Autism & AD(H)D Diagnosis' - Concerta: The cross-over med. I've hoped for?

Personally, I'd never touch meds.  I know some folks do and some say they are helpful, but I've always been scared of the side effects and the possibility that they might be addictive.  I guess we must each make our own decisions on that.

Now that I know I'm autistic, however, I'm delighted I never did give into pressure to take them as Pickled Rick says there are a battery of things that act on the neurological system which don't operate the same way on us, including some anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and even anaesthetics.  Personally, I'd see if there is any research out there on the specific effects on folks with ADHD/ASD.

As for the focus issue, it's not always possible in every instance, but could the environment be changed rather than your brain chemistry?  For instance, might your mates not be persuaded to meet up in a quiet country pub with a beer garden, rather than one rammed to the rafters with a juke box, bright lights and crowds of noisy drunk people.  What's the environment like where you are trying to do your daily tasks - any way to change that?

Hey Dawn,

Yeh, to be honest I am now wondering whether its the right route to take, having heard from yourself and Pickled Rick. I just don't know.

I live in a village on the outskirts of a town, the local pub is nice, has a big beer garden, and isn't too crowded, but sometimes even when it's not crowded it can be difficult as other conversations are then more pronounced. :-(

I find the anxiety of it all really difficult when I'm left alone there, either waiting for friend to arrive, or when they pop to loo or something. I have tried ear covering headphones, but then I feel like I'm drawing attention to myself, and that can sometimes exasperate it.

Obviously its Christmas time, and one of my friends has a birthday on the 27th... they want to go to a pub in the town centre, known for being the student pub and quite raucous, which I'm kind of dreading. I've skipped three mates weddings, because I have a history of meltdowns at big/loud/mix of friends and people I dont know, events...

I just really struggle in social situations where I'm trying my hardest to work out what people really mean, which is difficult enough at the best of times.

Tasks wise, I have trouble holding down jobs. It's the office environment, lots of people, chatting, printers, phones, and then there's me with a hint of imposter syndrome. I can quite obviously see that no one else is too worried about their productivity, but in my head it feels like I'm still being judged. I have a tendency to not ask for help, and that leads to me shutting down.

Chris said:

Tasks wise, I have trouble holding down jobs. It's the office environment, lots of people, chatting, printers, phones, and then there's me with a hint of imposter syndrome.

Yeah, it is a tough one.  This raises the old issue of should/shouldn't you tell your employer and what sort of reception do you get.  Do they know?  If they do, or you feel could consider telling them, it would be a perfectly "reasonable adjustment" to give you a side office, or construct one with some noise dampening screens in a corner for you.  I've known that done very successfully for people before.

I'm not really working at the moment. I had a brief spell of employment in a transport office recently. About a month ago. But only lasted a week, because it was a transport office for truckers and rather lively...

I hope to get back into employment, but I just can't think doing what? I've had basic accountancy training. But with accounting rules its very formalised thinking.

I've done website design, but only basic WordPress stuff. The happiest I've been was being self employed as a gin distiller. The freedom to do things my way and no one can tell me I'm wrong!

But that was at the same time I was trying to "make friends" at a local pub, having initially just gone in to try and sell the landlord gin... 2k of bar bills over a few months later, and when I was beginning to struggle those so called new friends all disappeared...

Chris said:

I seem to work well on discrete projects where I'm told what needs to be done and left to it with a reasonable free reign

Yes, I like to work that way too.  The pandemic home working has been great for me.  Any chance your employer might go along those lines?  A lot of places are right now because the pandemic has made them see what they could be saving in office space and running costs.

See originally I worked for the ministry of defence as a property surveyor. But it's a very man-ly stiff upper lip boys club job. I had told them about my mental health. I was undiagnosed at the time. I was there for 5 years but I broke in the end.

Since then I've had 2 or 3 office jobs, but private practice seems even less willing to accept disruption. 

When left to my own devices I can do big things. I set up the project for the govts biggest solar farm project at RAF Lyneham (now MOD Lyneham). But it was big and shiny and when people started muscling in, I again shut down.

I seem to work well on discrete projects where I'm told what needs to be done and left to it with a reasonable free reign.

But then other staff got jealous as they just saw me sitting there. They didn't realise that whilst I was sitting there, in my head I was assessing all aspects of 3 or more methods of doing things. That then exasperated the feeling of being an Imposter.

See originally I worked for the ministry of defence as a property surveyor. But it's a very man-ly stiff upper lip boys club job. I had told them about my mental health. I was undiagnosed at the time. I was there for 5 years but I broke in the end.

Since then I've had 2 or 3 office jobs, but private practice seems even less willing to accept disruption. 

When left to my own devices I can do big things. I set up the project for the govts biggest solar farm project at RAF Lyneham (now MOD Lyneham). But it was big and shiny and when people started muscling in, I again shut down.

I seem to work well on discrete projects where I'm told what needs to be done and left to it with a reasonable free reign.

But then other staff got jealous as they just saw me sitting there. They didn't realise that whilst I was sitting there, in my head I was assessing all aspects of 3 or more methods of doing things. That then exasperated the feeling of being an Imposter.

I'm not really working at the moment. I had a brief spell of employment in a transport office recently. About a month ago. But only lasted a week, because it was a transport office for truckers and rather lively...

I hope to get back into employment, but I just can't think doing what? I've had basic accountancy training. But with accounting rules its very formalised thinking.

I've done website design, but only basic WordPress stuff. The happiest I've been was being self employed as a gin distiller. The freedom to do things my way and no one can tell me I'm wrong!

But that was at the same time I was trying to "make friends" at a local pub, having initially just gone in to try and sell the landlord gin... 2k of bar bills over a few months later, and when I was beginning to struggle those so called new friends all disappeared...

Chris said:

I seem to work well on discrete projects where I'm told what needs to be done and left to it with a reasonable free reign

Yes, I like to work that way too.  The pandemic home working has been great for me.  Any chance your employer might go along those lines?  A lot of places are right now because the pandemic has made them see what they could be saving in office space and running costs.