Sort of in shock!

Hi,

just saying hi.

I have a GP appointment tomorrow to ask for an assessment.

I don't remember exactly how this all started but have spent the last two weeks suspecting I might be on the Aspergers spectrum.

I'm in my 50s and have a lifetime of troubles with my social life, learning and wellbeing. I also have specific interests and hobbies that I admit now are obsessive.

Thank you NAS for helping me see this. I'm sort of pretty sure I'm on the spectrum now. It all seems to fit as they say. 

I'm scared but hope this will stop me considering myself eccentric at my age. And it could be really nice to think that I'm actually not an alien after all.

Parents
  • Hi to you too.

    I was diagnosed in my 40s after several long periods of depression. What are your special interests? Do they change over time? Mine tend towards the sciencey, such as computers or climate change, which is kind of stereotypical 'Asperger'. For other autistic people they can be crafts or music or history or adventuring or anything really. Although I find a fascination with train timetables seems disproportionately frequent among autistic men...

    Eccentric is OK. The world would be poorer without eccentrics. You're not an alien, however much you may sometimes feel like one. Meeting other autistic people can dispel this and help us accept our different ways of thinking, sensing or communicating.

    And sorry for asking this, but we've had a lot of problems recently on this site with fake posts copied by bots. Would it be possible for you to choose a nickname, or an 'avatar' imagine, so people are more confident that you're a real person? On the top right of this web page is a little grey-and-white button. If you click on that and then choose 'Profile' from the menu, and then 'Edit Profile', you can click on the name or picture to change them.

    Good luck with the appointment. It can take a few months for the first appointment for a diagnosis or assessment, but most people here are glad they started the journey.

  • Hello. Profile update. 

    Thank you Cassandro.

    Well, I stopped talking about my interests a long time ago. I realized folk had trouble with that and I'm absolutely no good with 'small talk' otherwise.

    I was listening to classical music very early. I love it, but I pay special attention to chords, phrases; a particular instrument or an arrangement of instruments. 

    I have kept Parrots as companions for 30 years. I am fascinated by them after I became bonded with one by sort of accident. They are my family.

    Recently I have become obsessed with Mountain scenery and found a lot of eye candy in Mountaineering films. Youtube has helped this.

    Also recently developed a passion for uses of colour in film. I have gotten into World Cinema very much but from that came an interest in colour. Japanese films I found tend to use interesting colour palettes. I have in general become more fixated with colour- in everyday life really.

    I love all things science Cassandro. I was an electronics engineer for a few years. Again, I watch a lot of Youtube science vids. However, another thing I've recently learned is a lifelong problem with reading comprehension. I'm terrible at maths- but should be good at it! I love computers but never got too much into coding- again textbooks were hard to understand but I am creative with it and can manipulate code. At work, I love spreadsheets- stats, not so much. I can read timetables Cassandro but have never spent time with them. I have also recently got into walking/hiking and environmentalism.

    Thank you for welcoming me. It really has come as a shock that I appear to fit into this spectrum. After all these years  :( 

    I'm not too sure at the moment what support groups would be near me in UK and will look into it. But have been thinking about how ASDs (is that correct abbrev?) get on with each other face to face and in groups?


  • Hello. Profile update. 

    Thanks. Welcome. Relieved that even if you're an alien, you're not a bot.

    Well, I stopped talking about my interests a long time ago. I realized folk had trouble with that and I'm absolutely no good with 'small talk' otherwise.

    This is why specialist groups can be a good social outlet. Discussing politics or philosophy has always been easier for me than talking about myself.

    I have kept Parrots as companions for 30 years. I am fascinated by them after I became bonded with one by sort of accident. They are my family.

    I've always liked the idea of keeping a parrot. I understand they're often both affectionate and intelligent.

    Japanese films I found tend to use interesting colour palettes.

    I hadn't really noticed this. I presume you mean as a directorial decision rather than something to do with the grading or colour processing. If I think of Japanese film I think of Ozu or Kurasawa in black-and-white.

    I'm not too sure at the moment what support groups would be near me in UK and will look into it. But have been thinking about how ASDs (is that correct abbrev?) get on with each other face to face and in groups?

    I usually say 'autistic people', or occasionally 'aspies'. Tend to get on pretty well actually, as there aren't any 'mind games' and only occasional perceived slights or suspicious. Some people do talk a lot, some are very quiet, some are in the middle. I probably prefer the people who are a bit quiet. I started going to a few groups before my diagnosis, just to see if I could relate.

    If you've not already discovered it, you might like to look at the NAS directory.

    Good luck.

  • Hello,

    Well I have been ok'ed for an assessment by my GP. 

    Hello Cassandro.
    Thanks for the directory link, yes there are useful local connections there for me.

    I would like to spend some time with others also to see how I get on too.

    Japanese films- yes, I like their films and in general find watching films from around the world fascinating- especially watching the different cultures and their mannerisms and there are colour films that are historic in portrayal that have a Zen aestetic to them- minimal architecture and beautifully set colourings. 

    I'd say anyone interested in Parrots should at least think about a Rescue first. You can become a 'safehouse' for them while they are waiting for forever homes and gives you a chance to try out without committing and you should then get the support of the Rescue centre too. My two are rescues.

Reply
  • Hello,

    Well I have been ok'ed for an assessment by my GP. 

    Hello Cassandro.
    Thanks for the directory link, yes there are useful local connections there for me.

    I would like to spend some time with others also to see how I get on too.

    Japanese films- yes, I like their films and in general find watching films from around the world fascinating- especially watching the different cultures and their mannerisms and there are colour films that are historic in portrayal that have a Zen aestetic to them- minimal architecture and beautifully set colourings. 

    I'd say anyone interested in Parrots should at least think about a Rescue first. You can become a 'safehouse' for them while they are waiting for forever homes and gives you a chance to try out without committing and you should then get the support of the Rescue centre too. My two are rescues.

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