How do you speak to people on here?

Thank you, very much appreciated. Those all seem to be about making this a safe space and that's obviously a good thing. As for the more techy aspects, I'm pretty sure that my fledgling computer skills will never be advanced enough for me to be capable of breaking them! Noted though. 

The rules are:

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Are there rules or instructions somewhere about how to use this chat space? Where can I find them? It would be really helpful.

Thank you, it IS so lovely to read everyone's thoughts and actually be able to relate to them for a change. It's also a little scary to share those thoughts as it's never worked out well in the past but I'm sure you know as much about that as me! 

I did choose a username, I'm not sure why I'm still a number at the moment but I was hoping the number would just automatically change to the name I chose once it had been accepted?

I have a lot to learn about using chat forums, I just replied to something and think I entered the reply in the wrong place - oops! It's fine, it's not as if it's the first time I've arrived somewhere social and broken the unwritten rules. 

Hi there,your reply may well have been taken straight from my mind, I am self diagnosed Aspergers, Male 55, been kn here about six months now,

i have learnt so very much.

but above all else I have found people like me, my tribe, nice people,

welcome aboard and once settled maybe choose a user name, unless you already have, sometimes takes a while before becoming active,

oh yes it used to be very formal in here, sticking to the topic was a given, unfortuneately people like me came in and talk freely and often stray off topic, it doesn’t seem to upset anyone, 

Be happy,

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for replying and for being understanding about my very unfashionable lack of knowledge about these things (Chat Forums or Blogs or whatever i'm supposed to call this). I have teenage daughters so i've heard of all of these things but never ventured online enough to find or use anything like this. It's almost as scary, exciting, confusing, daunting, and new to me as Aspergers itself! Forgive me if i'm supposed to reply to each of you individually, hopefully i'll get better at this as I go along.

How am I finding being on the Aspergian extent of the diagnostic spectrum? It was VERY scary to be told it's a disability. It does and doesn't feel like that, mostly it just feels liberating I think. I keep thinking to myself "I'm not weird or crazy after all!!!! I'm real"

It's amazing to me to suddenly know that there are people out there who are dealing with the same things i've been dealing with my whole life. It's so difficult to explain how I feel but I haven't had much time yet to work it through, I only received the news on Thursday. I have, however, sort of suspected it many times as the years have gone on but then again I did also sort of suspect things like M.E. / C.F.S, I.B.S. and pretty much the rest of the alphabet over the years. None of them quite fitted, of course, but I'd never read enough about Aspergers to think it would be a better fit until recently. 

I guess, to eventually answer the question, Aspergers feels like me. Like it's maybe okay to BE me even. I've been fascinated reading some of the posts on here and a lot of things i've read have been as if the people are writing about me, "How did they know" keeps popping into my head about all of the things i'm used to thinking of as my own personal oddness-es. (That's not a word?) I guess i'm so used to covering things up that i'm also not quite sure how to start being just me. I'm not sure how to have Aspergers. It's all a bit confusing at the moment but, as I said, It's very early days and I think it's going to be fine.    

The main rule here is, ' don't break the rules '

And you can receive email notifications when someone replies to a thread you are involved in.  Or you can just check periodically for messages.

Otherwise this site is very friendly.  With much less rudeness and aggression than certain others.

Endymion said:

'm not entirely sure how chat forums work, never having used one before, but I've recently been diagnosed with Aspergers and was hoping to speak to others about it. Is there a live group-chat facility somewhere here (or elsewhere) or are you just supposed to leave messages and check back for replies at a later date? 

It's a bit of both depending on how many people are on or off line at any given time, but generally most people get an answer on the same day or the next day depending on what's going on and all that. But anyway, welcome to the NAS community, and how are you finding being on the Aspergian extent of the diagnostic spectrum then?

I was really pleased about my diagnosis as it really solved the puzzle of me and my ways, and gave me the means to better manage them, so major bonus all in all as far I was concerned. Some are well confused about it all when they first post here, diagnosed or undiagnosed, and anxiety can be high, and it can also be a bit strange at first being normal with others who are similar or very much likewise.

Most importantly though, Autistic is the way here, so follow what comes naturally to you also ~ respecting the community rules and all that, and have a really good one ~ and many many more too.

Frank said:

Im new too. just like yourself

Hi Dave, welcome to the community just as much also.

i think it depends on the people. some people are shy or just wont reply as they will wait for others. thats just human nature, not autism. it would be nice if there was an active group but be patient and understanding.

Im new too. just like yourself