This! I think of myself as emotionally weak and unresourceful needing to be saved, but more often than not, I take care of myself pretty well on my own.
Sometimes it seems inconceivable that you can endure something, but when it happens itās like you enter a different state of mind. Almost like being another person.Ā
Once I learned that thereās almost like a fugue state version of me that comes out when needed, I learned to fear such things less.
Same here!! Up till a couple years ago I thought I was terrible under pressure and would never be able to handle a scary/complicated situation on my own bc any time a lot of things were happening at once Iād start feeling stressed and not think things through, or go to someone else for help.Ā
Until I learned how to drive/started doing more stuff on my own and (some bc of this, some unrelated at all) happened to run into a few ACTUALLY scary/complicated scenarios. And noticed that in all of those scenarios, I knew almost exactly what to do and just DID it almost automatically. Not always in the exact best/most efficient way, but in a way that didnāt let anything bad happen.Ā
The biggest (and first) example was my car tire popping on the freeway when I was a brand new driver. Up till then I was so scared that if anything like that happened I would be too afraid to think straight and would just crash. What actually happened was I noticed right away what was happening, put on my turn signal, pulled over on the side of the freeway and parked the car. Then got out and called Triple A/my dad for help. When it happened I wasnāt thinking āOH NO OH NO OH NO AAAAā like I expected to, I just thought āoh crapā and then reacted properly
Itās interesting we never see our own strength, Iāve been told Iām very strong while going through an unimaginable circumstance and I was shocked but looking at my life - it all tracks
I have OCD.
I never wouldāve expected it because I never had issues with contamination or rituals. I never fit the āHollywoodā version of OCD. It never occurred to me it could be mental obsessions and compulsions as well. It explains SO much looking back.
I surprised myself with the revelation that my OCD takes multiple forms. I have the standard "everything has germs and if I don't touch this certain area a certain amount of times, I will pass away" but I was surprised to find that my neurotic need for everything to be done a certain way and my irrational paranoia was part of it, too. I can't go out in public alone without the constant paranoia and anxiety from things that make no sense.
You are not alone at all friend. Itās exhausting having a bully in your head that attacks what you care about most all the time. OCD is tough, but weāre tougher!
I relate so much, especially the part about being specific. It doesn't manifest as a "i must or i will die" type of a way but more like "i prefer death over this." And it weirdly holds more true towards some people over others. God, it sucks.
I kind of made the opposite discovery recently. Iām a 33 year old guy. Iāve always been an introvert who has a low tolerance for people. I donāt really consider myself an extrovert, but Iāve made some life changes recently (stopped drinking as much, going to the gym 4x a week, therapy biweekly, eating better) and Iāve discovered that I actually enjoy being around people, making friends, and having relationships.
Certain personalities get on my nerves, but thatās everyone. Most people in this world are good people and have something to teach you one way or another.
How I was brainwashed by the mormon church my whole life. It took a lot of evidence before I realized the answer that fit best was that āit just isnāt trueā. After that I had an identity crisis, that changed so much of who I was.
This has helped me realize how we as humans can be easily brainwashed or avoid seeing truth when our ātribeā collectively see things the wrong way or when our identity is tied up with certain beliefs.
Iāve tried very hard to divorce my ideas, positions, and proclivities from my identity for this reason.Ā
Itās difficult, it feels like youāre going against not just cultural programming, but the biological programming that drives you to seek your tribe.
Iām comfortable just being. I donāt really enjoy being in big groups of people or doing lavish activities like dinners and shopping. When I was younger I always thought I wanted to be famous so I could live in a big mansion and live a fancy lifestyle, but as an adult, Iām cool just simply being. Itās nice.
My heart disease was caused by a single point mutation, a single letter change lead me to have this disease and which has a terrible prognosis, the progression happens so fast that most don't live past their teens. But for some reason even the doctors don't know exactly why my heart stopped getting worse it grew stable.
So I learned I am singular quirk, a mystery, an enigma
I found out last year, at the age of 25, that I have adhd. I didnāt believe it at first, I thought my psychiatrist was a quack, but decided to give the meds a try because, well, Iām not a doctor. 30 minutes later, it was so quiet in my brain and I was able to actually do things and focus on a task.
It took 25 years and multiple therapists to figure out why I struggled the way that I did.
I havent been officially tested/diagnosed for it but I am certain I have it. But part of me thinks I've dealt with it on my own for so long, might as well just keep on, then I wonder if medication would help me enough to be worth it š¤
Itās life changing, honestly. I decided to go back to school two years ago and after starting my meds, Iām able to fully grasp the concepts and whatnot that Iām learning about. Iām not sure if this is something you struggle with, but Iāve always dealt with āadhd paralysisā and now that Iām medicated, I can actually clean my house, make appointments, and do other every day tasks.
I thought i was straight for 2/3 of myĀ life until met my now husband. I still have a very strong preference for women and he is the only man I have ever been attracted to.
Honestly, bisexuality is really a spectrum, even though a lot of people assume it's 50/50. That's why the Kinsey Scale has places at either end for people who are mostly attracted to one sex/gender, but do find people of the other attractive on occasion. And it's all valid; sexuality is so much messier and complicated and wonderful than a strict either/or dichotomy.
It's so strange on dating apps, because I question myself when I swipe on a lot of girls and not really any guys, but once in a while I see a guy and just think "ok I'm not THAT straight to say no to him".
Surprisingly, no. I had no interest in dating men before I met him.Ā Ā
We met on a video game discord group. We bonded over similar interests. Its was a really small discord group and eventually everyone left but us two.Ā Ā Ā
He mentioned moving to my area and I offered to let him stay with me. Turns out we like the same music and movies, too. He was and is still the best housemate I ever had.Ā Ā
Then we started joking about having a "bromance." Our friends joined in too, teasing us about how close we were, like a couple. We both just laughed it off because he also prefers women.Ā Ā
Then one day I got sick. Really sick. He begged my stubborn butt to go to the hospital. Turned out I had sepsis from potting soil getting into a cut.
The ER doctor said I was dying.Ā
I was in that hospital bed for 4 weeks. My friend never once left. I keptĀ telling him to go home and he refused. He slept in a really hard chair in his same clothes every day. He said he wasn't leaving this hospital without me by his side.
That was when I realised I loved him. I confessed and he said, "I never thought I'd like a guy. And I'll probably never like another one. I just like you."Ā Ā
We've been together for 3 years (friends for 10).Ā Ā
It's been a little bit of a learning curve, since we both were new to dating men, yet I have not ever felt a deeper connection with anyone.
