[reedf1]

I was recently labelled neurodivergent by a colleague at work, as far as I can tell this is simply because I am good with numbers and don't like parties. I'm not sure how I feel about this, I wouldn't say I am Autistic or show any representative characteristics.

[cardanome]

Autism or well any form of neurodivergence are about how you work on the inside. It is not possible to observe how a person behaves and just diagnose someone. That is why getting a diagnosis is a whole process involving a trained professional.

Your colleague is full of shit. Generally, neurodivergence is for everyone who regularly experiences that the way their brain works causes them trouble.

Self diagnosis is surprisingly accurate but people also tend to under estimate the severity of their symptoms.

[kayodelycaon]

I don't really like the idea of my coworkers playing armchair psychologist with the people they work with. Especially if person didn't ask for it.

Symptoms of mental disorders can be normal human traits taken to the point it affects person so severely it's an impairment.

This means anything normal can be pointed to as evidence of a disorder.

[ACCount37]

Or so you think. Humans aren't any good at that whole "self-awareness" thing.

Even the "no empathy" sociopaths can spend decades thinking that they're perfectly normal, everyone is like them, and people just pretend to be sad and grieving at the funerals because that's some kind of established convention and breaking it would be very rude.

What I'm saying is: maybe you just think you don't show any signs of autism - because you think your experience is "normal", and you think that everyone has the same struggles as you do, even when it isn't true.

Or maybe you genuinely aren't autistic at all! It's just very, very hard to say at a glance.