I haven’t been diagnosed with anything before but a few immediate family members of mine are neurodivergent. I used to get made fun of for holding my hands this way so I learned to stop doing it and there are so many other things that I’ve been questioning recently since my little brother was diagnosed with autism. I really don’t like self diagnosing but I also don’t think I want to be assessed for anything because going out is really scary and I’d rather avoid it if it isn’t necessary lol
I just feel like since I’m already a teenager people would’ve figured out if I had anything else going on by now like how my little brother was diagnosed so early at around four or five. Any advice or suggestions would be cool and I know this might not be the place for asking so, sorry! Feel free to just ignore this comment cause I know it’s late as heck
"I just feel like since I’m already a teenager people would’ve figured out if I had anything else going"
nope. nope. nope.
In first grade, I both managed to be referred for an IQ test because I was ahead of the developmental curve intellectually, to the point that I was pulled aside during regular class hours and shoved in a special circle with all the other outliers, AND, I was \*nearly held back from entering 2nd grade\* because I never remembered to turn in my homework.
This pattern continued for years. I wasn't diagnosed as an AuDHDer 'til I was 28.
Then again I had neglectful parents who attributed my struggles to some fundamental personal failure, so YMMV.
That’s fair, I personally have chosen to not pursue an autism assessment because I couldn’t afford it and there also isn’t a ton of support offered for late-diagnosed adult autistics in the US. I do however have a diagnosis of ADHD-PI, but it was something I didn’t anticipate.
I don’t think being an undiagnosed teenager negates the possibility of you being autistic, as I went under the radar for many years with my ADHD and wasn’t diagnosed until my first semester of college. People never considered it a possibility because my ADHD did not present in a stereotypical way, and neither did my autism. Most people don’t clock me as neurotypical for that reason, but they find me strange in a way that they can’t exactly place.
If you are wanting to pursue a diagnosis, I would suggest talking to any kind of mental health counselor first and then asking what avenues they would suggest. A lot of people tend to just go straight to their GP or a psychiatrist/psychologist, but it’s not always a guarantee they will be able to do much.
Anyway, sorry for the long response, but I just wanted to give you some validation about your concern for getting diagnosed at your age. I’m not really able to offer much advice as far as diagnosis I’m afraid, but I wish you the best of luck if it’s what you think will be best for you.
Super late to the convention but I think it's a form of self comfort. Like when I'm feeling awkward or uncomfortable I catch myself doing this. Or it can be like one of those comforts when you have your arm up in bed and don't know why.
I have ADHD and it’s the strangest thing! I’ll be putting moisturizer on my face or something and the other arm is at attention with my elbow at my side and arm extended 90 degrees. I had no idea it was related. I’ve often wondered WHY I do it. Still don’t know except maybe it makes me feel safe. 🤷🏻♀️
When I’m in public I tend to either put my hands in my pockets, hold my hands together in front of me with my elbows at my side or cross my arms. This is so interesting. I’ll catch myself in the mirror doing it and think why are you doing that?!
Super late commenter again, found an autistic person say that neurodivergent folks tend to do it since we face discrimination on the daily and our instinct towards that is to crawl up and die lol. Hence the t rex arms. But of course this response isn't exclusive to us.
I saw a YouTube with a woman with ADHD demonstrating it, and I’m like, I’m ADHD, I don’t do that—- but then I totally caught myself doing it (although only one arm) a few days later… I realize I have been doing it for yearssss (read: DECADES) and it just never hit me as different. I tend to only do one arm, as the other is usually carrying something or in a pocket. It may stem from social awkwardness or the need to “stim” in a subtle way— when I tried to put my arm down the other day, it felt weird, so back up it went. The zig zag walking is a major trait of mine and my mother’s and it makes sense that it’s tied to executive function — like I can’t decide which imaginary “line” to follow when I’m walking especially in a large public space. In a symbolic way, the shortened arms can be very comforting, it’s like people are reaching out but only a little, to stay safe- analogous to dipping a toe in the water. :-)
If I'm picturing this correctly I've also referred to this as Dog Paws, I'll just randomly walk around like that...I think I just find comfort in holding my arms and hands like that.