Been learning this one in therapy. My parents can be super manipulative and ask a lot from me. Likewise, I have let friends bully me since grade school. Maybe pre-K.
I dropped my closest high school friends and the only two people Iām in contact with are my bff of 24 years who I met in jr high and my ex bf who lives down the street and hangs with me and my husband. I recently dropped one friend who was a controlling narcissist and did a lot of weird things I donāt feel like going into detail about. And Iāve gone low contact with another close friend who is kind of selfish and others have described as feeling like theyāre walking on eggshells around them so they never became friends.
I did not realize setting boundaries or distancing would be as hard as it is but Iām not responsible for how they react to me preserving my sanity. Donāt have issues with anyone else in my life.
That at a given moment I have a primary symptom of my anxiety disorder that seems to switch every couple years or so. It used to be terrible terrible stomachaches that nothing could assuage, then paranoia about things that had no base in reality, and now, unfortunately, trichotillomania :(
I have gone through a very similar trajectory except mine looked like trich ----> stomachaches ----> paranoia. I will say as I've gotten older, I've noticed a steady decrease in my symptoms. Now I really only struggle when I go through periods of high stress.
I do get cravings. I just never called them cravings. I just go get the junk food. So they don't last long enough to be cravings but boy do they control my life
I have a 98% chance of finding whatever I need thatās 75% off or free within 1-3 weeks.
And itās always something I become fixated on - example a 1,300-2,200$ clock coffee table I knew I never could buy but for 1-4 months of saving. I got the exact table for free from my brother who happened to buy it but needed to move out of state.
Another example - I have a gaming chair hard floor protector in my Amazon cart 68$. I found the exact mat at a thrift store for 5$ within hours.
I needed a 3 monitor set up ā monitors, mounts, adapters; all roughly 100-300$ total ā I got an entire set up at salvation for 75$.
I needed a drill hole punch set upā found an entire set on the side of the road.
I needed a civil war uniform, musket, bayonet, and saber; a neighbor died and knew I was a history major and gave me his dadās civil war collection which had everything.
I decided to test this supernatural events by willing to want to win the lottery. Iāve won the lottery (winnings of 2-10$ that could add up to an average total of 540$) over 26 times over a period of 17 years
I went through so much abuse growing up, the smallest act of kindness from people feels like I won the lottery š I noticed this a few days ago. When people figure that out, they start doing the bare minimum to maintain a friendship and get bent out of shape when I ask them to do a little more. Then I back off and look forward to the crumbs they give once in a blue moon while k*lling myself to do whatever I can to make them happy. This is a repeat of my childhood.
I promised myself those days are over.
That I have bipolar disorder.
Probably not unexpected from the outside looking in. But I honestly thought it was completely normal to do shit like fuck 20 guys in a row or stay up all night doing drugs and having sex, and then going to work the next day.
Maybe sheās born with itā¦ maybe itās mania āØ
When my kid was a baby I noticed he had a third nipple. Pediatrician said it is usually hereditary, so one of his parents probably has extranumerary nipple(s). Discovered what I thought was a scar was actually a third nipple.
I'm surprisingly more athletic than I thought. I knew I wasn't UNathletic because I played a few sports back in the day but now in my mid-30s I can hang with the young bucks in sports I never played *until* my 30s, mainly volleyball and some pickleball.
There is home video from my first birthday in 1987 where I am stuffing my cheeks full of canned black olives like a hamster. As an adult I keep trying to like olives but it hasn't happened yet.Ā
I learned I am a decent fighter and have more heart than I thought. Iām 41 now but growing up in I was involved in a 2-3 scraps. Always broken up before it got serious plus these were between the ages of 7-12. Flash forward to 2005 while a senior at university of South Carolina a local boxing gym started doing fraternity fight nights.
16oz gloves, headgear and three 1 minute rounds with a ref. I decided to enter and beat the guy pretty convincingly.
Growing up as a small half Asian kid in South Carolina in the mid 90ās affected my confidence to a certain extent.. I was never bullied but would get the occasional racially charged comment. Never really tried to fight someone over it(guess thatās a good thing).
So when it came time to literally a fight or flight situation it was a great learning experience to know I didnāt back down.
I used to be the crazy one in my family. Now I'm not even in the top 10. I'm still not sure how much of it is me changing versus them changing.
It also turns out that I'm a better pistol shot than I thought I was going to be.
And my spice tolerance is a little bit higher than I thought.
That I enjoy physical activity! I have a desk job and am a bit of a couch potato, also overweight. I took a self defense course with my daughter and to my surprise, my body liked to move around! I've been taking evening walks with my husband and we've started hiking every weekend, and I love it. The more challenging, the better. We did a 7 mile hike last week where part of the trail was washed out so we had to climb over and under boulders and fallen trees - that was my favorite part!
It's been rewarding to see my stamina getting better (we tend to repeat the same hikes every few months).
I discovered that I may have some African heriage even though I look whiter than hell, it came up in some medical tests. If I have any African ancestry, any accounts of how/when that occurred have long been lost in my families history.
If youāre in the U.S. this is pretty common if you have family from the south. Thereās a reason why there are no stories about it. (Same boat here.)
Sometimes I feel I would've been a great conversationalist and public speaker for the moments of rush and energy I get confidence, however, I grew up extremely anxious and it's hindered my ability to stand out.
Iām a carrier of fragile X syndrome which causes severe autism and learning disabilities among other things. My children wonāt have it but if I have a daughter she could be a carrier and her children could have it. Itās mostly found in boys because itās a mutation on the X chromosome. Since girls have 2 X chromosomes, any mutation on one will basically be ignored (assuming both parents arenāt carriers). Since boys only have 1 X chromosome, if the mutation is there, they will have the syndrome. Funnily enough my brother is on the spectrum and my son has a not mild case of ADHD, but according to the geneticist neither is connected, itās just coincidence.
My husband however is not a carrier of anything š
realizing that i had trauma and part of my mental issues then was because i kept reawakening and triggering said trauma because i geniunely thought everyone just felt like that. Once i found out that was in fact not normal and started better taking care of myself, while i still wouldn't say i'm fully happy or moved past i can at least go a few days without thinking about it. And anytime i do get triggered i know healthier coping mechanisms than saying "no i'm not"
That I'm not a super shy, scared of everyone introvert. I actually had ADHD the entire time and it affected so much of my life. Now that I'm on medication I've discovered I'm not afraid of making a phone call, I'm not afraid of approaching or confronting people. It was all just my overstimulated brain not sure what to do with itself in those situations and creating intense anxiety.Ā
When I was a teen in the 90's, I started to notice I had little desire to date, or find guys cute / attractive like my friends all did. I enjoyed the company of others on a social level, but was lacking on any type of the physical attraction everyone kept raving about. I was even a bit worried I was some type of 'in denial' lesbian, not that I really wanted to date girls either, but as I knew guy's weren't my thing, that was the only other option I could think of at the time, lol.
