Published on 12, July, 2020
I don't know at this point if I have autism. Friends have suggested I may have. Some of the traits relating to autism seem to fit me whilst others do not. I can relate to difficulties in forming friendships and relationships, to experiences of sensory overload and to anxiety, particularly in social situations. I am less sure when it comes to whether I require routine - although my current situation is that I care for 9 cats, so that my life revolves around their routines. I have mostly been fully employed since 18 years old, though my CV job history is lengthy and does not demonstrate a clear cut career path, really only indicating my tenacity. I don't have a special subject I'm passionate about: my only study is of the cats (who are mostly unrelated to one another) co-operating and resolving their differences as a group.
I'm in a similar situation at 49, have spent my whole life feeling socially awkward and over focusing on what I'm told is not important detail. Routine isn't that important to me but any interruption to what I'm doing can really throw me and I'll find it really difficult to recover.
I'm really not interested in talking with people face to face, or on social media. Making or receiving a phone call terrifies me, even from family, which causes me real problems as I often ignore incoming calls. I spent 3 hours debating with myself about posting here
I'd much rather spend Time on my own than with other people, quite often even my own partner and children.
I watch plenty of documentaries about topics I'm interested in which really annoys my partner. I find any other form of tv/film uninteresting. I don't think I've ever managed to watch a whole film (except star wars) in one sitting. I haven't read a fiction book since I was forced to at school and would rather read something factual. When I do find something that interests me I'll collect and read as much information about it as I possibly can.
Spent my whole life believing I'm just anti-social and boring like everyone's told me (perhaps I am) but as my eldest, at 20 has just been diagnosed on the ASD I started reading and wondering if I am too.
Helllo. Everyone debates about making their first post (I think)......so I just thought I would pop up to say you are very welcome here. I suspect there will be an influx of people to these pages now due to recent TV programmes that I have heard about with Chris Packham.
I'm in my 50's and very powerfully self-identified last year - in a blinding flash of realisation from leftfield. Superficially, I have generally been considered far from autistic - I'm an accomplished masker - albeit with notable "quirks" that cannot be hidden.
Spending time on these pages, reading a lot, and recalling aspects of my childhood (long since forgotten or overlooked) have cemented my identity as an autist. The people here are a tribe of great difference and variety, but their MODE of thinking chimes with mine in a way that I did not think possible. I no longer think I am a completely "other" snowflake, but part of the rich tapestry that is autism.
I can recommend that you hang around here on the pages and see what you think and what resonates with you and your life experience. For me, that has been immensely fulfilling.
Anyway, welcome to you.