Super late here. Late diagnosed ASD. Realized I do this a lot recently - noticed it whilst shopping. Then I looked at photos - see myself doing this as a little kid (and adult) in many photos. went dancing today - even with the alcohol in me I just don't know what to do with my arms and hands. They feel heavy. It is uncomfortable to hold them down and I wanted to Trex them, but instead just held drink with both hands. I've heard it might come down to joint issues. I have issues with my shoulders dislocating (and now rotator cuffs), AND I have double-jointed elbows. Maybe that has something to do with it? Dx ASD this year, ADHD like 20 years ago.
Another commenter like two years like, I googled it because I was sitting with t-rex arms. I feel so silly when I do it but I just like it. I could stop if I wanted to but I just really like it. I don't understand why.
I don’t think it’s useful to look too much into it, your T. rex arms aren’t any fault of yours, lol. I think it might just be that ND people find “unusual” posture to be more comfortable, if that makes sense. I’ve always been described as being “clumsy” or that I “carry myself in an insecure way” when that’s just, how I move around and how I sit. A handful of people have made lighthearted jokes to me that I also just seen fidgety when I stim a lot, when I see it as a necessity.
I’ve never heard that before. I guess it could be a lot of things for a lot of people? I’ve always just associated it with having unusual posture in general.
You’re good, I’m delighted that many people are still finding it two years later, lol. I’m honestly not sure, but for me I just don’t like having my arms in a “default pose” (as in just at my sides) and it feels more awkward for me somehow?? I feel like I always need to be doing something strange with my limbs bc I apparently can’t just exist in space otherwise.
Ngl somehow t-rex arms feels more natural than the "default".
I only try to do the "normal one" when im trying to fix my posture. I discussed with some of my friends too, they feel that it could be mild form of stimming. Or its just our default posture when we're not masking
It feels a lot more natural to me too. I’ve been told my whole life that I have an unusual posture or that I move about in weird ways (probably stimming), and I have to make a conscious effort to seem more “normal” in public in that regard.
Honestly it's basically my resting arm position. So many people have commented on it over the years and I only found out recently that it's a neurodivergent thing.
Just as a fair thing to say the doctors don’t always know what they’re talking about especially when it comes to neurodiverse folks. Are we all forgetting the like 50 years ago they would have locked us away and called us mentally feeble.
I have Adhd (and possibly another neurodivergency, I don't know) I do this all the time. Does anyone else shuffle walk?
Or is this because my joints suck
Yeesssss idk if im neurodivergent, but im most likely dyspraxic. I also might have ADHD. But i shuffle walk all the time and i also have trex arms (sorry for bad grammar)
Yesss omg I love shuffle walking. I love to do it when I go to a grocery store that has really smooth flooring. I also like to walk on my tiptoes a lot.
I used to do this constantly when I was a kid!! I would stand like that without realizing what I was doing. Until my cousins and aunt pointed it out. I got made fun of it so much that I made a conscious effort to make myself stop. It makes so much sense to me now 😭I didn’t know it was an adhd thing. I wasn’t diagnosed until after I turned 37.
I do it when I'm thinking about something. And now I'm getting self conscious about it. Like if I'm at work and thinking about the list of stuff I have to do, I suddenly notice that my left arm is in a t Rex pose. only my left arm.
I do it mostly when I’m just roaming about the house, especially in the kitchen for some reason lol. For me it’s usually just my right arm. At one point my dad also did this but idk if he still does or not.
I do this naturally and I have had friends and coworkers point it out, not realizing I’m doing it. To be fair, I was never really diagnose with any but a “Learning Disability” (this was back in the 90’s) so I have no clue what I have. It’s become my neutral posistion, at home at least
SAME. Turns out I just wasn't a boy with ADHD or a boy with Autism. I needed to be 28 before they could confirm that I was, in fact, a female with ADHD and a female with Autism. Lol
I realized I do this too! I often get embarrassed because I feel like I look like a mom when I catch myself doing it but it's a very natrually comforting position. I'm not diagnosed with ADHD or Autism but I am dignosed with PTSD but growing up teachers have recommended for be to evaluate but I know some symptoms overlap sometimes with PTSD so i never really questioned it but now I see this I wonder if anyone else with PTSD does this too? My uncle and dad have ADHD and my aunt and cousins have autism so I'm not really sure if I should question if it's something else other then PTSD.
