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My favourite people

Munchkin

For those of you struggling particularly with a new diagnosis or unsure if you have it or feeling bad about yourselves for being autistic. I hope this will be good for you. 

I have found over and over again that some of my favourite people are on the spectrum. I think, I have Asperger's, still unsure bit one of the things that helps me with it is looking at the others I know who do or maybe do and they are generally all amazing. 

The woman I worked with, who's getting her diagnosis now who kept getting in trouble because she would not lie or hide results for a corporation. Would not be quiet about unfairness. 

A friend who wouldn't lie for another who had done something terrible, wouldn't blaim the victim to make himself feel better as many around him were doing. Wouldn't abandon that friend either but wouldn't pretend what he had done was OK, kept trying to help him become better. 

Someone I work with who goes out of his way to make sure that all the people around him are OK. Who goes above and beyond to try to ensure that people around him aren't being taken advantage of and do what he can to make it better. Even when sometimes I think he would much rather be hiding out on his own.

A guy I know who has Asperger's, who works in social care supporting people with severe learning difficulties and still manages to spend the rest of his time on charity works and can't walk past a homeless person without stopping to help. Who is also actually very annoyed that Asperger's is now lot a diagnosis it is Autism Spectrum Disorder. And quite frankly I see what he means. Is it a disorder to be different? 

So here's to thinking a little differently. Here's to not playing social games, not playing politics. Here's to introversion and to a sense of fair play. Quite frankly the world needs more of us. 

  • in reply to Robert124

    I'm sorry to hear you struggle with this, and your not alone, I think it leads to problems for me with management sometimes too. It may well have been why I lost some jobs. And I know many of the people I spoke of have similar problems which is horrible but it doesn't change the fact that they are still awesome people as you may well be too and I hope I am.

    I remember struggling with this saying to my councillor that it felt like the world punished people for trying to do the right thing. And she said something that was hard to hear yes sometimes it does, look at people like Martin Luther King, but that doesn't mean in your own way your not fighting for what's right, not a good person. The woman who wouldn't hide her results lost that job, but eventually got a new one that suited her better, me too, so just be sure it's harder doesn't mean it isn't possible. It's not fair but still worth being proud of who you are

  • You sound positive in your outlook, unfortunately my experiences are different,  in 2018 I worked as a support worker with people who had multiple challenging physical and mental disabilities. I'm sure several of them were autistic,  in addition to their other problems.  I got along well with the clients because I could understand and emphasise ( not sure of my spelling) with their behaviour.  However,  the staff and management hated me and I was fired. 

  • Thank you so much for your post. 

    I wish it would be like that... you are right but, in my case, my shutdowns and my meltdowns have made my relative's lifes very hard, They suffered a lot, without knowing how to cope.

    Plus the sensory issues that drive me crazy, several times. 

    It's true that the world needs more of us but i really feel we need special care, a personal career, specially during meltdowns.

  • Your post reminded me I'm not alone. I help people who need help. I do this without motive for example a need for recognition.

    However if I need help, no ones usually around.

    My sense of right and wrong is extremely strong. I get so upset if I see something breaking the rules so to speak. I've been known to shut down and later if I see it again I say something.

  • Thanks, Munchkin, that's a really uplifting post.

    I had a bizarre experience related to that myself. When I was first diagnosed, I was very cautious about revealing it to even my closest friends and relatives. But, eventually I told myself that my anxiety and bouts of depression were common knowledge, so they'd probably accept my diagnosis as it explained those things so well. To my great surprise, I discovered that I already had two good friends who had also been diagnosed - both within months of my own diagnosis!

    We'd all known each other for a decade or two by this time, yet I hadn't the least suspicion that this might be the case, and nor had either of them (we were each suprised enough at our own diagnoses) - so at first we were thinking it was an amazing coincidence that there should be so many of us amongst a small group of friends, of whom it's only fair to say, aren't "close knit" in the traditional sense (a fraternity of loners, you might say). But, of course, it's no coincidence at all. Like most autistic people, we gravitate towards people who are tolerant of diversity, don't talk in riddles, and don't play mind-games - and that is true both of us and, overwhelmingly (in a nice way!), of the rest our little clan. Nor do I think it's any coincidence that several other minority groups, and people who work in social care or schools, are also "over-represented" amongst us.

    Munchkin said:
    So here's to thinking a little differently. Here's to not playing social games, not playing politics. Here's to introversion and to a sense of fair play.

    Hear, hear!