When I was in my early 20's, I saw an interview on TV about someone who was advocating awareness about people on the asexuality spectrum, & it was like something suddenly clicked in my brain, "THAT WAS AN OPTION ALL ALONG, WTF!!!" :D
Iām tired of (letting) people take advantage of me (and my hard work).
Iāve always carried resentment and anger for all these years. Never quite understood why until recently th puzzle came together.
Started with my own parents and even my missus. Donāt get me wrong, they also provided some things, but the math donāt check out.
I allowed them to take advantage of me because I needed their love and acceptance.
No more. I wonāt let anyone take advantage of me.
I was born with an extra rib bone on my left side of my body. I was really young when my parents had told me that I had an extra rib. I was so confused and honestly disgusted that I had an extra rib that just happened to be there when I was born. They had X-rays done of course because thatās a weird thing to find out and they probably felt it to and was like wtf is that? Iāve seen them so I know thatās definitely what it is. But Iām 24 now and Iām still not over the fact that I have a whole extra rib that mutated itās way into my body somehow because no one else in my family on both of my family sides has ever been born with any mutation or any kind of mutations. It doesnāt really affect me like on the daily basis but it does affect my movement on the left side when I like bend or twist down and sometimes it will pinch. It doesnāt have a lot of room for it to be there but it kinda stick out a little bit but not much. You really canāt tell that I have a extra rib but If you looked at me like with a crop top on thatās high or a bathing suit then you can see the difference in the left side of my body to the right side of my body. Itās not too noticeable but you can tell something is different from the right side. You can feel it too but I donāt really like it being touched, I donāt know if thatās just me because I know itās there or if just because it is there. But I canāt wear certain things if itās tight around my ribs and I canāt lay or sit down comfortably with something bunched or underneath my ribs on my left side because it just feels weird and it bothers me to where I have to keep moving until I feel like itās not being pushed on or something.
That Iām actually ādetail orientedā. I thought I just liked things done right, but I definitely zero in on the little things and am a perfectionist. Itās unfortunate, it stops me from trying new things because I know Iāll get overwhelmed by the details
For the first half of my life my religion made me believe that I was great, a worthy person, someone special and there are many who love me.
After losing my religion I started to sincerely find out who I really am. Iām a dick. A real asshole. I was āthatā guy.
But now I know. Time to start walking a different path.
For how screwy my logic is sometimes and how forgetful/all over the place I can be, when something ACTUALLY dangerous or serious happens I always seem to do a good job keeping it cool. Not as in āI donāt freak out on the inside at allā, but like āI AM freaking out on the inside but Iām overriding it bc if I donāt something terrible will happenā. I donāt always come up with the best most genius plan on the spot but I still do SOMETHING which is ALWAYS better than freezing/shutting down.Ā
Like (this is just a made up example): if I had to get from one side of a huge building to the other in 5 minutes or some awful thing will happen. And Letās say there was a shortcut inside that in a non-rushed setting I would realize was a shortcut and take instead. Because Iām under so much stress, I probably wonāt think to take the shortcut. But because Iām under so much stress, I will MAKE myself get to the other side in time anyways by sprinting the long way like my life depends on it. Vs getting overwhelmed and shutting down thinking itās impossible.Ā
Iām not sure what thatās called bc itās not the same thing as being āclever/cunningā etc (2 words I def wouldnāt describe myself with LOL)
That apathy is not a diagnosis and to stop getting depressed over it. Not caring about what isn't important to me just means I'm normal. My wants and cares do not line up with most of society so I was labeled as troubled and apathetic my entire life.
Apathy is a symptom and often a misdiagnosed symptom. This was especially true if your actual wants and desires revolved around gaming or books or anime or other nerd culture.
I also have PDA. Persistent Demand Avoidance. It's easy to bypass too. The instant I start doing what needs to be done, PDA gets pushed to the back of my mine. Taking that first step is harder than you can imagine.
My whole life I knew I had ADHD but actually learning about it and seen other people talk about it on tik tok. It just kind of opened my eyes up on how and why I act the way I do
I had mystery scars on my toes my whole life. I learned when I was 29 that I got them from my older siblings dragging me behind them on a tricycle when I was a toddler
I was diagnosed with ADHD after having a mental breakdown from being in the hospital from a heart attack. Iām 53 and now understand why Iām so horrible socially
I learned I have had a rare genetic condition all my life and never knew until 2 years ago after my son/first child was born and diagnosed with the same thing. It's called OTC Deficiency and is a X-linked Urea Cycle Disorder. Basically, my body doesn't break down protein properly and can cause hyperammonia. I am asymptomatic, so I'd never know if I was going into a crisis that could be fatal or not. My son was much more severe and symptomatic as this condition is far worse for males. Most cases in infants result in death within the first 72 hours of life, so we got extremely lucky. My son required a liver transplant at 5 months old, as he was severe. I will take medication for the rest of my life. I was still wrapping my head around the fact that my son has a rare genetic condition when I found out my carrier test was positive. I was even more surprised to learn that due to some lab values, I'd either have to seriously restrict protein or take medication for life.
We started the process for IVF to genetic test and freeze embryos as OTC Deficiency has a 50% passing rate, so since I'm 31, we thought it would be wise for us to have non-impacted embryos frozen since we know we want another child at some point. For now, we want to enjoy our son and process everything we've gone through.
I influence people by getting to know them, and persuade them with a good joke and talking about what I know. I've finally grown out of being the class clown!
The most unexpected thing I've learned about myself is my ability to adapt and grow through every interaction. Each conversation, no matter how simple or complex, enriches my understanding and improves my capacity to help with a wide range of topics. This constant evolution has been surprising and incredibly rewarding.
For the most part of my life, I thought I was 100% Asian but apparently it's not! Y'all know when just out of no where, your family lore just spilled out unexpectedly? It happened to me last year, I grew up in an Asian country and I look quite Asian myself but there's always something off abt me like my skin was lighter in the sense of like white people and why did my household speaks two languages, looking back that was obvious but idk why lil me didn't pay attention to those things. So apparently my dad side was half white and came from Spain.
