I'm in the same boat. The first was special interests and I later found that I relate to much more symptoms

that was also the first thing that made me look into a diagnosis, but i also realized very quickly whilst researching that i stim a lot and i get terrible sensory overload very easily- i just masked/hid it a LOT when i was around others so i barely realized it myself !

I have ASD and ADHD For me it was listening to other people whith adhd/asd combo talk about their experiences and the way their brains work, and i was just like well dang i relate to far to many of these very specific things for this to be a coincidence.

This is definitely my biggest one as well, a lack of social connection despite being able to perform “well” in social situations. I used to think it was just my trauma of a disorganized childhood, but I know now it’s just how my brain works. Another big one for me was my need for control, and the unique ways I do that. Usually, it’s with my environment where I like to keep things in a certain order, and I always do cleaning tasks in a certain way. I also love to organize/line-up my items, which I learned when working with autistic kids is one of the “signs” for autism. I just do a lot of atypical playing, and I realize that I have for my whole life. I feel like I’m lucky with my long term memory, because I can draw from childhood experiences for comparison to now. That helped me see it was the way my brain functioned versus something else going on that would cause some of the problems I have.

Same! I also always felt alien and as though no one could seem to understand me even if I made them feel the most understood they ever have. Performed just fine socially but always felt like I had no idea what I was doing and have a hard time understanding the choices neurotypical individuals make and the thought patterns they follow. I didn't put it together at all, though, until I started dating a diagnosed autistic male. He and another man I dated later on had shared their process of "learning to be social" since that comes less readily to men. While they described how they created alternate personas and simply translate everything they're thinking into "neurotypical speak" before they vocalize, I couldn't help but think "I thought everyone had to do that?". Eventually the light bulb clicked. Started researching autism in "women" more and was able to draw infinite parallels to how I experienced childhood, the ways I'm realizing I try to change my habits to be more "acceptable" (some deep ingrained shame their 🤦🏻‍♀️), and the coping methods that work for me today.

The social situations thing for sure, but mostly the fact that I relate to 99% of the autism memes I see. Looking back on my life it really does explain a lot 😂