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.
There are a few factors to consider. One of them is your physical and mental health. Many people with autism have food sensitivities, allergies, and also restrictive food habits (like eating the same kinds of things over and over again). So food can that can cause digestive issues can be draining on the body. Some foods seem fine, but will cause digestive issues down the line.
Also anxiety about your basic survival, like how you're going to live, where you're going to live, can be stressful as well. There are many ways to make a basic income. I think that if you're at a place that you can do the work quietly on your own, that allows you to sit down once in awhile, that might be less draining than the type of work that requires you to constantly talk face-to-face with people, or constantly walking everywhere. So a place that can accommodate your needs would be an exceptionally good place to work.
If you could secure a job that gives you basic income, that's a good start. I would then suggest that you get a credit card from your bank, to build up your credit score, even if it's just to buy a cup of coffee. If you have used you're credit card and paid it off every month, for at least 6 months, it will start building up your credit score. If you ever wanted a place of your own, the landlord will check your credit score, and the reason behind that is just to see if you are good at paying back what you owe, and if you are, then you're more likely to be good at paying for the rent as well, than someone with a bad credit score.
I work a full-time job. It gives me enough income to pay for the basics (rent, bills, food), and then on my spare time I just study whatever seems interesting to me at the time. Sometimes I play games.
I really hope that you get a position to work and finally earn some income, so that you can support yourself and help your parents. But take one step at a time. Those steps build up over time.