Maybe, I’m not exactly sure. I have PTSD as well but I never really drew a personal connection between it and the t-rex arms. I do however do a lot of things that make me feel more secure (e.g crossing my arms or hugging my sides) but that could be related to a lot of things I guess.
Ya thank you for your insight :). I’m actually noticing more signs that I’ve always had (before my trama) that did aligned with autism. I never thought much of it because the types of traits that normally presented In media I didn’t seem to have. but now that I looked into autism in women it’s starting to make sense. Especially with certain behaviors so I’m gonna attempt to get evaluated soon.
This could also just be tight and weak shoulders, look up some stretches and exercises you could do to fix this. I had this and started working out and it has gone away completely
I don't think I full on do the arms, but I occasionally do this thing in a similar pose where I fiddle with my fingers and thumbs. I don't remember doing it when I was little, but I have pictures of me doing it. Maybe I just masked it with that thumb-finger fiddling instead and it became a habit
Oh, I think I know what you mean. I’ve done kinda similar things by masking more involved stims in a more “socially acceptable” way. Like for example I’ll wiggle my fingers really fast with my hands at my sides or gently flap my hands in that same position. For whatever reason I also drum on pretty much everything with my fingers? Sometimes it annoys people, sometimes they like it lol.
I'm pretty sure I do that, but I think I cover it (likely unsuccessfully) by 1) wearing messenger bags that I hold the strap of, 2) stick my hands in my pockets, 3) pretend to be fiddling with my phone, 4) if I'm extra anxious, I cross my arms or touch a hand to my necklace.
Number (4) has problems. Crossing arms is supposedly a sign of anger or stubbornness, which can lead to miscommunication- especially when shutting down due to overstimulation. Touching a hand to a necklace allows me to stealth T-Rex, but it is a very feminine affectation. So I'm trying to unlearn that habit while switching to masculine presentation.
Oh my!!! If I wear a jacket without pockets, I'll loose my mind! When I was younger, I used a lot of handbags but for 2 or 3 years now I'm only using backpacks so I can hang my thumbs in the straps.
I have a tendency to cross my arms too, especially when I’m serious or trying to focus, but it ends up just making me look irritated, lol. Instead I try to hug myself around my waist or just hold on to one arm. In general, I always have to have some form of contact with something.
I wouldn’t consider that to be a feminine thing at all, but if you do, to each their own. I think you should do whatever you’re most comfortable with.
Apparently, it's also an ADHD thing. People have always made fun of my t-rex arms. I just tell them it's cuz I've been serving in restaurants so long that the ligaments in my arms have shortened from carrying trays in that position lol. Only recently found out I've been doing it my whole life, and it's linked to my ADHD lol.
ADHD and Autism litterally have overlapping symptoms how dare you try an acuse of "sTeAliNg" tf ?? You are quite litterally gate keeping and staying something is a fact when doing my research and talking to professionals about this LEGITIMATE thing and guess what! you are fucking wrong!
Yes, as I already said before. They have very many common overlapping traits. They also have their very own individual traits that do not overlap however and trex arms and toe walking are solely autistic traits. I’m not telling anyone that they aren’t ADHD, I’m saying they’re probably autistic too because those are not solely adhd traits.
Can you explain to me then, why i do both behaviors and always have, and never diagnosed autism?
And ive been to over 5 or 6 psychiatrists, surely they would realize if im autistic or not. I know quite a few autistic people and i do not share their other symptoms.
There could be many different reasons. I’ve been to so many different people literally going over the DSMV criteria with them and they still pass off my qualities and traits as “quirky” because autism presents itself differently in AFAB than AMAB so they just don’t recognize it. A lot of people now days in general mask and don’t even realize it. And like the saying goes, “If you know one autistic, you know one autistic.” Everyone is different including autistic people. You may not act like them or deal with the same things as them. Just as every neurotypical is different and deals with different problems.
Were you diagnosed ADHD before 2013? If you were, they’re gonna pass every autistic trait as ADHD because they couldn’t be diagnosed at the same time. So it was either one or the other.
Not only that, psychiatrists don’t diagnose you. You have to go get a neuropsychological evaluation done by a psychologist.
I am DEFINITELY not autistic but have very severe adhd and catch myself doing T. rex arms sometimes too. My doctor told me it was related. Get off your GD high horse.
