Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi I'm New here, I'm having problems at work with describing how aspergers affects me. My employer wont take my diagnosis as fact, they have a copy of the diagnosis letter but won't accept the description I give of how my symptoms affect me, they want proof from my gp, but I know my Gp knows nothing of AS and I am in danger of losing my job which I have been doing for 5 years! Im getting so close to giving up. Any advice?
In what way does it effect you at work?
Communication small talk.... ughhh noise lighting smells dealing with too many people at the same time. My mind just goes to mush under these conditions
This sounds like I could have written it! I’m struggling a lot right now, and what you describe is how I feel each day. Due to things that have gone on over the past few months and comments that have been made to me I feel so uncomfortable at work, and just shut down. This morning I’ve done about five minutes worth of work in 5 hours, and spent the rest of the time feeling completely crushed and exhausted. It’s like being light headed and weighing a tonne all at the same time. I had loads of sleep last night but I’m so tired I’ll be in bed by 6.30 this evening. I did an access to work request and they’re doing an assessment next week. I can’t explain to anyone at work how much the work environment is affecting me.
Did they give a reason why no adjustments were made?? Sounds very unfair if occupational health have made the recommendations
That was the same for me and as soon as I realised why ~ because I'm autistic ~ I simply refused to participate any longer and instead vowed to find a way of working that suited me.
Maybe I was able to do that because in my ignorance (of autism) I allowed myself to burnout completely, which I realised, post diagnosis, was a gift because it meant I had no other choice but to find another way.
I realised I could never work a conventional job, no matter how good I was at my job and no matter how much I loved it, if I wanted to enjoy any quality of life beyond work and I know I wasn't put on this earth for just that, so I'm finding another way.
I simply couldn't see any other way around it, even with adjustments, it just felt like more effort than it was worth. Even working as one of my favourite things, a barista, didn't work out and I realised, if I was going to follow up with that passion, I would have to open my own, autism friendly, coffee shop. So that's what I'll do. I've no idea how long it will take for that to come into fruition, but it's not my main wage earner anyway, so it will happen when it happens and in the meantime, I'm exploring as best I can, what actually does work for me. And I'm getting my leisure activities etc, everything I do outside of work, set up first, because I have a tendency to be a workaholic, so this time I'm putting measures in place to prevent that from happening. At the same time, I'll be learning new skills to enable me to have a way to provide for myself financially when I'm ready to join the world of work once again.
It might not be easy, but for me personally, its rewards are far greater than the ones I would get from working in a conventional job, so I might as well put my efforts to where I'll get the most reward.
I don't know what to say beyond that. Maybe get a disability rights group involved? I have no idea, sorry, it all seems too much for me. Best of luck anyway, I'm sure others here can give you some advice and tips. I just opted for opting out and living my life according to my needs and finding a different way.
I think the biggest challenge is getting people to understand our struggles in areas which are taken for granted. Physical disabilities, in most cases when seen and judged to be severe, are accepted; however disabilities which are more hidden or not always obvious are much harder for people that are not affected to accept. They need proof for it to be validated, which always makes me laugh as I work so hard to mask my struggles and ensure I do a good job. As I have said to my boss on many occasion, I just manage to last through work on most days, but then I go home and shrink into a wreck that cannot function properly. My life therefore revolves around work - I work and then I work to recover from work, so I can start the cycle again. Yet this still didn't strike a chord with my boss on just how consuming work is for me. I have no life or get to enjoy my hobbies like I used to, like other people do - and still my struggles are not accepted or aided in some cases.
I was having a lot of shutdowns and an Occupational Therapist who specialises in Autism, was brought into assess me. She told me to be honest, and she noted how aspects of my job can cause me stress and have negative impact on my well-being. No reasonable adjustments were made, but they now know if they push me in areas that I struggle with, then I will shutdown and won't be able to perform at my best, which could result in me having to take time off sick to recover. It's not ideal, but it's the best scenario I have come to with my current employer.