Autism/Aspergers

[TikindiDragon]

With interviews on of the most important things is making it look like you're giving eye contact - focus on the bridge of the interviewer's nose, that works really well. They think you're giving eye contact, and you don't have to worry about how uncomfortable eyes are. Go through whatever your calming routine is before you go in, that helps too. Try not to get too hyped up about it, and try to remember that it won't be the end of the world if you don't get the job. We've got a lot of strengths - like great attention to detail - so be sure to make the most of them.

 

I'm awful with spoken instructions. I freely admit that, and have usualy told the poeple I work with up front about it. It's never normally a problem. Anything that requires a course of any kind for your training will almost always come with written instructions as well (those are a god send!), and if it's on the job training they normally don't mind you getting it wrong a couple of times until you've learnt how it works. You're a trainee, after all, no one will expect you to be perfect from day 1.

 

If you're getting anxiety attacks from being around a lot of people the simple answer is to find a job where you don't hvae to be around a lot of people! Fast Food places are not good places for us to work! Lots of verbal requests, in a very noisy environment! My first job was at a stable yard. Yes, most of the instructions were spoken, but the people there were quite patient and it wasn't a high-pressure atmosphere. Plus it seems we aspies are know for being unusually good with animals. I always said horses were like a band-aid for the soul

[St. Jimmy]

Alrighty, thanks! I know what you mean about being good with animals... I've been volunteering at an animal shelter to get work experience, and being around the animals is really calming. And I'll try looking for jobs that aren't noisy and filled with people.

[IsmaielDeath]

IMG

 

Your Aspie score: 162 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 40 of 200

You are very likely an Aspie

 

 

Nothing really new.. I hear all the time that I'm not like the others.

But I didn't thought I would find so much questions in one form that I have to answer with yes.

 

So.. What now?

Edited July 13, 2012 by IsmaielDeath

[angelicdragonpuppy]

When I was little, the doctors thought I had mild autism. Nope! I just am not the most social butterfly. At least offline with people other than family haha herpderp. ewe

 

Now they're trying to give the same diagnosis to my youngest brother... but he acts a ton like me (heck, his birthday is THE DAY BEFORE MINE) and I'm confident that his will be wrong, too.

 

Doctors today (and to some degree, parents) seem over-eager to jump on diagnoses of this sort, I think.

Edited July 13, 2012 by angelicdragonpuppy

[TikindiDragon]

So.. What now?

Depends. Research is always the first part. Some poeple have found that a self-diagnosis helps them to form a framework to work around their problems, and need no more than that. For others, a professional diagnosis may be helpful. But *do* research first.

[Infinis]

Aspie quiz result image

 

This was an interesting questionnaire and the result is kind of what I expected, I've suspected this for a while, but considering the low score I got on the neurotypical social area (a 1.0) I may simply be very socially phobic (which I am...I do not do well at all in social situations). On the Aspie Compulsion area I scored high (8.5) and I fit the little description almost to the letter. o.0 (But to my knowledge I do not actually have any real OCDs.)

 

Took the quiz thing on page 1, it said that I likely have Aspergers. I dunno, I do display some of the common traits of people with Aspergers but I think I'm functioning pretty well compared to some of the anecdotes here?? And it's sort of scaring me off from sharing my thoughts because man, there are a lot of people who actually have Aspergers/autism and cannot function so it feels like I'm attention whoring when I bring up that I might have it when I'm surviving pretty well. Same reason I've never touched the support thread, I don't feel that I have the right to complain about my issues when there are people with cancer out there.

 

You can still have Asperger's but be able to function very well (or find really good coping strategies) in society. My family is friends with another family who has a son with really bad Asperger's (multiple severe OCDs, does terribly in social situations, has all kinds of trouble communicating (stuttering often as well), etc). He is 26 and still has to live at home because he simply does not function well on his own. It didn't help that all through high school he was teased because of it. :/

[IsmaielDeath]

Hm... I don't really have a problem with the world around me. Its more like the world sometimes has a problem with me.

Its not like I'm totally unable to do anything myself. (Thank whoever god for that.)

But people tend to think I can't do anything because I sometimes need a little longer to do specific things or understand this relationship stuff - which I sometimes don't understand at all.

Still people are trying to tell and teach me this stuff. I'm actually very happy if I can be for myself. No need for a partner so something. I have a few friends. And the ones I don't see almost daily even get a message sometimes.

Sure that doesn't sound great now. But those people know me good enough to know that I didn't forget them when I'm not writing for months. Its just my way. And If they really want to talk to me they usually call.

 

Only thing really bothering me is that I can't ride a bicycle - or stand on one leg for that matter. At least now I have a hint where that comes from. In a strange way everything seems clear now. It is good to know.

[cutiesonic]

I have Aspergers, too. I remember going to this therapist's office and him talking to my mom about my obessions and other things. On the way back to home, she told me that I have it. This happened when I was fifth grade. Also, later on, in fifth grade, we were told to do an autobiography. I put down that I have in there. I don't remember how my teacher treated me since, but I decided to put in there. In 8th grade, we had to write a report on a topic. I chose Aspergers. Along with Aspergers, I also have ADHD; those two are often present at the same time.

