Yes, regardless of what condition or conditions I have, where I feel totally different from most typical persons, I feel I am often one step ahead of others because of my thoroughness and uniqueness. I have an ability to analyze myself, societal issues and others well too. This is partly because of my extreme attention to detail, but also because of strong logical and organizational skills, high empathy, strong tolerance for stress, self-motivation, an ability to pick up on nonverbal cues well and my very keen senses that I do not see as a hindrance but each as beneficial and in solving problems and in me understanding and in making the right decisions.
I can not only figure myself well, and know precisely what I did wrong, did right and can do better at, I feel I can understand the causes of many societal and other issues, too, without even needing others input, but despite this I will always use research, rack my brain thinking all angles out, and use others' information to confirm or to make sure I was not missing something, and to try to cause me to think about some topic more, as I need to be comprehensive and see all sides for every subject to feel I put enough effort there and to give fair input there. I think I know how to solve many problems to my liking thus because of my abilities to sort fact from opinions and fiction, and by digging deeper and not assuming things, and by using my strong efforts, empathy and other mentioned skills those occasions where that is needed..
Since a very young child I remember questioning everything and wanting to make sense of everything. Every move others did or did not do, every word they spoke or did not speak, every posture, facial expression or not I saw as an opportunity to learn something, to see if something was off or made sense. I knew then and now things can be hidden, even in myself, and I had a need to find out those answers. Whereas others talked and learned perhaps mostly that way from what the other said and/or learned mostly by readings, I did that but also watched and analyzed everything about people, their communications and interactions, batting around ideas in my head, putting into context the environments and any details I knew beforehand too.
I needed not only to be perfectionistic, structured, analytical and detailed, remember everything, and to be one step ahead, not just because of any genetics, but likely because of environmental conditioning too. To prevent danger and to get basic needs met, I needed to process things quicker, have more clarity, be emotionally stronger, and to react to abuses in my own ways to not make things worse. I needed to anticipate fights and confrontations in advance, know exactly what to do when they occurred. I needed to figure out why my parents did such, know what my siblings could be going through in different or similar ways, by looking at how they responded in that environment and other ones, and by inspecting what they did and did not do. I needed to then avoid persons but to learn from a distance.
You likely notice on this forum my posts are lengthy. It is not because of any extra attention need or ego boost, as I post not too often and as I shy away from the limelight. I am often hiding in the shadows, assisting someone behind the scenes. The reason I am long in messages is not to annoy others either, nor to get replies, as rare do I get or expect replies anyway and as I assume many will not read what I wrote anyway because of length or as maybe they feel so different than I, do not disagree much, or for other reason.. Regardless, I feel I cannot stop often explaining things in detail, and as it is because I have to look beneath and explain often why for important statements I make. Each word others say and feeling they convey is important, so it needs a sincere reply with my efforts, to give my own unique point of view, if not to assist the op, then perhaps at least one other. There are not simple statements thus I could make that could often exhaust any topic with justice, to my standards. The search for the truth and to explain well requires comprehension, many details and insights and sound reasoning, not just quick facts, opinions which help, but often can be misleading or have a need to be inquired about or be scrutinized further.
I feel different from most persons in that I feel I have the right balance of structure, knowledge, creativity and empathy, and nothing bothers me much, or for long. I can learn from all wrongs no matter how big or small, and I can feel varying emotions but often not to extreme levels to make things harder. I feel others or events do not determine my happiness, as I feel I have the means to solve many issues to my liking, to support others if need be from what I sense, and to think and feel more neutral or positively as I want about most negative situations, or for sad situations too, after any learning or support occurs. By focusing on my efforts, allowing myself to be different, and by seeing every situation as a learning opportunity to be better, I think I have the right mindset now, which contrasted much who I was through my twenties. So, I think I am somewhat rare in that I went through a lot of bad through my youth and early adult life, but see mostly good now, and as I was able to change much too.
Also, like the average person has lots of debt, because of car and/or house loans and credit card debt, yet we have zero debt, a new car paid off, a home about fifteen years old paid off, college loans paid off, a near perfect credit card score, a peaceful home setting with acreage, and we can save each month for the future, despite no need to then even work around others. So, I am not about to complain, as even when I was for twenty years living alone I saw much peace and good, and after having a wife and children, with my wife smart enough to see my abilities to give me that chance despite no job those years. My practical and other abilities and in solving our own issues and getting our own needs met through other ways means more to me than any job could. Why stress myself out following others' company rules and/or making others rich, even if now able, and when I am more of an independent thinker and leader than follower in my own ways anyway, and when I need to be there for my children and wife.
So, yeah, I do not see any ND condition I have as bad, nor does our oldest Autistic son focus on that stuff. He sees his strengths too. Yes, he has many differences too from typical persons, but they are not limitations but just who he is he feels. He focuses on his efforts too. Whereas he has certain more special interests, and other things can be more challenging but he sees that as natural or more motivating, I seem to have not one nor just a few hyperfocuses, as I would and do tend to do well with whatever many things I tried and try if many persons were or are not near where I can concentrate, and as I often want to try new things and be my best for everything.
And like another has said too, my visualization skills are great as well. I can visualize anything, and I can even imagine tasting foods as if I were actually eating them, smelling items as if I really smelled them, hearing objects with precise accuracy whenever I want with a quick thought there, and like feeling like I touched some object when I think of that. I think many with ND conditions have potential superpowers untapped inside if not already are showing those. Too often those with Autism or related conditions are defined by stereotypes or by some one or more talents. I think that does many of us injustice.
