For my neurodivergent/ASD/ADHD folks in the midst of diagnosis.
Get yourself a questionnaire buddy. Neurotypical is fine, neurodivergent with an interest in neurodivergence is even better.
Because this is my second time filling out a questionnaire and it turns out with someone translating, my answers are different. For example:
- do you rock when sitting?
My answer on the sliding scale would be “disagree”. My friend pointed out I do rock when sitting. Constantly. I said no, I sway. From side to side. Rocking is back and forth.
- Do you take things literally?
My answer would be “neither agree or disagree” because I have learnt and understand metaphors. My friend redirected me to the question above as how I took rocking literally, and that being “gullible” also counts.
- various questions on “do you like social situations?”
My answer would be “neither agree or disagree”. Because it depends on the day, the place, the amount and type of people, is it loud etc etc etc. it’s a very broad question. My friend pointed out that any answer that is a “yes but…” counts as a no. “If you need all that information in order to be comfortable in a social setting…then you’re not comfortable in social settings”.
- do you do things the same way every time.
My answer would be “neither agree nor disagree” because this is the same thing as a routine, right? And sometimes you can’t do things the same way so… but, again, translation time. My friend asked “what is something you do everyday, like brushing your teeth, is there a certain way you have to do that” me “that’s silly everyone brushes their teeth the same way I’m pretty sure. It’s brushing your teeth” her “ok fair umm what about in the shower?” Me “oh you mean how I shampoo twice, rinse, then put conditioner in, soap my body and then my face, rinse my face, rinse the conditioner, then use the shower head to get all the soap off my body?” And she said “yh! Ok. Do you ever soap your face first?”
The answer was no, because I need to see to put soap on my body and scrub and I lose balance doing that with my eyes closed, which they have to be to wash my face…and if I wash my face first then it throws me off so I’ll rinse but won’t soap my body coz it’s…wrong?
So…that’s what they mean apparently. So the answer was yes.
Basically, the questionnaire to tell if someone could be in the spectrum is not actually written with us in mind, so get yourself a translator! The dr/nurse/professional who referred you can help if you ask!
Honestly it’s…interesting to learn how many behaviours I have that tick these boxes in a way I’d been avoiding for so long.
So you’re saying that if texture in food or clothes can be a deal breaker but the taste or colour/design/shape etc still matter it’s still a yes for “texture matters more than taste/looks to you”?
See I’d said no to the texture matters question in the past, because when I imagine food, I think of taste first, and I’m actually not overly “fussy” about food tastes.
But then when I actually think about it, I have spat out food and refused to finish a meal that I otherwise really enjoy when I come across a texture I didn’t expect…
(haggis, as an example, has a flavour profile I really like. But it’s a texture nightmare because there’s so much happening)
And to me shape/colour/design etc absolutely have an impact on taste or look, in my personal opinion. Like…I like pasta, but if you served me tuna napolitana (for example) but made with spaghetti…is it technically the exact same recipe? Tuna/sauce/pasta? Yes. Will it taste the same? Also, technically, yes. But is it wrong and I will absolutely hate eating it because that’s the wrong type of pasta? Also yes. So there, the “look” or “design” has overtaken the “taste”, even though I can acknowledge that the taste is still important etc etc
Hope this helps, but I’m hardly an expert, these are just things I’ve learnt from people who are experts as I’ve gone through my weird diagnosis journey
