Anyone else recognise this in themselves?

[kriss72]

.... There was this guy that seemed to have a major psychosis when it came to me. .... But that guy really freaked me out, my mere existence seemed to provoke some kind of rage in him.

Oh, sorry to hear you have also met someone like that - I really don't know if they are scared or what goes on in their mind, but I have met a few, it's really like instant dislike, and they are not trying to hide it...

 

[MildredHubble]

I find it aches my arms less if I bend my elbows and hold the bags from my chest, but because it looks 'weird' I can't do it.

That makes total sense to me! I guess maybe it allows you to use your biceps more? Also brings the weight more inline with your centre of gravity?

I can remember doing basically what you describe when I was a kid carrying heavy shopping bags. I would do it for a few moments to actually rest my arms.

My mother got quite irritated by it as I recall telling me I was going to break the handles.

 

[MildredHubble]

Oh, sorry to hear you have also met someone like that - I really don't know if they are scared or what goes on in their mind, but I have met a few, it's really like instant dislike, and they are not trying to hide it...

I wonder if it's some kind of primordial fear response? I've had a few instances of this throughout my existence to be honest.

The guy in my earlier post caught the attention of a work colleague who I knew from elsewhere. When the guy flew into a rage about me attempting to make a bit of a joke about something I was trying to do, my colleague asked him what his problem was and offered to "physically educate" him on how to be better mannered towards me. This did seem to keep him at bay, at least as long as that colleague was around.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Interesting observation. So, I went onto YouTube and just clicked onto the key words "autism TEDx" and up pops dozens of lectures, male and female autistics. All you need to do is scroll down and look at the video capture of the male and female lecturers. The vast majority of the female autistics were standing there speaking with "T-Rex" or "bunny arms". Now, some were sort of hiding it by moving their hands around, some clasping their hands around their waist. OR, the female autistics will stand with their arms pushed down in front of them while clasping their hands. The males didn't hold themselves this way.

 

[Xinyta]

I had the same happen at work, my first job actually. It was really upsetting. There was this guy that seemed to have a major psychosis when it came to me. He made some vicious comments, as did some customers. I was working in a bar and it was hell on earth, I managed about two months before I quit. Too noisy, too stressful. It was an ND nightmare. But that guy really freaked me out, my mere existence seemed to provoke some kind of rage in him.

I wonder if it's some kind of primordial fear response? I've had a few instances of this throughout my existence to be honest.

The guy in my earlier post caught the attention of a work colleague who I knew from elsewhere. When the guy flew into a rage about me attempting to make a bit of a joke about something I was trying to do, my colleague asked him what his problem was and offered to "physically educate" him on how to be better mannered towards me. This did seem to keep him at bay, at least as long as that colleague was around.

It maybe a fear thing. Though I think too that some people in the world are just total pieces of crap as human beings and don't care who they hurt.

Though I hesitate to say anyone is naturally THAT horrible of a person. It's taught behavior by bad influence and/or bad parenting, more often than not.

 

[Judge]

Nope, can't say I ever experienced such a thing. Though at times I stop and wonder in looking through various mirrors, pondering that "objects in mirror are closer than they appear". Does that count?

Sorry...but this is funnier than trying to search for t-rex arms and getting only links to a weapons manufacturer. Eventually I got to the dinosaur with this first link:

The 120-year search for the purpose of T. rex's arms

If the world's most notorious carnivore had survived the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, it might have eventually lost its arms altogether.

www.bbc.com

But then another plethora of weapons and accessories. Search engine optimization sucks.

Hey! I finally found a link that sort of addresses this issue, but as a cure to a medical condition rather than a neurological explanation of it:

10 Ways to Cure T-Rex Arms After a Workout - Muscle And Recovery

T-Rex arms are experienced due to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is often experienced after we lift but the level…

muscleandrecovery.com

So...time to change the search text to "humans with arms like a t-rex". And it gets more interesting:

Why do people hold their arms like a T. rex? - Resto NYC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hX4cnMF_dw

www.restonyc.com

Why Do I Hold My Arms Like A T Rex? - Rewrite The Rules

For a lot of individuals on the autism spectrum, bending their arms at a 90 degree angle with their hands ... Read more

www.rewritetherules.org

And a link involving a discussion mentioning autism:

https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/yjbaqa

And to sum it up, kudos to xudo in our own community for previously addressing the issue in a better context:

Strange arm/hand/foot positioning?

