I would be nowadays classed as having Low-Stream High-Functioning very slight-mild Autistic traits.

They just did not diagnose this stuff during my childhood/youth in the 1970s/1980s! I'm now 62-yo.

The funny thing is: my middle son and I are identical in the way we think/react/respond — yet he has been diagnosed with very mild autism!*

Common Signs in Adults (for me)

Social Challenges: Trouble reading body language, missing sarcasm, or feeling awkward in group conversations. (NB. A life-long issue for me — missing social cues).

Focused Interests: Deep, extreme focus on specific hobbies, topics, or collecting detailed facts. (For me examples are: making lists, the Beatles).

Many adults who reach their 30s, 40s, or beyond without a diagnosis are highly adept at “masking”—unconsciously mimicking neurotypical behaviours to fit in.

Chronic Social Exhaustion and “Autistic Burnout”

The “Social Hangover”: While you might manage to navigate a party, work meeting, or dinner, it requires an immense amount of deliberate mental effort. Afterward, you feel completely drained and require days of isolation to recover. [1] [2]

Severe Burnout: A history of cyclical, unexplainable physical and mental collapses. This isn't normal workplace stress; it is autistic burnout—a profound loss of functional skills and a heightened sensitivity to the world caused by years of masking. [1]

Misdiagnoses and the “Missing Handbook”

A History of Unresolved Mental Health Labels: You may have been diagnosed with generalised anxiety, depression, social phobia, or borderline personality disorder, yet therapies for these conditions never seemed to fully address the root cause of how your brain operates. [1] [2]

The “Alien” Feeling: A persistent, lifelong sensation that everyone else was handed a “social curriculum” or handbook for life that you missed out on. You might feel like an outsider looking in, even when surrounded by friends. [1]

Identification Through Family (see with my middle son [above]!)*

The Diagnostic Mirror: Many adults only realise they are autistic when their child (see above)* or relative is diagnosed. As they read through the criteria and developmental milestones for their child, they recognise their childhood and current coping mechanisms perfectly mirrored in the description.

Rocking & Autism: “Stimming”

Repetitive body rocking is one of the most common stimming behaviours in autism. Here's what you need to know:

What it is:
Rocking is a type of self-stimulatory behaviour (“stimming”) — rhythmic, repetitive movement. It may be:

- Back-and-forth
- Done sitting, standing, or lying down
- Often happens when focused, stressed, bored, or overstimulated

Why it happens

- Regulation: Calms the nervous system during stress, anxiety, or sensory overload
- Sensory input: Provides comforting vestibular (balance/movement) feedback the brain craves
- Emotional expression: Happens when excited, happy, frustrated, or upset
- Familiarity & predictability: Feels safe and controllable in an overwhelming world

It is NOT a “bad habit” — it serves an important purpose.

What helps?

Don't just try to stop it — support it instead
Accept it: It's their way of coping; acceptance builds trust
Offer alternatives: Swinging, rocking chair, trampoline, dancing, walking, fidget toys
Don't punish, mock, or restrain — this increases anxiety and makes rocking worse

Rocking is not something to be “cured” — it's a (subconscious) tool the person uses to feel okay. The goal isn't to eliminate it, but to help them feel supported so they can choose what works for them.

Stimming = short for self-stimulatory behaviour — repetitive body movements, sounds, or actions that help regulate emotions, focus, or sensory input.

Why people do it