Career that works with autism, not against it

Good morning from America, ElleF!

ElleF said:

was put on an antidepressant (which didn't help)

Of course I can’t give specific medical advice, but something you can look deeper into if you’d like is if a different medicinal route may be better. There’s tons of different medications out there, so even if one did not work well for you, another may help a bit. However, that is a tricky road to go down since it can take some trial and error. If you find a doctor (preferably a psychiatrist, if possible) that you can trust, maybe that could be a good discussion to have?

ElleF said:

sent for CBT (which made me feel worse)

I’m not surprised. Judging by others on this forum that seems to be a very common issue. You’re definitely not the only one to have a terrible experience with CBT.

ElleF said:

Is it possible to actually make a living doing things you enjoy?

Yes, but based on one’s interests and region that may or may not be plausible. Based on your particularly interests, it sounds as if you had a good idea in pursuing nutritional therapy as an occupation. However, if one-on-one meetings stress you out, that limits the options a bit (for example, my next idea would be fitness training, but while that can be in groups such as cycling classes, that also often dips into one-on-one settings).

I find that creative jobs, such as advertising like what you seem to be well-kitted for, are very difficult to find on a regular basis. It’s not helpful that AI is on the rise and even the small-time companies that would normally chuck a few dollars at free lance artists are investing in same-ish AI adverts. This is certainly not the best time for creatives like us to get employed for our skills.

I would say HR trainer/recruiter may be a good option, but that also requires one-on-one situations, even if it is typically scripted interactions.

ElleF said:

How have you managed to make money/ have a career without sacrificing your health?

100% the single best way to ensure this is to have a job that you do not need to take home with you. If it is a job you can close up and stop thinking about once you step out of the door, your ability to handle stress during work hours should be better. For me, if I need to do some work at home for preparation or working around others’ schedules, it is far more likely that I will not dread the job all night when I lay down. Example, I loved teaching in a collegiate setting, but I think worrying about students needing last minute help glued me to my email even at night and after hours preparation made me dwell on what I was preparing for.

ElleF said:

Would appreciate any tips.

Consider custodial work. I know, it’s not usually high paying (it can be decent, though) and it’s certainly not glamorous, but it is typically work designed perfectly for Autistics. It keeps you active, reduces social impact to an absolute minimum, and I believe custodians are massively important to others’ lives (even if indirectly). In fact, I recently stumbled on a news article claiming that a Texas school district just named a new school building after a beloved custodian. It’s noble work, and luckily for us every building in every city needs to be cleaned by someone.

At least give that a thought. It might be a way to feel involved in something bigger than yourself without absolutely crushing you with social anxiety.

Best wishes!

Good morning from America, ElleF!

ElleF said:

was put on an antidepressant (which didn't help)

Of course I can’t give specific medical advice, but something you can look deeper into if you’d like is if a different medicinal route may be better. There’s tons of different medications out there, so even if one did not work well for you, another may help a bit. However, that is a tricky road to go down since it can take some trial and error. If you find a doctor (preferably a psychiatrist, if possible) that you can trust, maybe that could be a good discussion to have?

ElleF said:

sent for CBT (which made me feel worse)

I’m not surprised. Judging by others on this forum that seems to be a very common issue. You’re definitely not the only one to have a terrible experience with CBT.

ElleF said:

Is it possible to actually make a living doing things you enjoy?

Yes, but based on one’s interests and region that may or may not be plausible. Based on your particularly interests, it sounds as if you had a good idea in pursuing nutritional therapy as an occupation. However, if one-on-one meetings stress you out, that limits the options a bit (for example, my next idea would be fitness training, but while that can be in groups such as cycling classes, that also often dips into one-on-one settings).

I find that creative jobs, such as advertising like what you seem to be well-kitted for, are very difficult to find on a regular basis. It’s not helpful that AI is on the rise and even the small-time companies that would normally chuck a few dollars at free lance artists are investing in same-ish AI adverts. This is certainly not the best time for creatives like us to get employed for our skills.

I would say HR trainer/recruiter may be a good option, but that also requires one-on-one situations, even if it is typically scripted interactions.

ElleF said:

How have you managed to make money/ have a career without sacrificing your health?

100% the single best way to ensure this is to have a job that you do not need to take home with you. If it is a job you can close up and stop thinking about once you step out of the door, your ability to handle stress during work hours should be better. For me, if I need to do some work at home for preparation or working around others’ schedules, it is far more likely that I will not dread the job all night when I lay down. Example, I loved teaching in a collegiate setting, but I think worrying about students needing last minute help glued me to my email even at night and after hours preparation made me dwell on what I was preparing for.

ElleF said:

Would appreciate any tips.

Consider custodial work. I know, it’s not usually high paying (it can be decent, though) and it’s certainly not glamorous, but it is typically work designed perfectly for Autistics. It keeps you active, reduces social impact to an absolute minimum, and I believe custodians are massively important to others’ lives (even if indirectly). In fact, I recently stumbled on a news article claiming that a Texas school district just named a new school building after a beloved custodian. It’s noble work, and luckily for us every building in every city needs to be cleaned by someone.

At least give that a thought. It might be a way to feel involved in something bigger than yourself without absolutely crushing you with social anxiety.

Best wishes!