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Hello Everyone

David R

Hello Everyone,  my name is David, am an adult, and am happily married.  A year or so ago, my Mum, when we were talking, said to me that she’s always thought that I was autistic to a degree. It was a bit of a shock, her saying that after all this time. It had never been mentioned before, but since, I’ve thought about it a lot.  After I was born, I didn’t speak ‘til I was five. Apparently, the doctor said it wasn’t that I couldn’t, it was simply that I was being “bloody minded”, and I would do in my own time. She said that at primary school. The teacher called her in once. She said to Mum, “Look at David’s drawings, then look at the others” She then said, David’s the only one to have put lines down the middle of the road, and numbers and TV aerials on the houses he’s drawn”. At around 11 or 12, I was bullied at school. Mum said she only found out when she found massive bruises on my legs. Now, in adult life, I do get very nervous about things, and I’m very picky about things being right. Little mistakes and errors irritate me. I also care very much about my friends, and get very upset when they are unhappy.

I now know I have autism.  As far as I am concerned, nothing has changed. I am the same person I was a month ago. It does mean however,  I can understand more, and appreciate myself. I can now try and understand my idiosyncrasies and my personality more. Do you know what,  I consider this to be an attribute to me, and it doesclearly tie in with my traits and way of thinking,  which for so long, I have thought.... why?

Does anyone here feel the same as I do, and have they shared the same experiences?  

 

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous

    Hi David,

    Thanks for your reply. Yesterdays elation is a little shaky today as I now realise that if I want the help I need I've got to venture out of "my little world"! But like you lots of things have become clear too. I also have mental health issues which need to be dealt with - everything seems to have come at once. It is however a chance to start again and I'm going to be making some big decisions about all aspects of my life. One great thing though - my son was diagnosed with aspergers about four years ago and has suffered lots of related issues such as anxiety, OCD, etc but with help and his own hard work is now doing really well - I'm so proud of him. 

  •  It's good that you have come here, and I would love to share thoughts and comments with you if you would like to.

  • Hi Susie, firstly, lovely to meet you. When I realised about my autism (not sure if it's asperger), I felt a mixture of elation and relief, so yes, it is a normal feeling.   I found lots of things about me became clear.  It's good that you have come here, and I would love to share thoughts and comments with you if you would like to.

  • Scorpion0x17 said:

    I went through moments of doubt (was the diagnosis correct? did they say I had it simply because I'd gone in and said "I think I have Asperger's"? and so on), and anger (why didn't my teachers, etc, spot it when I was school? and so on), and depression (why can't I just be normal?) which I still get from time to time.

    This is what I'm going through at the moment - and in my case, why didn't the doctor see it? as I was taken once to a GP on suspicion of having autism when I was a kid.

    David, I'm glad you finally found some answers to your questions.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous

    Hi to everyone,

    I'm new to this and newly diagnosed with aspergers - today - aged 42. I've been wondering since my son was diagnosed about four years ago. Now suddenly lots of things have an explanation and I feel huge relief, in fact I feel elated - is this normal?

  • Call me Scorp, if you need something less unweildy than Scorpion0x17.

  • I have never had an "official" diagnosis, but I know it's there, and I'm happy about it.  I think I feel relief too.  I used to get angry about the way I thought about things, and the way I react to things,  but now, I realise why. I can understand myself now, and I can see more clearly how I tick and I think.   I'm proud of my newly found attribute.

    What is your name (only your first name), so I don't have to keep calling you Scorpion0x17 

  • What was my initial reaction, and how did I feel?

    I dunno, relieved, I guess.

    But then my route to diagnosis was a little odd - I was already pretty sure that I had Asperger's before I'd even seen the Psychologist that assessed me (having listened to a Radio 4 program in which adults with Asperger's talked about what it's like to have Asperger's).

    I went through moments of doubt (was the diagnosis correct? did they say I had it simply because I'd gone in and said "I think I have Asperger's"? and so on), and anger (why didn't my teachers, etc, spot it when I was school? and so on), and depression (why can't I just be normal?) which I still get from time to time.

    But, overall, like you said, everything starts making sense, and now I'm glad I have Asperger's, and I wouldn't want to be neurotypical - they make little to no sense to me.

  • Hi Scorpion0x17....   I was so pleased to see your reply.  Thank you.  Things do start making sense don't they?  Everything slots in to place.  All those questions you ask yourself,  like why, and who I am, all start fitting into place.  I hope I get the chance to talk to you more.  I don't know about Asperger, but I do have slight autism.  What was your initial reaction, and how did you feel when you found out?

  • Yeah, very much so, David.

    Well, I've not had the same experiences as you (can't draw for toffee for a start), but I was diagnosed with Asperger's a couple of years ago, and well, all of a sudden things started to make sense - the why's and wherefores of who I am, and what I'm like.