''Aspie'' makes me cringe. Really, stop using that. We deserve much better. Everything is going towards acceptance and awareness, so how about we stop beating around the bush and create pet names for what it doesn't need a one?
I feel there's little to no structural support for adults with ASD. At least where I live. I mean, all the accomodations and NGO efforts are focused at children and their parents. Let's say you're diagnosed at 17 or 18, maybe even 19; if you want to read up on it and find out more than your doc'd tell you, there is nothing but books and online articles in the vein of 'Help Yourself Handle Your Autistic Child.' Please think of the big ones, too. The kids aren't going to grow out of autism and they won't stop needing help. I'm 24,5 and the only thing I have at hand is my disability status.
I got a diagnosis at 12, which is nearly uncanny for the today's standards. I've always felt hurt by that. I could have filed for disability status earlier: back then, me and my parents just didn't want to get anymore problems and stigma on me. I wasn't smart and neurotypical enough for a neurotypical school and not challenged enough for special education. When I entered middle school, the therapeutical facility I was admitted to had written a letter to heads, a letter in the vein of ''SHE HAS THIS AND THAT WHICH RESULTS IN THIS AND THAT AND SHE NEEDS SPECIAL TREATMENT'' And booooy I've got special treatment. I was the one; soon the headmaster whose empathy and understanding levels were at absolute zero told all the teachers and so it spread. I was the sideshow of the entire school again and the headmaster absolutely enabled it.
I have only escaped my autism and the stigma of being ''that one'' when I went to high school. I was heck-bent on choosing a high school in The Big City, changing my environment and the people around me. It was successful. I became happy and free, I got friends, I got enemies, neutral people around me, just like every normal kid would.
Then, the adult life happened. I started doing not so well in the uni, the depression struck. I've become unemployed; my low productivity and panicky personality losing me every job before the paycheck. Now my disability papers give me the right to work in supported employment environment, so I'm kind of seeing this as an opportunity; my uni stuff has smoothed out a bit right now too. My depression remitted, and I could finally get my antidepressant doses lowered now.
Autism is not fun. But it's manageable in this way or another. Embrace it instead of trying all you can so it won't bite you. It won't. Look for any support you could find, even if there's little of it. You have Asperger's, and not ''are an Aspie.''
You're brave, and I love you.
I feel there's little to no structural support for adults with ASD. At least where I live. I mean, all the accomodations and NGO efforts are focused at children and their parents. Let's say you're diagnosed at 17 or 18, maybe even 19; if you want to read up on it and find out more than your doc'd tell you, there is nothing but books and online articles in the vein of 'Help Yourself Handle Your Autistic Child.' Please think of the big ones, too. The kids aren't going to grow out of autism and they won't stop needing help. I'm 24,5 and the only thing I have at hand is my disability status.
I got a diagnosis at 12, which is nearly uncanny for the today's standards. I've always felt hurt by that. I could have filed for disability status earlier: back then, me and my parents just didn't want to get anymore problems and stigma on me. I wasn't smart and neurotypical enough for a neurotypical school and not challenged enough for special education. When I entered middle school, the therapeutical facility I was admitted to had written a letter to heads, a letter in the vein of ''SHE HAS THIS AND THAT WHICH RESULTS IN THIS AND THAT AND SHE NEEDS SPECIAL TREATMENT'' And booooy I've got special treatment. I was the one; soon the headmaster whose empathy and understanding levels were at absolute zero told all the teachers and so it spread. I was the sideshow of the entire school again and the headmaster absolutely enabled it.
I have only escaped my autism and the stigma of being ''that one'' when I went to high school. I was heck-bent on choosing a high school in The Big City, changing my environment and the people around me. It was successful. I became happy and free, I got friends, I got enemies, neutral people around me, just like every normal kid would.
Then, the adult life happened. I started doing not so well in the uni, the depression struck. I've become unemployed; my low productivity and panicky personality losing me every job before the paycheck. Now my disability papers give me the right to work in supported employment environment, so I'm kind of seeing this as an opportunity; my uni stuff has smoothed out a bit right now too. My depression remitted, and I could finally get my antidepressant doses lowered now.
Autism is not fun. But it's manageable in this way or another. Embrace it instead of trying all you can so it won't bite you. It won't. Look for any support you could find, even if there's little of it. You have Asperger's, and not ''are an Aspie.''
You're brave, and I love you.
