Adults On The Autism Spectrum

Posted by Mamacita, Alumna Mentor @mamacita, Apr 29, 2018

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.

@hopeful33250

Thank you Theresa.

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@hopeful33250

@sirgalahad
The lack of eye contact explains a lot to me, @sirgalahad. That would make it difficult to understand jokes because facial expressions provide a lot of clues. Thanks again for taking the time to explain this to me. You are a great teacher!

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you are very welcome I am sharing my experiences as I grewed up as an autistic and as I have learned to live properlike as a recognized person on the spectrum .I enjoy and thankyou for your kindness and support .I talk about living as an autistic to help able bodies get a handle on what its like to live as an autistic person and how our brian and its operatig system functions differently

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I've been told by a psychiatrist that I have Asperger's Syndrome. But I actually think I "outgrew" Asperger's Syndrome. I know you can't, but I did! However, I think I have plain autism. And autism has side effects that are horrible. I've had a lifelong stuttering problem. I've had lifelong depression. I've been suicidal. If anyone tells you that they love having autism, in my opinion, they do not have autism. Autism is a deformity of the brain. What's to love about having a brain that is deformed? From what I've read, people with autism have brains that have two parts that are supposed to be completely different, but instead, they are similar. I would not wish autism on any human who has ever lived. It's that bad. OCD is a side effect of Autism. You wouldn't want to know what a lifetime of severe OCD does to you. Strangely enough, I read that people with Asperger's are less likely to get cancer. I actually have cancer also, by the way. People with Autism need to go to Washington and testify before Congress. But that's the last thing a person with Autism would want to do. Well, I hope to do it. Someone has to!

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@usernameca

I've been told by a psychiatrist that I have Asperger's Syndrome. But I actually think I "outgrew" Asperger's Syndrome. I know you can't, but I did! However, I think I have plain autism. And autism has side effects that are horrible. I've had a lifelong stuttering problem. I've had lifelong depression. I've been suicidal. If anyone tells you that they love having autism, in my opinion, they do not have autism. Autism is a deformity of the brain. What's to love about having a brain that is deformed? From what I've read, people with autism have brains that have two parts that are supposed to be completely different, but instead, they are similar. I would not wish autism on any human who has ever lived. It's that bad. OCD is a side effect of Autism. You wouldn't want to know what a lifetime of severe OCD does to you. Strangely enough, I read that people with Asperger's are less likely to get cancer. I actually have cancer also, by the way. People with Autism need to go to Washington and testify before Congress. But that's the last thing a person with Autism would want to do. Well, I hope to do it. Someone has to!

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Hello, @usernameca, this is Mamacita. I understand where you are coming from. My mother had a terrible case of OCD. It was not diagnosed until about a year before she passed away.

To me, it is worse than anything Autism tries to throw at me. And Autism does throw life at you! For sure!

I get on here from time to time and I will speak of the gifts of Autism. Of the pride that I feel when I have struggled in an area and managed to overcome.

I rarely go into too much depth about the sadness, the trials, the lost opportunities, or the everyday difficulties of living in a world that is not set up for the way my brain works.

I don't talk about the times I have cried into my pillow over an injustice done to my grandchildren. At not being invited to birthday parties, at having children just turn and walk away when one of them approaches a child on the playground.

When his "friend" doesn't want to be his friend anymore. When he gets overwhelmed around Neurotypical noises and frantic movements and senseless (To us) chatter.

The rules of the Neurotypical world don't make a whole lot of sense to me. Anxiety and Depression dog me everyday. No one likes to hear that, though.

I hurt that you hurt. I am still fairly new here, trying to flounder around and help in any way that I can. I am painfully aware that all is not sunshine and roses on the Spectrum. While I do sincerely appreciate what I refer to as the gifts of Autism, I have not always lived on that side of the street.

I hope that you will be comfortable enough here, at some point, to tell more of your story as you are able. I will honestly respond with respect and appreciation for what you have been through. You can private message me at any time. In the meantime, I will be keeping you in my thoughts and sending all good vibes your way. Thank you for your graciousness and your courage. Adios!