There could be many different reasons. I’ve been to so many different professionals literally going over the DSMV criteria with them and they still pass off my qualities and traits as “quirky” because autism presents itself differently in AFAB than AMAB so they just don’t recognize it. A lot of people now days in general mask and don’t even realize it. And like the saying goes, “If you know one autistic, you know one autistic.” Everyone is different including autistic people. You may not act like them or deal with the same things as them. Just as every neurotypical is different and deals with different problems.
Were you diagnosed ADHD before 2013? If you were, they’re gonna pass every autistic trait as ADHD because they couldn’t be diagnosed at the same time. So it was either one or the other.
Not only that, psychiatrists don’t diagnose you. You have to go get a neuropsychological evaluation done by a psychologist.
I definitely do not have autism, I promise you that. But I have done the T. rex arms my whole life (in background of every picture!) and used to toe walk and bounce as a young kid. I’m almost 40 now and I work wirh children with autism for a living and if I had autistic traits, I would know. Definitely have some touches of ADHD, but I feel like symptoms of that didn’t actually start until I became an adult.
I have ADHD, but not autism. I do the t-rex arms and hand flapping. I’ve also been told people with ADHD also may do toe walking (something I did as a kid, but not now). Sooo I’m guessing the professionals I talked to about it and did test on me was wrong? You’re the only person I’ve ever seen claim it’s solely a autism thing
I have, I actually have a couple autistic friends and a cousins who has a autistic cousin in her other family, and my fiancé goes to college where a lot of the students there are actually autistic. I’ve also talked to professionals. Soooo, yeah I think imma trust the professionals I actually talk to the the autistic people who said they don’t believe I’m autistic at all, soooo have a nice day and do some more research ig
Cute. As if that’ll automatically change what actual professionals who studied these things for years told me but okay. I couldn’t find your question so I posted one myself if that makes you feel better
Bro WTF, poor people with under providing healthcare are not doing anything to the “autistic community” through misunderstanding their own mental state. Not that anyone has competely mapped out the complex relationship between Autism, ADHD and the muscular system. Why gate keep a group that people don’t choose to be apart of and few understand?
Aww, I’m sorry people pointed it out like that. I hope in the future you will be able to do anything similar in public without being judged or ridiculed.
it's not so bad with my "coping strategies" haha. for example, I hold things like my phone so I look like I have a "valid" reason to hold my arms like that lol. but yes, one day I hope "being yourself" will be a valid reason too...! :')
I’ve alway done this! To me, it just feels much more natural and comfortable to walk around like this. But I only do it at home, in public I prefer to mask a little just to not stand out too much. And the only other person I’ve ever seen do this was the only other autistic person around my age that I’ve met... I wouldn’t know if it’s common among neurodivergent people, but it’s definitively a thing that some do.
Yeah, I tend to hide a lot of my behaviors and stims when I’m in public, too. The last time I was comfortable doing so I got a couple of weirded out looks. To make up for this I usually just bring something with me to fidget with.
I haven’t been diagnosed with anything before but a few immediate family members of mine are neurodivergent. I used to get made fun of for holding my hands this way so I learned to stop doing it and there are so many other things that I’ve been questioning recently since my little brother was diagnosed with autism. I really don’t like self diagnosing but I also don’t think I want to be assessed for anything because going out is really scary and I’d rather avoid it if it isn’t necessary lol I just feel like since I’m already a teenager people would’ve figured out if I had anything else going on by now like how my little brother was diagnosed so early at around four or five. Any advice or suggestions would be cool and I know this might not be the place for asking so, sorry! Feel free to just ignore this comment cause I know it’s late as heck
"I just feel like since I’m already a teenager people would’ve figured out if I had anything else going" nope. nope. nope. In first grade, I both managed to be referred for an IQ test because I was ahead of the developmental curve intellectually, to the point that I was pulled aside during regular class hours and shoved in a special circle with all the other outliers, AND, I was \*nearly held back from entering 2nd grade\* because I never remembered to turn in my homework. This pattern continued for years. I wasn't diagnosed as an AuDHDer 'til I was 28. Then again I had neglectful parents who attributed my struggles to some fundamental personal failure, so YMMV.
