Hi there. I am a technically near retirement UK man with Aspergers (Are we allowed to call ourselves high functioning any more?) who is not officially diagnosed due to the impossibility of getting one under the NHS at present.
My username 'A+B-C' is my description of life as someone with Aspergers. Of all the skills needed in life, I'm Really Really good at A, even more amazing and brilliant and intuitive (their words) at B, but things in the C category (your categories will probably be different to mine) Are really hard to impossible. The NT community works on the assumption that if your good at A and B, you MUST be good at C, otherwise you are not trying, choosing or just anti things in C, especially as you are SO talented at A and B... so they constantly misjudge me.
I work full time, but at a level far below my abilities which is also typical I understand, and if anybody tells me of all the famous Aspergics who are well regarded, I suggest you do the maths and see how few of us gain recognition. (that includes foreign bloody architects....)
Like pretty much all Aspergic people in later life, I am only recently realising I have Aspergers (My family doctor said, "of course you do, I've known for years!..." Thanks. Like many it was my child's diagnosis that made me realise.
Most days I feel like I am screaming in NT society's face to show what I am capable of. I have had high level positions but typically as a freelancer, borrowed when they wanted skills only rather than able to grow a long term working relationship. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, what (NC) people really want is strictly defined and managed creativity and problem solving...
I'm hoping to meet with like minded adults here to unpick some strategies for making the best of the situation rather than just complaining.
