Everyone is unique and people with NT may not exhibit all of these symptoms, and people who do not have NT may still exhibit some of these behaviors.
Common Symptoms
- Resistance to minor deviations from ‘expected’ behavior
- Frustration when others are unable to pick up on indirect ‘cues’ or hidden meanings
- Pointless and unnecessary social rituals
- Rigid adherence to social norms, even when they are illogical or counterproductive
- Obsession with a rigid social order
- Frequent natural usage of ‘white lies’
- Compulsive need for social validation, often outweighing individuality and in some cases safety
- Significant emotional distress when feeling socially excluded, even in trivial contexts
- Following fashion trends and styles dictated by popular culture, with little regard for personal preference or practicality.
- Frequent judgement of others based on superficial characteristics such as clothing, hairstyle, or mannerisms.
- Difficulty in distinguishing between one’s own emotions and the emotions of others, leading to emotional burnout.
- Preference for mediums of interaction capable of conveying more social cues, often face-to-face conversation or video/voice call, even when other methods are more efficient or practical (e.x. calling someone to say something that could have been sent via text message, calling a meeting when the information could have been sent via email)