Why is everyone around me neurodivergent?
I have grown up identifying as neurotypical. I recently found out that two of my most normal-seeming, popular, socially successful childhood friends are diagnosed with autism. This is in addition to my current closest friend being autistic, two other friends having diagnosed ADHD, and my only other neurotypical friend having a separate, extremely ND friend group. They are all very high functioning, so to speak.
How does this happen? How could I not notice? Are we getting fast and loose with the definition of autism? Do autistic girls just mask insanely well? I’m so baffled. I get a lot of ND accusations myself, but I assume(d) it was because I’m chopped with somewhat limited interests lol, and because I socialize with people who might be inclined to overlabel my quirks.
I understand that like minds tend to seek each other out, but this a massive overrepresentation of autism in my social sphere.