I catch myself sometimes holding my left arm and hand in an odd position. I call it my t-rex arm (it's sort of like arm is bent at the elbow upwards (ifykwim) and my hand is almost claw like), and it's usually when I'm doing something using my right arm (for example brushing my teeth). I also...

www.autismforums.com

An old post, but that phrase still sounded somewhat familiar, as something connected to autism that I haven't heard in quite a while. Guess my curiosity/persistence finally paid off.

 

[MildredHubble]

"objects in mirror are closer than they appear".

Another Jurassic Park reference?

 

[Judge]

Given the last link I provided, maybe it's a "British Thang". Wot.

Xudo is from Wales...another poster I miss. Long gone, but not forgotten.

 

[Jumpinbare]

How about habitually swinging only one arm while walking?

 

[MildredHubble]

How about habitually swinging only one arm while walking?

I've not noticed if I do. I tend to put my hands in the pockets of my hoodie when I walk outside. The only thing I've picked up on is the T-Rex arms thing but as far as I'm aware I manage to avoid doing it in public.

 

[Xinyta]

I tend to put my hands in the pockets of my hoodie when I walk outside.

I do the same thing. Though it doesn't matter I'm inside or outside. I've, alot of the time, got my hands in my hood pockets or in my pants pockets. Something about it is comforting.

 

[NeuroVibes]

I still do this frequently. Caught myself multiple times yesterday at work. It's a short hop from t-rex arms to hand flapping for me. A coworker saw me flapping one day and thought I was waving at her. She waved back. Sure, let's go with that.

 

[MildredHubble]

I still do this frequently. Caught myself multiple times yesterday at work. It's a short hop from t-rex arms to hand flapping for me. A coworker saw me flapping one day and thought I was waving at her. She waved back. Sure, let's go with that.

I once got caught mid stim at work, it was kinda like that. I had to reset some machines in a secluded area of the work floor, I got into a bit of a flap because I missed a step that could have caused the whole facility to shut down and I started putting my finger to my lips in a kinda "shhhhhhush..." action, just as my boss came face to face with me as I went round a corner.

So there's me with my finger to my lips "shushing" to some invisible bystander and my other hand kinda pointing towards my forehead. Oh dear! I felt like I had just walked round the corner naked.

To his credit, my boss didn't say anything, well as far as I know. It felt like I had just revealed myself to be a whole new level of bonkers to him. Oh well

 

[Jumpinbare]

When I told my boss about my autism his reply was don't take this the wrong way but I'm not surprised. He didn't elaborate, and I didn't ask him to

 

[AndyFBlues]

I find myself doing the T-Rex Arms at home sometimes. I don't do it when I'm in public, but when I'm away from home I tend to be more conscious about how people might perceive my mannerisms. It's become ingrained in me to go in self-defense mode around others.

 

[MildredHubble]

When I told my boss about my autism his reply was don't take this the wrong way but I'm not surprised. He didn't elaborate, and I didn't ask him to

I'm pretty sure if I had that conversation with my boss, he would have probably not have been surprised either and I probably wouldn't need him to elaborate

 

[AndyFBlues]

I'm pretty sure if I had that conversation with my boss, he would have probably not have been surprised either and I probably wouldn't need him to elaborate

I've worked with a few educators over the years and I suspect that they might have seen it in me but never said anything. That's just a hunch on my part.

 

[kriss72]

I still do this frequently. Caught myself multiple times yesterday at work. It's a short hop from t-rex arms to hand flapping for me. A coworker saw me flapping one day and thought I was waving at her. She waved back. Sure, let's go with that.

I can get quite exited when discussing things that I have burning opinions on in meetings at work, that goes to the point of full hand/arm flapping and jumping up and down in my chair when people get my points, I'm not aware of it in the moment - sometimes I need to sit on the hands to keep them from living their own lives

 

[MildredHubble]

I've worked with a few educators over the years and I suspect that they might have seen it in me but never said anything. That's just a hunch on my part.

I had an English/Drama teacher who I think may have suspected. It's kinda a hunch but there's a couple of details to that story that make it an "informed hunch". I also have a hunch that this caused quite a clash at a parent teacher evening with my mother.

 

[NeuroVibes]

When I told my boss about my autism his reply was don't take this the wrong way but I'm not surprised. He didn't elaborate, and I didn't ask him to

I think I'd prefer that response to the famed "But you don't look it" OR the "it's offensive when people claim to be autistic who are clearly fine when I know someone REALLY autistic." Largely why I haven't disclosed at work.