKA me laughing when my nephew gets into trouble)


Having behavior issues that upset my family

PRACTICALLY DAILY!! !! !! !! !! !

childhood challenges

-head banged (not often)
-bit my hands when frustrated. Sometimes to the point of bleeding. (not often)
-obsessed with video games and drawing. (everyday)
-had repetitive hand movements when excited. (often)
-struggled with small talk and meeting new people. (everyday /was select mute)
-struggled with my relationships with my parents. (never /i didn't struggle because I didn't think about it)
-social anxiety and awkwardness(very often)
-was overly sensitive emotionaly (very often)
-was overly sensitive to sounds (sometimes)
-was overly sensitive to smells (sometimes)
-perfectionism (not often)
I'll add on:
- low grades (very often)
- dysthymia (often/ in adolescence)

things I did not struggle with

-I had 1 friend.

adult challenges

-self injury (sometimes)
-small talk and meeting new people (sometimes /though I cannot small talk)
-routine change (not often / it causes me anxiety to change a routine)
-obsession with autism (often)
-secondary obsessions which drawing, astronomy, music, storywriting (very often)
-relationships, romantic and friendships. (meh....i mean not often)
-social awkwardness (very often)
-overly sensitive emotionally (everyday)
-overly sensitive to sounds (often)
-overly sensitive to smells (sometimes)
I'll add on:
- have a daily routine that must not be broken (everyday)
-do not work and struggle to find employment (everyday)
- constantly nervous about becoming independent and feel bad that I still rely on my mother for a lot of things. (sometimes)
- have trouble cooking new things (very often)
- poor sense of direction (very often)
- have difficulty crossing roads (everyday)
- do not like big city noises (very often)
- easily tired even when doing activities I enjoy (everyday)
- poor motor skills stop me from doing things other people take for granted (often)
- speech difficulties (very often)

things I do not struggle with

-I have friends who can talk to one on one.
-I can do one night stands, though I prefer not to.
-I like people, being around them just exhausts me.
-I have synethesia, which is a trait but not a challenge. In fact I quite like it.

As for you:
PDD can be mild and severe. I would say mild to moderate, because you seem to have obsessions and do self injury, but you can make friends and even get a date. You can work and live in a city. So you are independent? Yes I say you were mild with still some difficulties.

You sound like mild but definite PDD now, at this point in your life. Me:

childhood challenges

-head banged (cyclically, hour + daily when at the right point in the cycle)
-scratched myself until I bled. (often)
-obsessed with child development and education. (everyday)
-had repetitive hand movements when excited. (every day)
-struggled with small talk and meeting new people. (everyday)
-social anxiety and awkwardness (overwhelming)
-was overly sensitive emotionaly (overwhelming)
-was overly sensitive to sounds (sometimes)
-was overly sensitive to smells (sometimes)
-perfectionism (sometimes)
-dysthymia (daily)

things I did not struggle with

-I had many acquaintances and perhaps two real friends.
-highly verbal

adult challenges

-self injury (often)
-small talk and meeting new people (I don't know)
-routine change (severe)
-obsession with autism (daily)
-secondary obsessions(daily)
-relationships, romantic and friendships. (possible but difficult)
-social awkwardness (very often)
-overly sensitive emotionally (everyday)
-overly sensitive to sounds (often)
-overly sensitive to smells (sometimes)
-do not work and struggle to find employment (everyday)
-constantly nervous about becoming independent and feel bad that I still rely on my mother for a lot of things. (sometimes)
-easily tired even when doing activities I enjoy (everyday)
-poor motor skills stop me from doing things other people take for granted (often)
-speech difficulties (sometimes)
-intimacy
-reciprocity
-I appear much higher functioning than I actually am
-I have difficulty advocating for myself

things I do not struggle with

-I have friends who I can talk to one on one.
-I like people SOMETIMES, being around them just exhausts me.

Me too. If I told people half of what I go through they won't believe me.
No wonder I got into this big argument with them before.
Them: "We think you're great and there's nothing wrong with you."
Me: "God has cursed my life with many disabilities that you people will never understand!"
It was a stressful time for me.

ALL of my traits? That would take several pages for anyone. Even an NT.