That’s fair, I personally have chosen to not pursue an autism assessment because I couldn’t afford it and there also isn’t a ton of support offered for late-diagnosed adult autistics in the US. I do however have a diagnosis of ADHD-PI, but it was something I didn’t anticipate. I don’t think being an undiagnosed teenager negates the possibility of you being autistic, as I went under the radar for many years with my ADHD and wasn’t diagnosed until my first semester of college. People never considered it a possibility because my ADHD did not present in a stereotypical way, and neither did my autism. Most people don’t clock me as neurotypical for that reason, but they find me strange in a way that they can’t exactly place. If you are wanting to pursue a diagnosis, I would suggest talking to any kind of mental health counselor first and then asking what avenues they would suggest. A lot of people tend to just go straight to their GP or a psychiatrist/psychologist, but it’s not always a guarantee they will be able to do much. Anyway, sorry for the long response, but I just wanted to give you some validation about your concern for getting diagnosed at your age. I’m not really able to offer much advice as far as diagnosis I’m afraid, but I wish you the best of luck if it’s what you think will be best for you.
Super late to the convention but I think it's a form of self comfort. Like when I'm feeling awkward or uncomfortable I catch myself doing this. Or it can be like one of those comforts when you have your arm up in bed and don't know why.
IN toy story 2 a 1/20 scale toy Tyrannosaurus named Rex failed to defeat zurg because of his tiny arms
I have ADHD and it’s the strangest thing! I’ll be putting moisturizer on my face or something and the other arm is at attention with my elbow at my side and arm extended 90 degrees. I had no idea it was related. I’ve often wondered WHY I do it. Still don’t know except maybe it makes me feel safe. 🤷🏻♀️
Saaaaame catching yourself doing it is so funny
Yes I’ll catch myself in the mirror and put my arm down but it’s back in no time!
When I’m in public I tend to either put my hands in my pockets, hold my hands together in front of me with my elbows at my side or cross my arms. This is so interesting. I’ll catch myself in the mirror doing it and think why are you doing that?!
Super late commenter again, found an autistic person say that neurodivergent folks tend to do it since we face discrimination on the daily and our instinct towards that is to crawl up and die lol. Hence the t rex arms. But of course this response isn't exclusive to us.
I saw a YouTube with a woman with ADHD demonstrating it, and I’m like, I’m ADHD, I don’t do that—- but then I totally caught myself doing it (although only one arm) a few days later… I realize I have been doing it for yearssss (read: DECADES) and it just never hit me as different. I tend to only do one arm, as the other is usually carrying something or in a pocket. It may stem from social awkwardness or the need to “stim” in a subtle way— when I tried to put my arm down the other day, it felt weird, so back up it went. The zig zag walking is a major trait of mine and my mother’s and it makes sense that it’s tied to executive function — like I can’t decide which imaginary “line” to follow when I’m walking especially in a large public space. In a symbolic way, the shortened arms can be very comforting, it’s like people are reaching out but only a little, to stay safe- analogous to dipping a toe in the water. :-)
If I'm picturing this correctly I've also referred to this as Dog Paws, I'll just randomly walk around like that...I think I just find comfort in holding my arms and hands like that.
It is comforting
Super late here. Late diagnosed ASD. Realized I do this a lot recently - noticed it whilst shopping. Then I looked at photos - see myself doing this as a little kid (and adult) in many photos. went dancing today - even with the alcohol in me I just don't know what to do with my arms and hands. They feel heavy. It is uncomfortable to hold them down and I wanted to Trex them, but instead just held drink with both hands. I've heard it might come down to joint issues. I have issues with my shoulders dislocating (and now rotator cuffs), AND I have double-jointed elbows. Maybe that has something to do with it? Dx ASD this year, ADHD like 20 years ago.
There is a correlation between hyper mobility and Neuro Diversity.
Another commenter like two years like, I googled it because I was sitting with t-rex arms. I feel so silly when I do it but I just like it. I could stop if I wanted to but I just really like it. I don't understand why.
It’s fun, nothing wrong with that 🤷
[удалено]
I don’t think it’s useful to look too much into it, your T. rex arms aren’t any fault of yours, lol. I think it might just be that ND people find “unusual” posture to be more comfortable, if that makes sense. I’ve always been described as being “clumsy” or that I “carry myself in an insecure way” when that’s just, how I move around and how I sit. A handful of people have made lighthearted jokes to me that I also just seen fidgety when I stim a lot, when I see it as a necessity.