 

 

Help me with my eggs! I promise to help you!

//PLEASE_READ_THE_RULES_BEFORE_ATTEMPTING_TO_POST_YOUR_EGGS

~Eggspam Removed~

Edited December 10, 2012 by _Z_

[lightbird]

Depends. Research is always the first part. Some poeple have found that a self-diagnosis helps them to form a framework to work around their problems, and need no more than that. For others, a professional diagnosis may be helpful. But *do* research first.

Yep. For me, doing research - especially since I live in a country in which only children get diagnosed for autism - and observing my own behaviour has helped me become less... socially awkward, although I still often catch myself getting worked-up about various things, that I can't describe otherwise as it being an "Aspie" thing, because it doesn't help even when I can rationalize them.

Symptom-wise, when I look back at my life, I check out on most points for scoring as an Aspie, besides the social awkwardness/lack of empathy - I get easily stressed, I dislike sudden changes in routine, rules; I have difficulties keeping my obsessions under control so as to not seem very annoying to other people;

as much as I regret this, I lack creativity when it comes to solving problems and I have difficulties expressing myself verbally in a way that doesn't often copy phrases I've heard from other people, I have attention issues, despite having above-average intelligence - and because of all these I often come off as borderline stupid/considerably less capable than I can be;

lastly, my motor skills are that of a brick. Often, I just can't figure out how am I supposed to do something. For example, during all my P.E. lessons at school I couldn't figure out how to do a somersault or how to jump over obstacles, or how to spin a hoop. I'm not kidding.

 

Would that I could, I would rather go with a different self-diagnosis than Asperger's, which seems to be a fashion syndrome, and therefore less believable about those who haven't been/can't get diagnosed, but I haven't been able to find anything else that would fit me and that would explain why for most of my conscious life I've been wondering if I honestly wasn't retarded, because I couldn't figure out so many things, mainly motor and social skills, that came so effortlessly to my peers but which I found either impossible to do or a struggle to maintain.

 

OK, I haven't moved out of my parents' apartment (mainly because my job doesn't pay well enough to do well on my own just yet and hey, they're not kicking me out, even though I'm in mid-20s), but I am capable of holding down a job in which I'm required to socialize with many people with varying expectations - even with the stress it often gives, and in personal contacts I seem to have reached the point where I seem more just "eccentric" rather than that creepy weird kid, which makes a lot of difference to me.

[Onixthebunny1]

Took the quiz.

 

http://www.rdos.net/eng/poly12c.php?p1=8&p...=3&p11=8&p12=19

 

Aspie: 12 out of 200

Neurotypical: 170 out of 200

I am very likely neurotypical!

[Switch]

Your aspie score: 175 out of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 22 out of 200

You are very likely an aspie

 

Yeep. I was sort of expecting that, but I'm still surprised at how many of those things matched up for me... Honestly I've been wondering about this a lot lately, it's definitely not just the test that's made me think. I have a ton of the listed symptoms from what I've seen... think I'll try to start doing some research, though I'm not really sure where to start... I've been thinking about trying to get a diagnosis of some kind, but my parents really don't seem to care and say that I'm just "choosing to be difficult" :|

I don't really know x.x

[TikindiDragon]

Your aspie score: 175 out of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 22 out of 200

You are very likely an aspie

 

Yeep. I was sort of expecting that, but I'm still surprised at how many of those things matched up for me... Honestly I've been wondering about this a lot lately, it's definitely not just the test that's made me think. I have a ton of the listed symptoms from what I've seen... think I'll try to start doing some research, though I'm not really sure where to start... I've been thinking about trying to get a diagnosis of some kind, but my parents really don't seem to care and say that I'm just "choosing to be difficult" :|

I don't really know x.x

Laying out all the facts and info for them might go a long way to proving that you aren't "choosing to be difficult".

[RWyvern]

I was diagnosed with aspergers a few years ago, and two years ago I was confirmed to be autistic. With an IQ in the top 10% on a bad day, no less

 

It kinda gets in the way a bit, like I have a hard time talking to other people (although some I can just be with the less than five minutes and get along like I knew them all my life), and simple tasks such as crossing roads by myself range from very difficult to impossible. I tried work experience for a year, for two hours a day, two days a week, but in the last few months I was so bored out by repetition that I was often nearly asleep. I can no longer even enter that shop with getting that same lethargic feel.

 

Fortunately I can go without work, and am going on a pension next year. I worry a lot about the future and what I'm going to do to support myself and my two sisters (both autistic) when mum and dad are no longer here, but mum says she'll get a carer for us. Nevertheless I still feel scared just think forty years into the future.

