Published on 12, July, 2020
For a long time I´ve tried to figure out why I got my diagnosis (PDD-NOS) and I´m going to get a second opinion. But one thing that could be seen as a form of "disability" is perhaps that I´m been unemployed for a long time, I´m 37 years old, and I I´ve worked only for shorter periods of time. I´ve studied at university and completed two exams. For two years I´ve been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and I´m not sure what´s what and what has contributed moslyt to my unemployment. I have only positive job credentials but I didn´t find the jobs to be interesting or stimulating enough. Now, after several years of unemployment this becomes a problem and I risk having to engage in unemployment activities that´ll only make me feel worse.
I don´t know if I would manage to have a full time job for a longer period of time, like several years or if my diagnosis is the reason why I don´t feel any job is interesting enough. I easily feel "trapped" and bored by office work even if I don´t mean I would want to work on a farm or similar.
I want to ask others if longer periods of unemployment are significant for people on the spectrum?
I was out of work for twenty five years, getting my first permanent job when I was in my forties.
For me, in an interview I never fitted the 'body language' that the job interviewer expected. The eye contact, the fidgeting, the not understanding the questions, answering a question in a way not expected, poor processing of the spoken word, appearing hesitant, answering questions which were not asked, giving an answer that would relate to an earlier question, just rambling on in a bid to gain processing/thinking time - these all meant I was very unlikely to be offered the job. I am always better at writing things down, mainly because generally the processing time isn't quite so important - I can need a considerable time to think of the correct word to use.
I can imagine that the current way of dealing with the unemployed does no favours to anyone who is autistic. The current system seems to 'blame' someone for their unemployment, when in fact most unemployed people need genuine help, and this applies even more to autistic people. Trying to get me to make a dozen phone calls a day asking potential employers if they had any vacancies I found impossible.
Don't think of a diagnosis of an autism spectrum condition to be a bad thing. The diagnosis doesn't change you, it just confirms what you are. And don't think that you are disabled in the conventional sense. There are more ways to be disabled than to be paraplegic, blind, deaf or similar. Disablement also comes from the way society treats people and attitudes of others. Like anyone else, you will have your strengths and weaknesses, society (and employers) often homes in on the weaknesses instead of looking at the strengths.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to get support from a local autism service. If this is available to you, consider this very seriously. And ensure you tell the jobcentre about your diagnosis, like everyone else they will be obliged to take into account any problems you have and make adjustments to their usual practices under the Equality Act.