Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. I’m curious how many of us with autism work or study. I was terrible at school, couldn’t cope at all and was eventually taught at home. I’ve been attempting to integrate in the workplace for the last two years, I currently volunteer every now and then, there is the potential of paid work with this business in the end but it all relies on whether I can stabalise going in to volunteer/work. Generally I go in for a day or two and then I am hit by a wave of fatigue. I suppose it’s a result of anxiety, bordering on the line of burnout because it’s the worst fatigue I’ve ever had. I become so tired I feel dizzy and can hardly stand and then I need to rest and I literally can’t function for days after…
Rest and bed is required but whilst I’m like this I’m unable to properly work and it’s really frustrating, especially as the people I volunteer with have confirmed I could have a work position with them in the end. I tried seeking professional help but that was a dead end route.
Currently I just volunteer every now and then. I would love to do more but I physically and mentally cannot sustain this.
I do a lot at home, mostly hobby projects like writing and working on classic cars but because of this I am unemployed and somewhat reliant on my parents. They support me and help me with my daily struggles but they are older now, and not in the best of health, so it does concern me as to what will happen to me if anything were to happen to them. Though I try not to think about that too much.
I am curious how many here work or volunteer and study? I’ve tried but I can’t seem to nail it.
wow. you could be an authentic actress.
I work since I turned 15, although the amount of strangers and flood of information and new places made me cry constantly I had to work because we were poor. I had ideas for myself for life, but I often heard that I will fail and I shouldn’t even try. I wanted to be an architect. But finally I decided to stop listening to my family and I went to study logistics. Graduated with good grades but even after that had a lot of troubles finding job better than stressful and low salary jobs. My current job is also low salary but at least suits me and looks like they are happy because I have things done and I keep it in order. Due to very little contact with strangers I don’t have much anxiety. So now I can say I finally settled. If I didn’t know I have Asperger I would have probably keep pushing myself to the places and jobs that cause me stress and make me suffer and would probably keep thinking why I can’t cope like others and what’s wrong etc.
hahaha! thats a good one
Debbies post - it's from song. I was going to write "your tearing me apart!" but wasn't sure anyone get it with out a cause to do so.
What I used to find.......strange and clever to say the least, was when adverts would play with possessive adjective "your" and contraction of "you are" >> "you're". Like "find your happy" on a holiday advert.
Speak for yourself !
I've done tons of jobs, most of which weren't for very long (but a couple of which were for a decade each), and all of which I've found stressful.
From a list that includes part-time and temporary work, here are some:
Waitress
Shop assistant
Chamber maid
Telesales person
Clerical assistant
Secretary
Legal secretary
Legal assistant/paralegal
Admin assistant
Medical secretary
Receptionist
Personal assistant
I've worked in interesting places including the civil service, law courts, various solicitors, various hospitals + GP practises, a newspaper and the Catholic Church.
I no longer work, luckily, as I was able to 'retire' early.
I think that's giraffes your thinking of. Easels have distinct markings that field painters use to 'spot' them in the, well, in the field.
They are both on the endangered list at this point.
David Attenborough might have done a special on them years ago: "Some have successfully bred with computer language but the resulting offspring are often sterile."
Uhane said: I have been for the most part an easel painter
Don't all easels look alike?
out_of_step said:Rebel
Rebel your face is a mess..
noun and verb!
me too!
I took the disability/assistance option in the 80's as I just could not do as you are trying. I did try. teaching English to prepubescent children was best because it lasted 2 hurs tops and then I had time to sit and rock and play a tin whistle till I came back to myself. I have been very happy with the disability benefits as I can regulate my time as the needs be. Right now I am wrting a sci short story, for example, but I have been for the most part an easel painter.
I've not worked in terms of paid employment since October 2021 but I have done freelance bits since.
That job in October 2021 was technically freelance too but I did leave the house for it.
"Rebel"
You rebel
Ben said:Ian and Iain... I've only just realised there are two of you. I'm sure I've thought of you as one for quite some time. The difference a vowel came make, eh!
The clue is in the Avatar (although it wouldn't be re me as I change them from time to time to keep people 'on their toes') ...
After I left school 2yrs back I thought of doing further studies to work with animals or in biology and science, all 3 appeal to me greatly...and science is my special interest. However, school was hard and it was a challenge finishing my final year due to the immense anxiety I got so I’ve never gone in to college or uni, purely because it will be traumatic and put me through intense pain and suffering lol. My plan is to write a novel, or a series of novels...in the meantime I do freelance writing, though I have been pain for doing a few articles and writing a script for someone else’s RPG game. Cool! Though I mostly write for the love of writing...I enjoy writing a lot, it like animals brings me comfort and peace. Ideally I would love to work one day, even more ideally...work for myself...but when I first tried working I had a mental health breakdown so I just write now, mostly freelance though I do get paid sometimes.
Well..... Ian and Iain... I've only just realised there are two of you. I'm sure I've thought of you as one for quite some time. The difference a vowel came make, eh!
Ben
I just about managed uni and got my degree in spite of being mostly absent. This was in the 80s and autism wasn't really understood so I had no idea the issues I had stemmed from this.
Work was easier as I was clever - managed to get into IT when desktop PCs first appeared and had a long career specialising in support even though it was terrible for my autistic sensitivities, but it paid well and I got to meet people I otherwise wouldn't have and develop social masking to the point I could pass for most;y normal.
I had been working towards getting out of the rat race for ages and after an unfortunate near bankrupcy (thanks to my wifes business venture) had to start from scratch and buid up slowly again.
For me the biggest improvement was getting out from working for other people. In IT there are so many managers with mental health issues it is scary so I built up my skills in property renovation and managed to make a lot of money this decade to be able to retire in my 50s and have since moved to Brazil and do the odd property renovation here to keep busy and build the retirement fund.
I'm a firm believer that you can only ever count on yourself so have developed a mental discipline to grow skills that are useful towards my goals and overcome the issues of autism that are holding me back. It all comes at a cost so the key is knowing when you need to use these skills and when to be kind to yourself.