Yes. I know what you meant, but I don't want to put it all into words.

childhood challenges
-clawing at my arms and pulling my hair when fristrated (often)
-Obsessed with Animals (everyday)
-had repetitive hand movements when excited. (often)
-struggled with small talk and meeting new people. (everyday /was select mute)
-Over attachent to my mother
-social anxiety and awkwardness(very often)
-was overly sensitive emotionaly (very often)
-was overly sensitive to sounds (Very often)
-was overly sensitive to smells (Very often)
- low grades (very often)
- inability to recognize faces (often)
-inabilty to read body languuage (Everyday)
-mess room (often)
-math troubles (sometimes)
-darting in to the streets (ofthe)
Wandering (sometimes)
Speach difficulties (everyday)
insomnia/ sleeping issues (everyday)

things I did not struggle with

-I had a friend once and a while

adult challenges

-self injury (sorta)
-small talk and meeting new people (sometimes)
-routine change (hate routine change often)
-obsession with autism (often)
-secondary obsessions (very often)
-relationships, romantic and friendships. ( Ihave a few friends and a boyfrend) trouble keeping friends
-social awkwardness (very often)
-overly sensitive emotionally (everyday)
-overly sensitive to sounds (everyday)
-overly sensitive to smells (everyday)
chewing things (Everyday)
- have a daily routines that must not be broken (everyday)
-do not work and struggle to find employment (everyday)
- constantly nervous about becoming independent and feel bad that I still rely on my mother for a lot of things. (sometimes)
- have trouble cooking new things (very often)
- have difficulty crossing roads (everyday)
- do not like big city noises (very often)
- poor motor skills (Everday)
- speech difficulties (rarely)
-sepration anxiety from my boyfriend and dog (everyday/very often)
- restrictive food options (Everyday) I only eat certain foods and have to be cooked certain ways

things I do not struggle with

-I have friends who can talk to one on one.
-I like people, being around them just exhausts me.

other

I have a job but it is very draining an I can only manage 4 hours a weak there

I have a boyfriend and we are close but have our issues.

I use a service dog to help me with safty and socailiazation

I live at home with my mom


Pensieve I hope you don't mind I used yours as a templet Also What do you mean you have trouble crossing the streets? I think I have this too but not sure what you mean. Not sure what my functioning leavle is any ideas? I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS.

Oh it's ok.
I think my problems with crossing roads lies with my difficulty with 1)my poor motor skills and 2)judging how long it will take a car to pass me and at what speed. And I really don't know when a car will pass me, if it was waiting at the street lights. I usually wait for a car to pass, then walk or wait for there to be no cars so I can cross. At crossings where there is a round a bout and cars coming from each direction I tend to panic and cross when other people do. I rely heavily on marked crossings and street lights.

I've had a few moments when I've almost been hit by a car. And drivers do get really impatient with me. In my head I'm telling them to just go and I'll cross once they've gone. Maybe I need a dog that will help me cross the road.

My mum is the type to cross the road without using street lights. I would yell at her or walk towards a pedestrian crossing then join her.

Yeah I have that issue to I tend to fluxtuate between that and not processing the street and walking out and in the middle realize I am in the street then I panic. Nim is very helpful she has been keeping me from doing this and only lets me cross when cars are all stopped.

I'll have to look into autism service dogs in my area. My town is small so I don't think I'd be able to get one here, maybe I'd have to go to the city.
Do you sometimes feel anxious in supermarkets? I mean when you didn't have Nim.

yes alot I used to have meltdowns when mom wanted to take me to grochorey stores. I still don't like them Nim help me not panic as much. Are you in the USA? if your in the USA I have a great place it it where we are aplying to for our next dog.
What do you think I should tell people my functioning leavle is if they ask? I am never sure how to answer that.

I would imagine moderate, since you need a dog.

Oh and I STILL Obsess constantly over a particular subject and can't read body language and to much verbal direction causes meltdowns

No, I'm in Australia. They are autism service dogs here. I just need to go to the city. Maybe if I moved there and lived on my own I could get one. I can imagine the level anxiety I would have about living alone and close to the city.

could aply for one and go to the city only to get him and train with him then go home Yeah I can imagine it too though I am not sure if I will ever be able to live alone I hope to go right from living with mom to living with my boyfriend semi east transition just need to teach him not to wake me at night for stuff.

do you get seperation anxiety too?

I'm not sure.
I miss my dog terribly. The one I had to give up to save her. That could be a type of separation anxiety.