*Removed*

Oh no Simon’s been removed for editing! Can we send help? 

Service Announcement:

*Technical breakdown due to possibly, typically, stupid paranoia. Will explain in messages, to anyone who's entertained by visible bonkersness*

Oh what's occured Simon?

I was happy, but now I'm laughing too.

Hello, mate.  

You're right - I'm lucky to have this advantage. I just have to learn to keep an eye on myself instead of relying on others' insights.

Your thinking as you express it reminds me of my own. 

I now know why people who seem to have my interests at heart (in that moment) have, in the past, told me to "Stop running yourself down".

I could never see it myself, of course. you however, don't have to keep doing it for forty years, because you can read and re-read this thread if you want to which is way better than re-running conversations in your head.

You play tricks on yourself and they work

Use that power wisely Young Padawan Simon

I don't - officially - know yet, Roy. I'm on an 18-month waiting list for assessment. I thought that, at worst, my issues were very minor but the pros I saw felt differently. Because my behaviour harms no-one (including me), their views & my doctor's were a shock to me. Maybe the forms I had to complete and also in-person testimony made them see what I couldn't - I'm not good at recognising my difficulties for what they actually are. For instance, I frequently write paragraph after paragraph to friends stating how I'm learning to avoid over-thinking...and yet I somehow 'miss' what should be obvious: that I'm still, evidently, over-thinking even as I celebrate the end of my over-thinking.

One word, stop. How long have you known, your autistic?

I'm in an incredibly good frame of mind lately!  Is my writing so ridiculous that people think I'm depressed when I'm happy, and happy when I'm depressed?!? Argh! 

Thank goodness, I can’t say why exactly but I was worried about you there. Maybe it was the combination af an eerily quiet night on here compared to last with your crisis of confidence 

Honestly, mate, I'm miles better recently. Happy, in fact. I just need to view the world from outside of my own head a lot more often. 

Yep. You always have great - and beneficial - ideas regarding us, Sam. I wish you had some official role.

Yep. You always have great - and beneficial - ideas regarding us, Sam. I wish you had some official role.