What age did you realize that you were "different"

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I don't know exactly of course, but it was definitely "a long time" before I turned 5. Though, in every way I was different I blamed on myself just being smarter.

It's not too much an exaggeration to say 53. I really never had much conscious thought that I was different from other people - just disliked. The last few years I sort of embraced my weirdness. Then I discovered autism and sort of went through a "holy s**t" moment. I am not just weird. I'm REALLY different.

I'm still determining the extent of those differences.

I was five years old when it hit me I was different. I grew up thinking at various times that I had been switched at birth and some other family had a child that fit better with mine, that I was not actually human and in conjunction that I might be from another world and now one knew it.

Oh yes, I also occasionally thought I was a cat although I think they show more empathy than I do.

Meow

5 years old and starting kindergarden at elementary school. Until then, I had been at home with people very much older, my brother is 12 years older than me, and I was the last grandkid, so the nearest in age was 6 years older than me. So there was no interaction or playing with peers before that time, and I knew I didn't like all these kids running around all over in kindergarden, and school didn't ever get any better either. I am in my 40's and my adoptive mother frequently pointed out to me that I didn't act like she thought I should, but I have always thought it was HER problem --until I recently discovered Aspergers, and took all the online tests... Oh, and I haven't spoken to her in 26 years, because one never gets over being screamed at "what is WRONG with you???" when you're just an overwhelmed child (with an IQ higher than hers) {sorry, still feeling bitter about all that} bad memories, bad memories... sigh.... you younger folks with a diagnosis and family support are so lucky.

When my first son started kindergarten. I was 34 then. I have loads of aspies and borderline people in my family and among my friends, I didn't feel really different until I was forced to mingle with "normal" people.

It took the teacher quite a few attempts to made me realize anything. I was like "Oh he's just like me. That's not normal?" Even after he got his official diagnosis I was thinking they were making a big deal out of this. I didn't start learning about autism until last year and then it's like a revelation.