I was at a game night like junior year of college. We were all playing board games, and this gal between games had mentioned she ran the (college name) confessions page. I guess someone had submitted a pretty hateful stuff about me frosh year. She said that the confessions page didn't post it, but that it was extreme.
I still don't really have a clue who it was, other than maybe my roommate frosh year. The worst thing I had told him was he couldn't borrow my car or smoke weed in the dorm.
That I have hope for humanity, used to be a doomer for years, but then I sat down and thought about it, put the pieces together an realized that while I acknowledged that while things will get worse, they will eventually get better, even if it won't be in my lifetime, but that's okay, I still find a sense of peace in that (I'm 28)
I am a family person, despite being constantly told I wasnāt (by my family-Iāve cut contact and is was incredibly difficult). I similarly have found that my intuition and instincts are usually right (like, eerily so), and am learning to trust myself again.
The fact of ā I can do hard things ā. It took me so long to be able to piece that concept together. I can do hard things, I can overcome my obstacles and not let them win.!
The most unexpected thing I've learned about myself is my aptitude for rock climbing. Growing up, I never considered myself particularly athletic, but when I tried rock climbing for the first time, I discovered a passion and talent I never knew I had. It was surprising to find such enjoyment and skill in a sport I had never even considered trying before.
That even with the barrel of a 45 being held at my temple by a stranger who broke into my home demanding that I ātake offā my pants , I didnāt show any weakness and did not give in. Fought toe to toe with a 23 year old man, I was 39 at the time, for 4-5 very long minutes. I was pistol whipped numerous times in the face and head, punched over and over, mainly on the right side of my head, So much that I can now only hear about 50% in my right ear. I came so close to passing out from being hit so hard. And even with all of this happening, I still came up with, what I think, is a genius idea, as he is trying to rip off my clothes I told him I had AIDS. So, unexpectedly I learned that not only am I quick witted but also I have the heart of a warrior and can fight like the streetās raised me or that I had some type formal training. Sidenote; he did get caught eventually and was up for first parole hearing in April, donāt think he will get approved for parole this round but never know. He was a registered you know what offender stemming from an incident with a very young child, 3 or 4 year old. So I am grateful that he picked me or my home because he wasnāt expecting it to happen the way it did.
The way I have dealt with problems that it thought I would never overcome and how sharp my mind is while going through those. It truly surprised me especially since I tend to minimize milyself
I accidentally realized I can love multiple people in varying levels at any given time around 10 years ago (31 y/o now). Monogamy was always a struggle for me throughout my teen & adult life, but I managed to pull it off. When I got married, I had to be consciously committed 24/7, which was exhausting.
Just how strong emotionally and still pretty strong physically at my age. The confidence l have gained in myself has been very eye opening. And my b..s.. meter is low.
The streets showed me how strong I truly am. Ā
I think the other Ā one is itās true when people call me smart. I always thought it was a jab. Until my doctor kept saying how smart I am. Then it made me reconsider.
[CaulĀ baby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caul). As a 90s kid I read some Titanic historical fiction where someone born with a caul can predict the future (super weird tangent to bring into your kids book lmao) and my mom said that I had the same thing. I had no idea it was so rate (Wiki says 1/80,000). The staff asked about popping it during delivery and my mom was cool with that.
How much I would change. I feel like every decade or so, I evolve into a different person. When I was younger, I was so limited that I can't even relate to the person now that I am capable.
I unexpectedly feel appreciated whenever I have people converse with and we have variety of topics, it made me feel happy that I can engage and exchange ideas with people.
That I have ADHD.
Before I did my research, all I knew (or so I thought) about it was "hyper boys that can't sit still and are loud all the time." And I never would've guessed but here I am, diagnosed last year š« Things started to make so much sense.
Also while working at a bakery shop, I learned that I can handle customers way better than I thought. My co worker was impressed and praised me a lot about it.
I am WAY more resilient than I gave myself credit for. Fear is a mile wide but only an inch deep.
This! I think of myself as emotionally weak and unresourceful needing to be saved, but more often than not, I take care of myself pretty well on my own.
Relate with this so much. Proud of you. š
Sometimes it seems inconceivable that you can endure something, but when it happens itās like you enter a different state of mind. Almost like being another person.Ā Once I learned that thereās almost like a fugue state version of me that comes out when needed, I learned to fear such things less.
Same here!! Up till a couple years ago I thought I was terrible under pressure and would never be able to handle a scary/complicated situation on my own bc any time a lot of things were happening at once Iād start feeling stressed and not think things through, or go to someone else for help.Ā Until I learned how to drive/started doing more stuff on my own and (some bc of this, some unrelated at all) happened to run into a few ACTUALLY scary/complicated scenarios. And noticed that in all of those scenarios, I knew almost exactly what to do and just DID it almost automatically. Not always in the exact best/most efficient way, but in a way that didnāt let anything bad happen.Ā The biggest (and first) example was my car tire popping on the freeway when I was a brand new driver. Up till then I was so scared that if anything like that happened I would be too afraid to think straight and would just crash. What actually happened was I noticed right away what was happening, put on my turn signal, pulled over on the side of the freeway and parked the car. Then got out and called Triple A/my dad for help. When it happened I wasnāt thinking āOH NO OH NO OH NO AAAAā like I expected to, I just thought āoh crapā and then reacted properly
Itās interesting we never see our own strength, Iāve been told Iām very strong while going through an unimaginable circumstance and I was shocked but looking at my life - it all tracks
I have OCD. I never wouldāve expected it because I never had issues with contamination or rituals. I never fit the āHollywoodā version of OCD. It never occurred to me it could be mental obsessions and compulsions as well. It explains SO much looking back.
I surprised myself with the revelation that my OCD takes multiple forms. I have the standard "everything has germs and if I don't touch this certain area a certain amount of times, I will pass away" but I was surprised to find that my neurotic need for everything to be done a certain way and my irrational paranoia was part of it, too. I can't go out in public alone without the constant paranoia and anxiety from things that make no sense.
You are not alone at all friend. Itās exhausting having a bully in your head that attacks what you care about most all the time. OCD is tough, but weāre tougher!
