Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello
I have joined this forum as a way to meet other parents of children with ASD, anxiety and ALN/SEN and as a way to help feel less alone in helping my son navigate a world that he finds so challenging.
My son is 13 and I am finding that as he gets older the 'differences' between him and his peers are more marked and he's becoming more isolated (basically in his room all the time gaming, refusing to see if speak to anyone). I suppose I am looking for somewhere safe to turn when things becoming overwhelming, mostly the nights awake worrying, the constant ball of anxiety in my stomach etc. Anybody else feel this way?!
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
R.
There are many Adult Spectrum Condition (ASC) Adults on this site! Most really love to help you understand from an Autistic point of view how we experience the world. Feel free to ask!
Practical support IS the most difficult. However, on the social side:
I ended up in Post Production and sound. Humans like myself spend 12 hours alone in an editing suite or a studio creating and making every day and enjoy not having the pressure of strange humans vibe-ing in our glorious space. I find it's more rare that an ASC Individual will be extroverted (recharged socially rather than introverted - recharged by a wealth of me-time). Daily interruptions and interrogations knocking me off focus held me back as a child. Now I'm in control of my own space, my growing collexion of books & knowledge to conquest, goals to achieve, things to make. I can keep social contact to a minimum, keep LEDs out of my house, no TV, radio... phone off... and hopefully make just enough money to indulge in all the systems and explorations and disciplines I find incredibly engaging. We are artists, technicians, thinkers, tinkerers, builders, navigators and so on.
Become invested in your sons interests! Take him to game shops. Play something with him. See if he'll teach you things - you may find his perspectives incredibly enlightening.