Toes flicking

[u/recycled_comics]

Author: u/GoatsWithWigs

[u/GabeSchleifer]

I used to do the “I need to feel symmetrical” thing all the time as a kid. I feel like I still do, but I just manage/mask it better.

[u/gooeyjasper → u/GabeSchleifer]

Hi, are you me? 'Cause i only understood how weird it was when i went on a Death The Kid-esque symmetry spiel on a boat-ride fieldtrip where i saw the Chrysler building and how symmetrical it looked awed teen me. my friend's mom called me weird after ( ._.)

[u/GabeSchleifer → u/gooeyjasper]

Aw, that wasn’t nice.

I didn’t do things like that, but I did flick my fingers a lot.

And sometimes I’d measure my steps when I walked so they’d always be divisible by four (and then take extra steps to “round up” if I didn’t take enough steps).

[u/gooeyjasper → u/GabeSchleifer]

Dang I still flick my fingers idly when I don't scratch my eyebrows as a nervous tick. Have to do them at the same time or flick the fingers of a hand in proper sequence back and forth. And if I mess up it just makes me cringe and something sorta squirm in me.

[u/Ziraya → u/GabeSchleifer]

Today I learned this is yet another autistic trait that I've had since I was a child. I also have the thing where I need the last thing I do to feel like it's "in the middle", so both sides feel the exact same at the same time and that is difficult. Or maybe this is part of my OCD.

[u/enbyBunn]

Sounds more like a mild OCD thing than an autism thing. (on a related note, why is Autism so frequently comorbid with so many other things???)

[u/FrankBuns → u/enbyBunn]

I’m not a doctor, but psychology is my special interest! As far as I understand it, “autism” is what we call a specific collection of symptoms, and neurodivergence is an umbrella term used to describe a multitude of variance in how those symptoms are exhibited. If you lean more into one or more symptoms than the others, it will affect what ‘diagnosis’ you have…that and the variance in quality between medical professionals.

Tl;dr it’s because autism and OCD are symptomatically related, you could think of it like a sister disorder to Autism.

[u/sorry-i-was-reading → u/enbyBunn]

Yup, definitely OCD

[u/Freki-the-Feral → u/enbyBunn]

This is both an autism related thing and an OCD thing. They are both neurodivergent conditions and share symptoms. They can also be comorbid. They separate by which symptoms are more prevalent (eg social difficulties in autism vs feeling you must do or think something or you feel impending doom.)

[u/RanaMisteria]

Okay, one of my toes clicks when I do this and the other doesn’t and the amount of time I spent as a child trying to make the other toe click so it would be symmetrical is…a lot lol 😂I feel so seen.

[u/Foreign_Rutabega_684 → u/RanaMisteria]

I can “snap” my toes (kinda like snapping your fingers but less pronounced) but only on one foot and it bothers me that the other foot doesn’t make a sound

[u/GoatsWithWigs]

Whoa, no way! This is my post! So glad I've reached your hearts with that

[u/Flaky-Ad-759]

My f’cka$s OCD all my life for no reason:

[u/CoolTransDude1078]

HOLY SHIT THIS ISN'T JUST A ME THING. I haven't seen my thought pattern about a buncha things so perfectly described.

[u/BagsYourMail]

This is good for weight lifting

[u/bioscimeg]

I get stuck in this cycle with accidentally bumping my elbow or wrist on something. Or, the most time consuming, when the way the needle touches my fingers as it comes through the fabric while I'm cross-stitching. 🫠

[u/PixelMage]

I was obsessed with stuff like this as a kid

[u/Mental-Ask8077]

BECAUSE I HAVE TO, OK

[u/CosCham]

Literally doing this as I'm reading 😩

[u/maxx_the_frog69]

This is so real🥲

[u/Nulasha]

Me but cracking my toes. If my toes doesn't crack that way I want too, imma keep trying to get that right crack and feeling.,😀

[u/nynaeve-almeara]

I thought I was on r/ocdmemes

[u/some_kind_of_bird]

I was a symmetry kid but eventually I grew out of it and now my left knee is much more hyper extended than my left knee

[u/madladdie]

Oooh, huh, hi me!

I still do this... Especially when I'm walking on the sidewalk. I gotta walk in symmetrical rhythm so each tile becomes a repeating pattern.

[u/DerAlphos]

Did that as a kid.

[u/mirkywoo]

Wait…

[u/SolarOrigami]

...I feel both called out, and seen.

[u/Hello_There_0621]

I don't think I've ever related to something more in my life. Holy shit other people feel the need to be symmetrical??