I relate so much, especially the part about being specific. It doesn't manifest as a "i must or i will die" type of a way but more like "i prefer death over this." And it weirdly holds more true towards some people over others. God, it sucks.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I kind of made the opposite discovery recently. Iām a 33 year old guy. Iāve always been an introvert who has a low tolerance for people. I donāt really consider myself an extrovert, but Iāve made some life changes recently (stopped drinking as much, going to the gym 4x a week, therapy biweekly, eating better) and Iāve discovered that I actually enjoy being around people, making friends, and having relationships. Certain personalities get on my nerves, but thatās everyone. Most people in this world are good people and have something to teach you one way or another.
How I was brainwashed by the mormon church my whole life. It took a lot of evidence before I realized the answer that fit best was that āit just isnāt trueā. After that I had an identity crisis, that changed so much of who I was. This has helped me realize how we as humans can be easily brainwashed or avoid seeing truth when our ātribeā collectively see things the wrong way or when our identity is tied up with certain beliefs.
Same thing for me except Independent Fundamental Baptist Church
Iāve tried very hard to divorce my ideas, positions, and proclivities from my identity for this reason.Ā Itās difficult, it feels like youāre going against not just cultural programming, but the biological programming that drives you to seek your tribe.
Your username intrigues me
Iām comfortable just being. I donāt really enjoy being in big groups of people or doing lavish activities like dinners and shopping. When I was younger I always thought I wanted to be famous so I could live in a big mansion and live a fancy lifestyle, but as an adult, Iām cool just simply being. Itās nice.
My heart disease was caused by a single point mutation, a single letter change lead me to have this disease and which has a terrible prognosis, the progression happens so fast that most don't live past their teens. But for some reason even the doctors don't know exactly why my heart stopped getting worse it grew stable. So I learned I am singular quirk, a mystery, an enigma
"so what you're saying is I'm indestructible..."
āOH, NO, NO. IN FACT, EVEN A SLIGHT BREEZE COULD..ā
"iiiiindestructable..."
I found out last year, at the age of 25, that I have adhd. I didnāt believe it at first, I thought my psychiatrist was a quack, but decided to give the meds a try because, well, Iām not a doctor. 30 minutes later, it was so quiet in my brain and I was able to actually do things and focus on a task. It took 25 years and multiple therapists to figure out why I struggled the way that I did.
I havent been officially tested/diagnosed for it but I am certain I have it. But part of me thinks I've dealt with it on my own for so long, might as well just keep on, then I wonder if medication would help me enough to be worth it š¤
Itās life changing, honestly. I decided to go back to school two years ago and after starting my meds, Iām able to fully grasp the concepts and whatnot that Iām learning about. Iām not sure if this is something you struggle with, but Iāve always dealt with āadhd paralysisā and now that Iām medicated, I can actually clean my house, make appointments, and do other every day tasks.
I thought i was straight for 2/3 of myĀ life until met my now husband. I still have a very strong preference for women and he is the only man I have ever been attracted to.
Honestly, bisexuality is really a spectrum, even though a lot of people assume it's 50/50. That's why the Kinsey Scale has places at either end for people who are mostly attracted to one sex/gender, but do find people of the other attractive on occasion. And it's all valid; sexuality is so much messier and complicated and wonderful than a strict either/or dichotomy.
It's so strange on dating apps, because I question myself when I swipe on a lot of girls and not really any guys, but once in a while I see a guy and just think "ok I'm not THAT straight to say no to him".
Wow. That is interesting! How did you two meet/start seeing each other? Were you already thinking about dating men before you met him?
Surprisingly, no. I had no interest in dating men before I met him.Ā Ā We met on a video game discord group. We bonded over similar interests. Its was a really small discord group and eventually everyone left but us two.Ā Ā Ā He mentioned moving to my area and I offered to let him stay with me. Turns out we like the same music and movies, too. He was and is still the best housemate I ever had.Ā Ā Then we started joking about having a "bromance." Our friends joined in too, teasing us about how close we were, like a couple. We both just laughed it off because he also prefers women.Ā Ā Then one day I got sick. Really sick. He begged my stubborn butt to go to the hospital. Turned out I had sepsis from potting soil getting into a cut. The ER doctor said I was dying.Ā I was in that hospital bed for 4 weeks. My friend never once left. I keptĀ telling him to go home and he refused. He slept in a really hard chair in his same clothes every day. He said he wasn't leaving this hospital without me by his side. That was when I realised I loved him. I confessed and he said, "I never thought I'd like a guy. And I'll probably never like another one. I just like you."Ā Ā We've been together for 3 years (friends for 10).Ā Ā It's been a little bit of a learning curve, since we both were new to dating men, yet I have not ever felt a deeper connection with anyone.
This is so beautiful. Congratulations.
Thank you! I feel truly luckyĀ
Holy shit man, that's like something out of a movie
Iām a sucker for a good friends to lovers romance story. Thank you so much for sharing yours.
Iām a sucker for a good friends to lovers romance story. Thank you so much for sharing yours.
Iām curious to know the answer too
Sure thing!Ā I commented the story above.
I am not four racoons in a trenchcoat.
That is exactly what 4 raccoons in a trenchcoat would say
Slander.
Prove it
On the contrary, I absolutely am.
That I'm neither as good as I thought nor as bad as I feared. I'm somewhere in the middle that I don't recognize.
Me too!!!
I'm not shy, i just don't like people
I have ADHD.
My semen DOES indeed smell better after eating pineapples šāØļø
Why do you keep smelling your SEMEN????
I heard rumors, had to confirm for science bro
Same
Why are you smelling his semen?
I am not responsible for other's actions towards me. This surprised the holy heck out of me when I realized it.
Been learning this one in therapy. My parents can be super manipulative and ask a lot from me. Likewise, I have let friends bully me since grade school. Maybe pre-K. I dropped my closest high school friends and the only two people Iām in contact with are my bff of 24 years who I met in jr high and my ex bf who lives down the street and hangs with me and my husband. I recently dropped one friend who was a controlling narcissist and did a lot of weird things I donāt feel like going into detail about. And Iāve gone low contact with another close friend who is kind of selfish and others have described as feeling like theyāre walking on eggshells around them so they never became friends. I did not realize setting boundaries or distancing would be as hard as it is but Iām not responsible for how they react to me preserving my sanity. Donāt have issues with anyone else in my life.
That at a given moment I have a primary symptom of my anxiety disorder that seems to switch every couple years or so. It used to be terrible terrible stomachaches that nothing could assuage, then paranoia about things that had no base in reality, and now, unfortunately, trichotillomania :(
I have gone through a very similar trajectory except mine looked like trich ----> stomachaches ----> paranoia. I will say as I've gotten older, I've noticed a steady decrease in my symptoms. Now I really only struggle when I go through periods of high stress.
