Fetal alcohol syndrome is very misunderstood by the general population. In fact, it was ruled out when I was in the behavior hospital back in 1989 because I did not have the facial features and low IQ which was the diagnostic criteria of the time. Now it is known that 90% of fetal alcohol kids do not have the facial features or low IQ. It is often called the invisible disease since you cannot see it. I have met several people out in public, and no one has ever asked me if I was mentally ill. It is also frequently misdiagnosed, the major one being adhd. I found out that adhd is usually a symptom of fetal alcohol syndrome. Not being able to sit still is a tell tale sign. We are 1% of the population, and most of us go through life never knowing the root cause of all our problems. I personally did not find out I had until I was 40 years old by freak encounter.
I had to turn in my work paperwork to another site and was talking to the guard on duty. Somehow our conversation led to his adopted kids that both had fetal alcohol syndrome. Both of them sounded exactly like me, so I did more research. Everything started adding up, and I told my psychologist and went from there. Last thing I will say is not one psychologist or psychiatrist has ever figured out that I had it, and I have seen many of them. Sadly, I am the one who figured it out and got the process started. To me, this is ridiculous since I have no formal training in psychology. I am very disappointed with the medical community. If it had not been for that freak encounter, I would have died just thinking I was an idiot who completely screwed up my life.
On another note, this came in my youtube feed the other day. Luckily I did not run into her because it would not have gone well. I would have lost control. No, I would not get physical, or anything like that, but I would be yelling and screaming at her since I would not have known it was a prank. A prank that I do not find funny at all!