The Journey of I, Dream, the man...

You seemed to be managing very well without me, IntenseWorld. I take your point though it is getting into my sphere of concern about establishment understanding of what it is we've got.

I found I had some things in common with Dream's early history, eg all boys school, coming away with a small group of O'levels, but my life changed in my twenties by going to FE College and finding myself, and then going degree, PhD and research, which gave me the mental stimulus and ability to keep occupied that has sustained me since.

I could have followed the same route as Dean, having tried insurance and journalism and a few other odd jobs, I might have stayed quite happily in something based on routines. But I also perceive I wouldn't have been able to keep intensely absorbed in things, and that's the really difficult issue for people on the spectrum, finding adequately fulfilling escape routes from socialising.

NTs spend an inordinate amount of time just chatting and interacting. If you're not into it, and not raising kids, then there's a huge amount of time that needs something to fill it. If you cannot fulfil that vacuum that pushes you back into the NT world where we are not equipped to cope well without consequences. And also lack of occupation increases the inclination to spiralling anxiety and negative reinforcement.

You seemed to be managing very well without me, IntenseWorld. I take your point though it is getting into my sphere of concern about establishment understanding of what it is we've got.

I found I had some things in common with Dream's early history, eg all boys school, coming away with a small group of O'levels, but my life changed in my twenties by going to FE College and finding myself, and then going degree, PhD and research, which gave me the mental stimulus and ability to keep occupied that has sustained me since.

I could have followed the same route as Dean, having tried insurance and journalism and a few other odd jobs, I might have stayed quite happily in something based on routines. But I also perceive I wouldn't have been able to keep intensely absorbed in things, and that's the really difficult issue for people on the spectrum, finding adequately fulfilling escape routes from socialising.

NTs spend an inordinate amount of time just chatting and interacting. If you're not into it, and not raising kids, then there's a huge amount of time that needs something to fill it. If you cannot fulfil that vacuum that pushes you back into the NT world where we are not equipped to cope well without consequences. And also lack of occupation increases the inclination to spiralling anxiety and negative reinforcement.