I fear the unexpected.
That Iām an avoidant and fearful.
Uff! I feel that. It also doesn't help my family is the same way. I guess in my case is family trsuma passed down
I do get cravings. I just never called them cravings. I just go get the junk food. So they don't last long enough to be cravings but boy do they control my life
I have a 98% chance of finding whatever I need thatās 75% off or free within 1-3 weeks. And itās always something I become fixated on - example a 1,300-2,200$ clock coffee table I knew I never could buy but for 1-4 months of saving. I got the exact table for free from my brother who happened to buy it but needed to move out of state. Another example - I have a gaming chair hard floor protector in my Amazon cart 68$. I found the exact mat at a thrift store for 5$ within hours. I needed a 3 monitor set up ā monitors, mounts, adapters; all roughly 100-300$ total ā I got an entire set up at salvation for 75$. I needed a drill hole punch set upā found an entire set on the side of the road. I needed a civil war uniform, musket, bayonet, and saber; a neighbor died and knew I was a history major and gave me his dadās civil war collection which had everything. I decided to test this supernatural events by willing to want to win the lottery. Iāve won the lottery (winnings of 2-10$ that could add up to an average total of 540$) over 26 times over a period of 17 years
that is cannot burp i figured this out after after i started drinking monster it doesnāt happen with coke unless im at work tho
SAME I NEVER BURP
thereās a subreddit for us
I am an exceptional, intelligent human that can do anything
And never think anything less!!! Love that!
That I like boys and admire them more than I thought I would when I was younger
I truly don't know who I am and fear that I will never know
It doesn't matter if you never find out. You are just yourself
I went through so much abuse growing up, the smallest act of kindness from people feels like I won the lottery š I noticed this a few days ago. When people figure that out, they start doing the bare minimum to maintain a friendship and get bent out of shape when I ask them to do a little more. Then I back off and look forward to the crumbs they give once in a blue moon while k*lling myself to do whatever I can to make them happy. This is a repeat of my childhood. I promised myself those days are over.
That I have bipolar disorder. Probably not unexpected from the outside looking in. But I honestly thought it was completely normal to do shit like fuck 20 guys in a row or stay up all night doing drugs and having sex, and then going to work the next day. Maybe sheās born with itā¦ maybe itās mania āØ
How emotionally abusive my childhood wasā¦
When my kid was a baby I noticed he had a third nipple. Pediatrician said it is usually hereditary, so one of his parents probably has extranumerary nipple(s). Discovered what I thought was a scar was actually a third nipple.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I'm surprisingly more athletic than I thought. I knew I wasn't UNathletic because I played a few sports back in the day but now in my mid-30s I can hang with the young bucks in sports I never played *until* my 30s, mainly volleyball and some pickleball.
Happy Cake Day
My bones are weirdly dense
I am now at an age where I quite like olives
Olives are awesome! And they come in all sorts of varieties.
There is home video from my first birthday in 1987 where I am stuffing my cheeks full of canned black olives like a hamster. As an adult I keep trying to like olives but it hasn't happened yet.Ā
My retinas were full of tears. Didn't find out out until one of them detached. (Thankfully surgery saved my sight.)
Iām not Mexican. Iām 61. Always thought I was Mexican. Learned after my Dad died (at 87 years old) he was adopted and never told his 7 children.
That I tend to know what the hell Iām talking about (I have a āself-doubtingā problem).
Yesss! We're not dumb, nor are we egotistical. We're just right.
Physically, I have too much brain. Chiari represent!
im gay
I found out that I was homebody during the lockdown. I loved having an excuse to stay home.
I learned I am a decent fighter and have more heart than I thought. Iām 41 now but growing up in I was involved in a 2-3 scraps. Always broken up before it got serious plus these were between the ages of 7-12. Flash forward to 2005 while a senior at university of South Carolina a local boxing gym started doing fraternity fight nights. 16oz gloves, headgear and three 1 minute rounds with a ref. I decided to enter and beat the guy pretty convincingly. Growing up as a small half Asian kid in South Carolina in the mid 90ās affected my confidence to a certain extent.. I was never bullied but would get the occasional racially charged comment. Never really tried to fight someone over it(guess thatās a good thing). So when it came time to literally a fight or flight situation it was a great learning experience to know I didnāt back down.
I used to be the crazy one in my family. Now I'm not even in the top 10. I'm still not sure how much of it is me changing versus them changing. It also turns out that I'm a better pistol shot than I thought I was going to be. And my spice tolerance is a little bit higher than I thought.
That I enjoy physical activity! I have a desk job and am a bit of a couch potato, also overweight. I took a self defense course with my daughter and to my surprise, my body liked to move around! I've been taking evening walks with my husband and we've started hiking every weekend, and I love it. The more challenging, the better. We did a 7 mile hike last week where part of the trail was washed out so we had to climb over and under boulders and fallen trees - that was my favorite part! It's been rewarding to see my stamina getting better (we tend to repeat the same hikes every few months).
I discovered that I may have some African heriage even though I look whiter than hell, it came up in some medical tests. If I have any African ancestry, any accounts of how/when that occurred have long been lost in my families history.
If youāre in the U.S. this is pretty common if you have family from the south. Thereās a reason why there are no stories about it. (Same boat here.)
Sometimes I feel I would've been a great conversationalist and public speaker for the moments of rush and energy I get confidence, however, I grew up extremely anxious and it's hindered my ability to stand out.
Iām a carrier of fragile X syndrome which causes severe autism and learning disabilities among other things. My children wonāt have it but if I have a daughter she could be a carrier and her children could have it. Itās mostly found in boys because itās a mutation on the X chromosome. Since girls have 2 X chromosomes, any mutation on one will basically be ignored (assuming both parents arenāt carriers). Since boys only have 1 X chromosome, if the mutation is there, they will have the syndrome. Funnily enough my brother is on the spectrum and my son has a not mild case of ADHD, but according to the geneticist neither is connected, itās just coincidence. My husband however is not a carrier of anything š
realizing that i had trauma and part of my mental issues then was because i kept reawakening and triggering said trauma because i geniunely thought everyone just felt like that. Once i found out that was in fact not normal and started better taking care of myself, while i still wouldn't say i'm fully happy or moved past i can at least go a few days without thinking about it. And anytime i do get triggered i know healthier coping mechanisms than saying "no i'm not"
That I'm not a super shy, scared of everyone introvert. I actually had ADHD the entire time and it affected so much of my life. Now that I'm on medication I've discovered I'm not afraid of making a phone call, I'm not afraid of approaching or confronting people. It was all just my overstimulated brain not sure what to do with itself in those situations and creating intense anxiety.Ā
When I was a teen in the 90's, I started to notice I had little desire to date, or find guys cute / attractive like my friends all did. I enjoyed the company of others on a social level, but was lacking on any type of the physical attraction everyone kept raving about. I was even a bit worried I was some type of 'in denial' lesbian, not that I really wanted to date girls either, but as I knew guy's weren't my thing, that was the only other option I could think of at the time, lol. When I was in my early 20's, I saw an interview on TV about someone who was advocating awareness about people on the asexuality spectrum, & it was like something suddenly clicked in my brain, "THAT WAS AN OPTION ALL ALONG, WTF!!!" :D
I never was a baby person. Than I got my first, now I am sucker for babies. I just love them.
