Hello everyone, this is my first post and not sure what to say really or where to start. I am a female in my mid 50s, diagnosed with OCD four years ago but having watched that Chris Packham programme last week, and done some Googling since, I am pretty certain that I am an aspie. So much of what he said rang a bell, a loud one, with me. I was pronounced as "gifted" as a child, had a reading age of 12+ at age 7 and ever since I can remember, have had seriously heavy duty obsessions. I can remember basically living in my own world (my own never ending adventures in a serialised tv programme which I refused to miss - ever). My parents used to organise outings etc and stuff for us to do, but told me on many occasions that as I never showed any emotion, they could never tell if I was having a good time. I was pretty well behaved at school although, especially when younger, played up a bit if I thought rules were childish or stupid, hence my parents weren't strangers to the head's office. My obsessions have varied over the years and have included rock stars and actors, for whom I have gone to great lengths to follow their careers (and in one case, actually get to know as I was seeing him so often) but, without exception, each one has taken centre stage in my life and, when not required to think about work etc, occupied the remainder of my thoughts and my number one priority.
I have always felt a bit "different", a bit out of step with the world, but have managed to make and keep friends and get married to a very understanding man who just accepts my idiosyncrasies. I find comfort in eating the same things all the time, learn routes and stick to them when driving (even when it would make more sense to go another way) and find animals much easier company than humans. I struggle to maintain eye contact when talking to people, hate small talk (which I find boring and pointless), like being on my own a lot, in fact I need to be on my own a lot. I get lost in hotels and restaurants a lot, feel sometimes that my public interactions in shops and what not are, well, not the norm (whatever that is) as I tend to make off the wall comments that others find, well, odd. I also talk to myself, out loud, and do the rehearse thing if I need to tell someone news.
I am not sure what all the above adds up to, but if I am aspie then many things make more sense than they did and I find comfort in the fact that this may explain why I am like I am and help me in the future to worry less about being who I am and trying to fit in. So, there you are, that's it for now.
