Published on 12, July, 2020
I work in a office building. I'm one of three women and a man. My job is to answer the phone and use a computer, my day consists of me typing, speaking on the phone and engaging in conversation (help!) with my work colleagues. My friend April who works next to me is really nice and I think she knows there's something different about me because she seems to give me a sort of comforting smile a lot of the time. Work is hard, every day I spend ages making sure I look right for work and change my clothes and redo my hair about fifty times before I finally leave. When I get to work I spend the day feeling anxious because I know I'll have to engage in workplace communication, either work banter or one of my colleagues will ask me if I have a file or if someone called. This sends me in to a massive brain shutdown moment where I spend the next ten minutes trying to think and communicate at the same time, which results in me not finding the right words and just sort of babbling like a baby.
Working is difficult, mostly because of the amount of things I have to do. Focusing, communicating, being out of my safe zone and *shudders* office meetings where I sometimes have to stand up and talk to my colleagues as well as our boss... Usually after a meeting I end up throwing up in the bathroom and have a mini panic attack.
Does anyone else here work and have similar problems to me?
Hi Emma,
I have Asperger’s and I’m a deputy manager for a care home. It’s hard and some days especially more than others. I get very overwhelmed and not everybody is aware of my condition, even tho by now my reaction to certain situations is not ‘normal’. And that unfortunately makes it obvious. I’ve been struggling with meltdowns recently and I can’t seem to find a way to calm myself down.
Oh God, been there! Usually I just leave because knowing my reactions/judgment are off just makes me feel worse (horribly conspicuous) and contributes to the problems and the meltdowns in a vicious circle. Any chance of going p/t and/or getting a couple of weeks off (holiday or see GP) to recharge a bit?
Going back to work on Thursday night, first day back since my major meltdown, will see how things go after manager had staff in a meeting about me
BigD said: I think it is a good idea to bite the bullet and tell employers about the problems we have.
Yes, I was really anxious they'd start wondering whether I can do my job but they seem to be OK. I think it's an idea to wait until they have time to know you can do the actual job and there are just issues around interacting with the environment.
A break will probably help, I have been off work for a week so far, been taking Prozac, feeling much better, I will return to work after the Christmas break and see what provisions they are making for me after the meeting we had. I was worried about telling my company about the condition, as I’m a HGV driver driving artic lorries, I thought they might think that it would be dangerous, but they are fine with it. The manager had a meeting with the transport staff to inform them of my condition and symptoms, they have been on the receiving end of my meltdowns a few times. So, I think it is a good idea to bite the bullet and tell employers about the problems we have.