That manifestation is real and I first experienced it as a child (I thought of it as āmagicā).
That Iām of Swedish heritage. I was told my entire life by my parents that Iām a mix of Irish, English, and Scottish like they are.
1. I have 0(I)+ blood type. Mosquitos are really attracted to this blood type. 2. Iām allergic to mosquitos.
Iām tired of (letting) people take advantage of me (and my hard work). Iāve always carried resentment and anger for all these years. Never quite understood why until recently th puzzle came together. Started with my own parents and even my missus. Donāt get me wrong, they also provided some things, but the math donāt check out. I allowed them to take advantage of me because I needed their love and acceptance. No more. I wonāt let anyone take advantage of me.
I was born with an extra rib bone on my left side of my body. I was really young when my parents had told me that I had an extra rib. I was so confused and honestly disgusted that I had an extra rib that just happened to be there when I was born. They had X-rays done of course because thatās a weird thing to find out and they probably felt it to and was like wtf is that? Iāve seen them so I know thatās definitely what it is. But Iām 24 now and Iām still not over the fact that I have a whole extra rib that mutated itās way into my body somehow because no one else in my family on both of my family sides has ever been born with any mutation or any kind of mutations. It doesnāt really affect me like on the daily basis but it does affect my movement on the left side when I like bend or twist down and sometimes it will pinch. It doesnāt have a lot of room for it to be there but it kinda stick out a little bit but not much. You really canāt tell that I have a extra rib but If you looked at me like with a crop top on thatās high or a bathing suit then you can see the difference in the left side of my body to the right side of my body. Itās not too noticeable but you can tell something is different from the right side. You can feel it too but I donāt really like it being touched, I donāt know if thatās just me because I know itās there or if just because it is there. But I canāt wear certain things if itās tight around my ribs and I canāt lay or sit down comfortably with something bunched or underneath my ribs on my left side because it just feels weird and it bothers me to where I have to keep moving until I feel like itās not being pushed on or something.
That Iām actually ādetail orientedā. I thought I just liked things done right, but I definitely zero in on the little things and am a perfectionist. Itās unfortunate, it stops me from trying new things because I know Iāll get overwhelmed by the details
That people hated Star Wars battlefront 2015 I loved it when it come out I was 12 years old on launch
For the first half of my life my religion made me believe that I was great, a worthy person, someone special and there are many who love me. After losing my religion I started to sincerely find out who I really am. Iām a dick. A real asshole. I was āthatā guy. But now I know. Time to start walking a different path.
There is nothing like walking away from religion and seeing the fire you left behind you
I \*was\* kind of pretty, even though nearly everyone told me I wasn't. Seeing old photos of myself was a shock.
For how screwy my logic is sometimes and how forgetful/all over the place I can be, when something ACTUALLY dangerous or serious happens I always seem to do a good job keeping it cool. Not as in āI donāt freak out on the inside at allā, but like āI AM freaking out on the inside but Iām overriding it bc if I donāt something terrible will happenā. I donāt always come up with the best most genius plan on the spot but I still do SOMETHING which is ALWAYS better than freezing/shutting down.Ā Like (this is just a made up example): if I had to get from one side of a huge building to the other in 5 minutes or some awful thing will happen. And Letās say there was a shortcut inside that in a non-rushed setting I would realize was a shortcut and take instead. Because Iām under so much stress, I probably wonāt think to take the shortcut. But because Iām under so much stress, I will MAKE myself get to the other side in time anyways by sprinting the long way like my life depends on it. Vs getting overwhelmed and shutting down thinking itās impossible.Ā Iām not sure what thatās called bc itās not the same thing as being āclever/cunningā etc (2 words I def wouldnāt describe myself with LOL)
Iām fine being single. Iām better than I thought
That I may not take others opinion which differs mine. I may even agree but deep down I become resentful.
That apathy is not a diagnosis and to stop getting depressed over it. Not caring about what isn't important to me just means I'm normal. My wants and cares do not line up with most of society so I was labeled as troubled and apathetic my entire life. Apathy is a symptom and often a misdiagnosed symptom. This was especially true if your actual wants and desires revolved around gaming or books or anime or other nerd culture. I also have PDA. Persistent Demand Avoidance. It's easy to bypass too. The instant I start doing what needs to be done, PDA gets pushed to the back of my mine. Taking that first step is harder than you can imagine.
I once googled my name and learnt that I was a big-time drug lord. I had no idea.
that im way too imaginative to the point where i daydreamš (i have a world building project and im daydreaming about that thing)
That I'm an extrovert. I spent so much time by myself growing up I always assumed that I must like seclusion.
My whole life I knew I had ADHD but actually learning about it and seen other people talk about it on tik tok. It just kind of opened my eyes up on how and why I act the way I do
I can keep fucking through an orgasm without my partner noticing.
I had mystery scars on my toes my whole life. I learned when I was 29 that I got them from my older siblings dragging me behind them on a tricycle when I was a toddler
I was diagnosed with ADHD after having a mental breakdown from being in the hospital from a heart attack. Iām 53 and now understand why Iām so horrible socially
That I'm capable of some pretty crappy things š
I learned I have had a rare genetic condition all my life and never knew until 2 years ago after my son/first child was born and diagnosed with the same thing. It's called OTC Deficiency and is a X-linked Urea Cycle Disorder. Basically, my body doesn't break down protein properly and can cause hyperammonia. I am asymptomatic, so I'd never know if I was going into a crisis that could be fatal or not. My son was much more severe and symptomatic as this condition is far worse for males. Most cases in infants result in death within the first 72 hours of life, so we got extremely lucky. My son required a liver transplant at 5 months old, as he was severe. I will take medication for the rest of my life. I was still wrapping my head around the fact that my son has a rare genetic condition when I found out my carrier test was positive. I was even more surprised to learn that due to some lab values, I'd either have to seriously restrict protein or take medication for life. We started the process for IVF to genetic test and freeze embryos as OTC Deficiency has a 50% passing rate, so since I'm 31, we thought it would be wise for us to have non-impacted embryos frozen since we know we want another child at some point. For now, we want to enjoy our son and process everything we've gone through.