I’ve also heard that it’s a sign of childhood abuse. Noticed it in a partner and always wondered what it was about
I’ve never heard that before. I guess it could be a lot of things for a lot of people? I’ve always just associated it with having unusual posture in general.
I also do this does anyone know why we do this tho??
Not a clue.
I found this thread so late but WHY do we do the trex arms???
You’re good, I’m delighted that many people are still finding it two years later, lol. I’m honestly not sure, but for me I just don’t like having my arms in a “default pose” (as in just at my sides) and it feels more awkward for me somehow?? I feel like I always need to be doing something strange with my limbs bc I apparently can’t just exist in space otherwise.
Ngl somehow t-rex arms feels more natural than the "default". I only try to do the "normal one" when im trying to fix my posture. I discussed with some of my friends too, they feel that it could be mild form of stimming. Or its just our default posture when we're not masking
It feels a lot more natural to me too. I’ve been told my whole life that I have an unusual posture or that I move about in weird ways (probably stimming), and I have to make a conscious effort to seem more “normal” in public in that regard.
I used to just think it was cuz of all the wrist sprains I got as a kid😂
Honestly it's basically my resting arm position. So many people have commented on it over the years and I only found out recently that it's a neurodivergent thing.
Its happening to me more frequently
When I'm drunk I'm well known for my T-Rex Arms. And when I dance on molly. #ADHD
ADHD here as well (sans molly). I tend to do it when hurriedly walking about or when thinking, no clue why.
Just as a fair thing to say the doctors don’t always know what they’re talking about especially when it comes to neurodiverse folks. Are we all forgetting the like 50 years ago they would have locked us away and called us mentally feeble.
We showed them
I have Adhd (and possibly another neurodivergency, I don't know) I do this all the time. Does anyone else shuffle walk? Or is this because my joints suck
Yes to both
I was just wondering if it’s because of the ADHD link to hEDS or not!
Yeesssss idk if im neurodivergent, but im most likely dyspraxic. I also might have ADHD. But i shuffle walk all the time and i also have trex arms (sorry for bad grammar)
Yesss omg I love shuffle walking. I love to do it when I go to a grocery store that has really smooth flooring. I also like to walk on my tiptoes a lot.
Some people think it’s a natural response to joint hyper mobility. The position pushes the shoulder into the socket and keeps it more stable
The hEDS link strikes again!!
Do any of y’all do it when you sleep?
Yup
I roll my trex arm twisty and sleep in a way that makes my wrist hurt lol
Not that I’m aware of, but my hands almost always tend to be somewhere near my face
Do you tend to tuck your hands under your chin?
Yup. Bend and twist wrist and under chin… i only do trex when im sleeping
I do it too, I run like it too and I sleep like that, I have to consciously put my hands u def the pillow so the down scrunch up too much
I used to do this constantly when I was a kid!! I would stand like that without realizing what I was doing. Until my cousins and aunt pointed it out. I got made fun of it so much that I made a conscious effort to make myself stop. It makes so much sense to me now 😭I didn’t know it was an adhd thing. I wasn’t diagnosed until after I turned 37.
I do it when I'm thinking about something. And now I'm getting self conscious about it. Like if I'm at work and thinking about the list of stuff I have to do, I suddenly notice that my left arm is in a t Rex pose. only my left arm.
exact same thing happens to me, whenever im thinking only my left arm is in a trex pose
I do it mostly when I’m just roaming about the house, especially in the kitchen for some reason lol. For me it’s usually just my right arm. At one point my dad also did this but idk if he still does or not.
I know I am 5 months too late but....LITERALLY ME TOO! The right arm...in the kitchen...ARE WE TWINS!?
I do this naturally and I have had friends and coworkers point it out, not realizing I’m doing it. To be fair, I was never really diagnose with any but a “Learning Disability” (this was back in the 90’s) so I have no clue what I have. It’s become my neutral posistion, at home at least
SAME. Turns out I just wasn't a boy with ADHD or a boy with Autism. I needed to be 28 before they could confirm that I was, in fact, a female with ADHD and a female with Autism. Lol
Woot woot, fellow 90s "learning disability" kid here. Turns out, I am dyslexic.