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Mamacita, here.
How are you? I hope you are well and prospering here at the beginning of a new season. Leaves have been falling for some time now, here in the South, where I live. The other day we had 90 degree weather, though. And it will go up and down until likely Thanksgiving, or even later. Once, perhaps even three or four times, we have had weather so hot that we would wear shorts and a tee shirt for Turkey Day.

I tell everyone who will listen that we are turning into Florida. More and more I see Elephants Ears, Ferns, and Palm Trees in the small North Alabama town I live in. Thriving, beautiful, and totally appropriate. Living things, yet not human. All needing air, sunlight, water, and food.

As Auties, what do we need to thrive? Going to check back with you. Where do you think you are on this journey? Are there points of similarity that we can agree on? Hope I hear back from you!

Adios,

Mamacita

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paw hugs and take and be safewith hurricane Michael dear mamacita talk soon

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@mamacita

Mamacita, here.
How are you? I hope you are well and prospering here at the beginning of a new season. Leaves have been falling for some time now, here in the South, where I live. The other day we had 90 degree weather, though. And it will go up and down until likely Thanksgiving, or even later. Once, perhaps even three or four times, we have had weather so hot that we would wear shorts and a tee shirt for Turkey Day.

I tell everyone who will listen that we are turning into Florida. More and more I see Elephants Ears, Ferns, and Palm Trees in the small North Alabama town I live in. Thriving, beautiful, and totally appropriate. Living things, yet not human. All needing air, sunlight, water, and food.

As Auties, what do we need to thrive? Going to check back with you. Where do you think you are on this journey? Are there points of similarity that we can agree on? Hope I hear back from you!

Adios,

Mamacita

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@mamacita Hope you are feeling better as every few days pass. You pose an interesting question, what we need as aunties to thrive and survive. I believe it is highly individualized, just as we all are. For myself, space and time alone to recharge and be quiet. An understanding spouse [sometimes he slips]. Something that I can turn to, to focus on when too stimulated. Remembering to be kind to myself. Knowing that each day I am doing the best possible that day.
Ginger

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In reply to @sirgalahad "paw hugs everyone" + (show)
@sirgalahad

paw hugs everyone

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I wouldn't be alive without my furry friends.

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@mamacita

Hello, @usernameca, this is Mamacita. I understand where you are coming from. My mother had a terrible case of OCD. It was not diagnosed until about a year before she passed away.

To me, it is worse than anything Autism tries to throw at me. And Autism does throw life at you! For sure!

I get on here from time to time and I will speak of the gifts of Autism. Of the pride that I feel when I have struggled in an area and managed to overcome.

I rarely go into too much depth about the sadness, the trials, the lost opportunities, or the everyday difficulties of living in a world that is not set up for the way my brain works.

I don't talk about the times I have cried into my pillow over an injustice done to my grandchildren. At not being invited to birthday parties, at having children just turn and walk away when one of them approaches a child on the playground.

When his "friend" doesn't want to be his friend anymore. When he gets overwhelmed around Neurotypical noises and frantic movements and senseless (To us) chatter.

The rules of the Neurotypical world don't make a whole lot of sense to me. Anxiety and Depression dog me everyday. No one likes to hear that, though.

I hurt that you hurt. I am still fairly new here, trying to flounder around and help in any way that I can. I am painfully aware that all is not sunshine and roses on the Spectrum. While I do sincerely appreciate what I refer to as the gifts of Autism, I have not always lived on that side of the street.

I hope that you will be comfortable enough here, at some point, to tell more of your story as you are able. I will honestly respond with respect and appreciation for what you have been through. You can private message me at any time. In the meantime, I will be keeping you in my thoughts and sending all good vibes your way. Thank you for your graciousness and your courage. Adios!

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You mention CHATTER. Sound enters my head as CHATTER, especially words. And words roll around. Loud. I can be with few people without internal disturbance. That's why I can no longer work. When I did work and thrive it was with 2 others who were similar-we worked at night, alone, with computers. We were a silent unit.

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