 

The upside to my autism is that not only can I get away with no work, if it wasn't for the syndrome I'd likely never be able to make works like this:

 

Edited December 30, 2012 by rampaging wyvern

[PointOfOrigin]

Your Aspie score: 149 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 54 of 200

You are very likely an Aspie

 

Well, I really can't say that I'm surprised. From the research that I've done I fit a criteria. To top it off, I already have an autistic brother. He was never diagnosed with a specific disorder, but he only started talking with six years. He improved a ton, so they've never set a real diagnosis (seriously, he's 15 yo and he can talk in English and our mother language). From what I've read, if one sibling has some kind of disorder, the chances are that the other one will also have something.

 

I would love to get an official diagnosis, just so that I'm sure, but I was always the normal one in the family and my mom thinks I'm over reacting. So, I guess that will have to wait till I get my own source of income.

 

 

[MysticTiger]

http://www.rdos.net/eng/poly12c.php?p1=44&...4&p11=18&p12=65

 

Your Aspie score: 62 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 136 of 200

You are very likely neurotypical

 

Kind of surprised. Hmmm...

 

I guess I just assumed it would pick up on my extreme Social Anxiety Disorder (although it's gotten better). I used to throw up before I went to work everyday because I was so full of anxiety. I guess my saving factor is I can tell how people want their conversation to go and how they want me to act. Which is why i'm always different when i'm around different people. Even though I avoid contact as much as possible. I really wish I didn't have to work. Being around that many people day in and day out really does nightmares on my health. Not to mention, my memory has gotten so bad I can't remember where I am half the time anymore so I end up just winging it. Thankfully I have a five minute car ride home, otherwise i'd be afraid of driving off the road or into oncoming traffic.

Edited December 30, 2012 by MysticTiger

[Switch]

Laying out all the facts and info for them might go a long way to proving that you aren't "choosing to be difficult".

They are extremely stubborn and extremely prone to refusing to change their mind once they've made it and will ignore anything that goes against what they've decided, but I'll do my best. x__x

[TikindiDragon]

Just retook the test (largely for entertainment purposes), and the result:

 

Your Aspie score: 173 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 25 of 200

 

 

Yeah, not much change there for me.

[Kestra15]

Your Aspie score: 113 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 121 of 200

You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits

 

Interesting?

[TikindiDragon]

Kinda depends on where it's spiking on the graph, Kestra.

[Shirubia]

http://www.rdos.net/eng/poly12c.php?p1=78&...7&p11=66&p12=54

 

Your Aspie score: 161 of 200

Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 43 of 200

You are very likely an Aspie

[Kestra15]

Kinda depends on where it's spiking on the graph, Kestra.

 

There you go.

[LadyLyzar]

For those who are on the autism spectrum, or have relatives/friends that are, I'd like to ask you a question. First, some background.

 

My 5yo son was just diagnosed as high functioning autistic with speech delay. He struggles with social skills and expressive speech, as well as timed tasks. He is also very fixated on routine - he does resist changes to his routine, although not violently so. However he may do the same thing for hours if not redirected. He finds a way to play that is fun for him and repeats it.

 

The question of what we are going to do with schooling is rapidly approaching. Before this, I had planned to homeschool both boys. However with him struggling with social skills, I am wondering if he will be better off in a regular kindergarten class where he will constantly be around other kids his age, instead of occasionally like in karate or Boy Scouts. He currently goes to a mother's day out program two days a week and loves it, and attends weekly speech therapy at the elementary school.

 

The school has said he will have access to a classroom aide to help with redirecting to different tasks if necessary. However they do not think he will need to be placed into a special class at all. That being said, I am concerned that they will not challenge him to find ways to work through it, and instead will treat it like a full fledged permanent disability.

 

I've been researching homeschooling autistic kids, and a lot of people recommend it, but most of the information I've found so far seems to be for kids who are not high functioning.

 

Anyhow, my question is... If you were given the choice, would you rather go to public school, or be homeschooled with lots of social activities (sports, scouts, etc?) How would those environments be challenging or helpful? Is one-on-one attention better than a classroom environment?

[CrossingStar]

Three people I know (two my close friends) are on the autism spectrum. Wonderful people I love them to death! Wish I had more to say right now.

[SecondStarToTheRight]

given the choice, would you rather go to public school, or be homeschooled with lots of social activities (sports, scouts, etc?)  How would those environments be challenging or helpful?  Is one-on-one attention better than a classroom environment?

 

Homeschooled. With no busy exhausting impersonal crowded social activities. But that's just my preference. One-on-one attention surely brings out talents and better problem solving and real life coping skills.

 

Edit:

Should have added- the best decision my mother said she ever made was removing me from public school. We were lucky. I am. Eternally grateful. And that was some years ago...

Edited December 31, 2012 by SecondStarToTheRight

[CrossingStar]

Homeschooled. With no busy exhausting impersonal crowded social activities. But that's just my preference. One-on-one attention surely brings out talents and better problem solving and real life coping skills...

I agree with this. I'm not on the spectrum myself, but I greatly prefer my own company.