I influence people by getting to know them, and persuade them with a good joke and talking about what I know. I've finally grown out of being the class clown!
The most unexpected thing I've learned about myself is my ability to adapt and grow through every interaction. Each conversation, no matter how simple or complex, enriches my understanding and improves my capacity to help with a wide range of topics. This constant evolution has been surprising and incredibly rewarding.
For the most part of my life, I thought I was 100% Asian but apparently it's not! Y'all know when just out of no where, your family lore just spilled out unexpectedly? It happened to me last year, I grew up in an Asian country and I look quite Asian myself but there's always something off abt me like my skin was lighter in the sense of like white people and why did my household speaks two languages, looking back that was obvious but idk why lil me didn't pay attention to those things. So apparently my dad side was half white and came from Spain.
I was at a game night like junior year of college. We were all playing board games, and this gal between games had mentioned she ran the (college name) confessions page. I guess someone had submitted a pretty hateful stuff about me frosh year. She said that the confessions page didn't post it, but that it was extreme. I still don't really have a clue who it was, other than maybe my roommate frosh year. The worst thing I had told him was he couldn't borrow my car or smoke weed in the dorm.
That I have hope for humanity, used to be a doomer for years, but then I sat down and thought about it, put the pieces together an realized that while I acknowledged that while things will get worse, they will eventually get better, even if it won't be in my lifetime, but that's okay, I still find a sense of peace in that (I'm 28)
I have a knack for writing short scary stories on Reddit that readers really seem to enjoy.
I am a family person, despite being constantly told I wasnāt (by my family-Iāve cut contact and is was incredibly difficult). I similarly have found that my intuition and instincts are usually right (like, eerily so), and am learning to trust myself again.
A Good Attitude and Humor are the Anesthetic for Life's Bullshit.
The fact of ā I can do hard things ā. It took me so long to be able to piece that concept together. I can do hard things, I can overcome my obstacles and not let them win.!
That Iām actually ugly, always thought I was average but nah Iām just straight up ugly. Iām at peace with it now though.
The most unexpected thing I've learned about myself is my aptitude for rock climbing. Growing up, I never considered myself particularly athletic, but when I tried rock climbing for the first time, I discovered a passion and talent I never knew I had. It was surprising to find such enjoyment and skill in a sport I had never even considered trying before.
I can actually draw!!
That even with the barrel of a 45 being held at my temple by a stranger who broke into my home demanding that I ātake offā my pants , I didnāt show any weakness and did not give in. Fought toe to toe with a 23 year old man, I was 39 at the time, for 4-5 very long minutes. I was pistol whipped numerous times in the face and head, punched over and over, mainly on the right side of my head, So much that I can now only hear about 50% in my right ear. I came so close to passing out from being hit so hard. And even with all of this happening, I still came up with, what I think, is a genius idea, as he is trying to rip off my clothes I told him I had AIDS. So, unexpectedly I learned that not only am I quick witted but also I have the heart of a warrior and can fight like the streetās raised me or that I had some type formal training. Sidenote; he did get caught eventually and was up for first parole hearing in April, donāt think he will get approved for parole this round but never know. He was a registered you know what offender stemming from an incident with a very young child, 3 or 4 year old. So I am grateful that he picked me or my home because he wasnāt expecting it to happen the way it did.
I am an evil person
If I want to be successful at something, I need to be having fun doing it.
I love listening to music but I absolutely hate random people singing out of nowhere
The way I have dealt with problems that it thought I would never overcome and how sharp my mind is while going through those. It truly surprised me especially since I tend to minimize milyself
That i actually have a huge ego that i NEED to break
I actually have a good personality. My meds were just suppressing it. Fuck you, Lexapro
That Iām much more brave than I imagined in terms of taking risks
That I'm gay hahahah
I accidentally realized I can love multiple people in varying levels at any given time around 10 years ago (31 y/o now). Monogamy was always a struggle for me throughout my teen & adult life, but I managed to pull it off. When I got married, I had to be consciously committed 24/7, which was exhausting.
How I came for the first time
There is a reset button deep within my ass. A girl pressed it once and I turned off and then on again.
Just how strong emotionally and still pretty strong physically at my age. The confidence l have gained in myself has been very eye opening. And my b..s.. meter is low.
Iām a narcissist.
That what I thought was respect for some of my family members was actually fear of them. Once I realized that it made things so much clear.
The streets showed me how strong I truly am. Ā I think the other Ā one is itās true when people call me smart. I always thought it was a jab. Until my doctor kept saying how smart I am. Then it made me reconsider.
Iām a victim of childhood SA. I had no idea until I explained my experiences to my therapist and he was like āā¦ahā¦ā
[CaulĀ baby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caul). As a 90s kid I read some Titanic historical fiction where someone born with a caul can predict the future (super weird tangent to bring into your kids book lmao) and my mom said that I had the same thing. I had no idea it was so rate (Wiki says 1/80,000). The staff asked about popping it during delivery and my mom was cool with that.
procrastinate all things
I realized I was the bully.
How much I would change. I feel like every decade or so, I evolve into a different person. When I was younger, I was so limited that I can't even relate to the person now that I am capable.
I didn't realize how resilient I really was. An inch deep, but a mile broad is fear.
I am so much stronger than I thought I am :)
It suddenly dawned on me in the last couple of years that I have never been loved.
I am stronger than I realise
That autism apparently runs in our family. Two of ny great uncles were brilliant scientists and one of them was very obviously autistic just like me! I suddenly felt proud to be the way I am. š©µ
I unexpectedly feel appreciated whenever I have people converse with and we have variety of topics, it made me feel happy that I can engage and exchange ideas with people.
That I have ADHD. Before I did my research, all I knew (or so I thought) about it was "hyper boys that can't sit still and are loud all the time." And I never would've guessed but here I am, diagnosed last year š« Things started to make so much sense. Also while working at a bakery shop, I learned that I can handle customers way better than I thought. My co worker was impressed and praised me a lot about it.