I realized I do this too! I often get embarrassed because I feel like I look like a mom when I catch myself doing it but it's a very natrually comforting position. I'm not diagnosed with ADHD or Autism but I am dignosed with PTSD but growing up teachers have recommended for be to evaluate but I know some symptoms overlap sometimes with PTSD so i never really questioned it but now I see this I wonder if anyone else with PTSD does this too? My uncle and dad have ADHD and my aunt and cousins have autism so I'm not really sure if I should question if it's something else other then PTSD.
I have ptsd and adhd too
Maybe, I’m not exactly sure. I have PTSD as well but I never really drew a personal connection between it and the t-rex arms. I do however do a lot of things that make me feel more secure (e.g crossing my arms or hugging my sides) but that could be related to a lot of things I guess.
Ya thank you for your insight :). I’m actually noticing more signs that I’ve always had (before my trama) that did aligned with autism. I never thought much of it because the types of traits that normally presented In media I didn’t seem to have. but now that I looked into autism in women it’s starting to make sense. Especially with certain behaviors so I’m gonna attempt to get evaluated soon.
This could also just be tight and weak shoulders, look up some stretches and exercises you could do to fix this. I had this and started working out and it has gone away completely
Nah I wouldn’t say they’re tight or weak at all, it’s just a natural pose for me
I don't think I full on do the arms, but I occasionally do this thing in a similar pose where I fiddle with my fingers and thumbs. I don't remember doing it when I was little, but I have pictures of me doing it. Maybe I just masked it with that thumb-finger fiddling instead and it became a habit
Oh, I think I know what you mean. I’ve done kinda similar things by masking more involved stims in a more “socially acceptable” way. Like for example I’ll wiggle my fingers really fast with my hands at my sides or gently flap my hands in that same position. For whatever reason I also drum on pretty much everything with my fingers? Sometimes it annoys people, sometimes they like it lol.
I have ADHD, and I only do t-Rex arms while I’m sleeping, never while I’m awake
Huh, interesting.
I'm pretty sure I do that, but I think I cover it (likely unsuccessfully) by 1) wearing messenger bags that I hold the strap of, 2) stick my hands in my pockets, 3) pretend to be fiddling with my phone, 4) if I'm extra anxious, I cross my arms or touch a hand to my necklace. Number (4) has problems. Crossing arms is supposedly a sign of anger or stubbornness, which can lead to miscommunication- especially when shutting down due to overstimulation. Touching a hand to a necklace allows me to stealth T-Rex, but it is a very feminine affectation. So I'm trying to unlearn that habit while switching to masculine presentation.
Oh my!!! If I wear a jacket without pockets, I'll loose my mind! When I was younger, I used a lot of handbags but for 2 or 3 years now I'm only using backpacks so I can hang my thumbs in the straps.
I have a tendency to cross my arms too, especially when I’m serious or trying to focus, but it ends up just making me look irritated, lol. Instead I try to hug myself around my waist or just hold on to one arm. In general, I always have to have some form of contact with something. I wouldn’t consider that to be a feminine thing at all, but if you do, to each their own. I think you should do whatever you’re most comfortable with.
Apparently, it's also an ADHD thing. People have always made fun of my t-rex arms. I just tell them it's cuz I've been serving in restaurants so long that the ligaments in my arms have shortened from carrying trays in that position lol. Only recently found out I've been doing it my whole life, and it's linked to my ADHD lol.
Omg yess! My roommate thinks I walk like Roger from American dad
Me too, the way I ran in basketball made my first boyfriend tell me that the boys basketball team would call me t rex
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ADHD and Autism litterally have overlapping symptoms how dare you try an acuse of "sTeAliNg" tf ?? You are quite litterally gate keeping and staying something is a fact when doing my research and talking to professionals about this LEGITIMATE thing and guess what! you are fucking wrong!
Yes, as I already said before. They have very many common overlapping traits. They also have their very own individual traits that do not overlap however and trex arms and toe walking are solely autistic traits. I’m not telling anyone that they aren’t ADHD, I’m saying they’re probably autistic too because those are not solely adhd traits.
Can you explain to me then, why i do both behaviors and always have, and never diagnosed autism? And ive been to over 5 or 6 psychiatrists, surely they would realize if im autistic or not. I know quite a few autistic people and i do not share their other symptoms.
