Adults On The Autism Spectrum
Maybe you were really shy as a child. Perhaps you took home a huge stack of books from the school library, read them, and returned them the next day. Or did your best friend find you crying in your closet, unable to answer the question "Why?" At any rate, your life could be traced to the Self-Help section of the local bookstore. Unfortunately, most of the books were not much help. ADHD seemed to fit, at times. Your shrink said you might be Bi-Polar, although she wasn't really certain. All you knew was that you rarely fit in, anywhere. One day at work, it hit you square in the face: I don't speak these people's language! Really, it was like you were all playing this game, and everyone knew the rules but you. You couldn't tell a joke, and you never "got" any joke your co-worker tried to tell you. People started getting annoyed with you, because you had a memory like a steel trap. They didn't appreciate it when you called them on the carpet. Who knew? This was my life, and worse. I finally aced several tests that pointed me to the answer to my questions. The Autism Spectrum. Guess what? Little kids with Autism grow up to be Adults with Autism. Diagnosed late in life? This is the place for you!
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autism (ASD) Support Group.
Hey,@gingerw, back atcha, girl! I thank God for the warmth, love, care, and understanding that I find here on Connect. It's a place like no other. I am enjoying getting to know everyone just a little better. As you know, I have had some really rough flare ups recenyly. Some of the meds I have to take make me foggy, and slower than I'd like to be. I forget appointments, things on my to do list, and even just basic necessities of life. Instead of beating myself up over it, I tell myself I am only human. I am doing the best that I can. I love to hear your words. You have quite the way with them. Take good care, and I hope to talk to you soon!
Mamacita
@mamacita Good early morning to you, hoping your day goes smoothly, as I wish the same for everyone else here! Thank you for the kind words. I am coming to grips with the big realities of the move made a month ago, and how that has affected me mentally and emotionally. It's a learning curve to not forget who I am. Over the weekend in a support group for kidney disease patients, I found my voice saying words to a new participant that I so badly needed to hear. Funny how that goes.
Good morning, dear@gingerw, I have my coffee ready and I'm ready to go! I am so glad to hear from you. It's so hard to make new friends when one moves to another location. I'm not really sure, but since people tend to move all the time, we probably need to manage to connect with the ones who support and encourage us. And vice versa. There are many ways to do that. Can we talk about this? I would love to talk about what works and doesn't work Is that a "maybe" I hear? Love and hugs,
Jane
@mamacita What I have found here is approaching things a bit differently than in the past. This move I am fully retired. All other moves I was working, so there was the distraction/pressure of that. It would be oh! so easy to hide at home and not participate. Instead, I have reached, testing the waters locally. It will take time, but I am in no big rush, to find a supportive net. Finding that as a new place, this lets me be able to be a blank canvas and construct the best support possible. Thanks for this topic.
@gingerw, you have been reading my mind. Whenever I travel, I look around for commonalities. I look at the stores, the churches, the librairies, schools, hospitals. I make sure there is a gym. A great bookstore is a necessity, as is a good coffee shop. Music store, theater,movie theater also. A nice community college, parks, rivers, lakes, the beach?
Yes, yes, and yes. All of these things have such great potential for fellowship, friendship, focus, and meaning.
One reason I like to go on vacation is that I can relax, mellow out, and be a part of myself that rarely surfaces.
I always manage to bring home some part of that girl. She inspires me. No matter how hard life gets, no matter how many times I land on my face, I always manage to get back up again. I feel very much alone, so much of the time. Sometimes my virtual world seems more real than my physical world. Working on making the two the same. Getting late. Thank you for adding to this discussion. I means so much to me! TTYL
Mamacita
. Jane
Good morning, fellow square pegs! Hope you have your coffee cup and are ready to go. Here's a thought. What books are we currently reading? Annnnd, go!
I currently am reading Lies Women Believe.
@mamacita Good day back to you! We are on the road, camping, and this is first chance to respond since no internet three days ago. Didn't bother me any! I had crochet, Zentangle, and my Kindle along. Currently reading "Just This Once" by Rosalind James. A simple read, not much thinking involved.
Hey Gingerw! Camping, eh? What fun! It's still a bit too hot and muggy for us down here. I haven't touched my book in several days. But reading is a welcome diversion. In a way, it's like taking a trip. More later. Hugs!
hugs youse I come and go when its appropriate for me to comment or contribute .seeing I got dissed I felt it better only to visit