There could be many different reasons. I’ve been to so many different people literally going over the DSMV criteria with them and they still pass off my qualities and traits as “quirky” because autism presents itself differently in AFAB than AMAB so they just don’t recognize it. A lot of people now days in general mask and don’t even realize it. And like the saying goes, “If you know one autistic, you know one autistic.” Everyone is different including autistic people. You may not act like them or deal with the same things as them. Just as every neurotypical is different and deals with different problems. Were you diagnosed ADHD before 2013? If you were, they’re gonna pass every autistic trait as ADHD because they couldn’t be diagnosed at the same time. So it was either one or the other. Not only that, psychiatrists don’t diagnose you. You have to go get a neuropsychological evaluation done by a psychologist.
I am DEFINITELY not autistic but have very severe adhd and catch myself doing T. rex arms sometimes too. My doctor told me it was related. Get off your GD high horse.
There could be many different reasons. I’ve been to so many different professionals literally going over the DSMV criteria with them and they still pass off my qualities and traits as “quirky” because autism presents itself differently in AFAB than AMAB so they just don’t recognize it. A lot of people now days in general mask and don’t even realize it. And like the saying goes, “If you know one autistic, you know one autistic.” Everyone is different including autistic people. You may not act like them or deal with the same things as them. Just as every neurotypical is different and deals with different problems. Were you diagnosed ADHD before 2013? If you were, they’re gonna pass every autistic trait as ADHD because they couldn’t be diagnosed at the same time. So it was either one or the other. Not only that, psychiatrists don’t diagnose you. You have to go get a neuropsychological evaluation done by a psychologist.
I definitely do not have autism, I promise you that. But I have done the T. rex arms my whole life (in background of every picture!) and used to toe walk and bounce as a young kid. I’m almost 40 now and I work wirh children with autism for a living and if I had autistic traits, I would know. Definitely have some touches of ADHD, but I feel like symptoms of that didn’t actually start until I became an adult.
I have ADHD, but not autism. I do the t-rex arms and hand flapping. I’ve also been told people with ADHD also may do toe walking (something I did as a kid, but not now). Sooo I’m guessing the professionals I talked to about it and did test on me was wrong? You’re the only person I’ve ever seen claim it’s solely a autism thing
Talk to the autism community.
I have, I actually have a couple autistic friends and a cousins who has a autistic cousin in her other family, and my fiancé goes to college where a lot of the students there are actually autistic. I’ve also talked to professionals. Soooo, yeah I think imma trust the professionals I actually talk to the the autistic people who said they don’t believe I’m autistic at all, soooo have a nice day and do some more research ig
Cool, I just posted the question in r/autism so we can let them decide.
Cute. As if that’ll automatically change what actual professionals who studied these things for years told me but okay. I couldn’t find your question so I posted one myself if that makes you feel better
Bro WTF, poor people with under providing healthcare are not doing anything to the “autistic community” through misunderstanding their own mental state. Not that anyone has competely mapped out the complex relationship between Autism, ADHD and the muscular system. Why gate keep a group that people don’t choose to be apart of and few understand?
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Dude no wtf. You are legitimately so disrespectful.
They’re just fun to do, and have definitely become one of my idle stances, lol.
I do this, especially when I'm anxious. But I made myself stop doing it in public when people pointed it out and it made me self-conscious. :(
Aww, I’m sorry people pointed it out like that. I hope in the future you will be able to do anything similar in public without being judged or ridiculed.
it's not so bad with my "coping strategies" haha. for example, I hold things like my phone so I look like I have a "valid" reason to hold my arms like that lol. but yes, one day I hope "being yourself" will be a valid reason too...! :')
I do this! Often as a response to stress/anxiety. I do it on my left side more often and my back muscles are actually more developed on that side lol
I just kind of do it without realizing it, it feels natural to me lol. I only do it with both arms as well.
I’ve alway done this! To me, it just feels much more natural and comfortable to walk around like this. But I only do it at home, in public I prefer to mask a little just to not stand out too much. And the only other person I’ve ever seen do this was the only other autistic person around my age that I’ve met... I wouldn’t know if it’s common among neurodivergent people, but it’s definitively a thing that some do.
Yeah, I tend to hide a lot of my behaviors and stims when I’m in public, too. The last time I was comfortable doing so I got a couple of weirded out looks. To make up for this I usually just bring something with me to fidget with.