Published on 12, July, 2020
Have just discovered this forum and I’m so glad I have. I’ve thought for a while that I was maybe autistic. I finally booked to see a GP and had an appointment 2 days ago. I scored 10/10 on the AQ-10 form and have been put on the waiting list for an assessment.
I honestly have always thought I was weird. I didn’t feel like I fitted in at school, I had friends but lost most of them when I started college. I now have 1 good friend and find it really difficult to make new friends.
The thing I’m really struggling with though, is work. I started a new job 2 months ago and I feel completely out of my depth. I’ve had pretty much no training, and I’m being blamed for the mistakes I’m making.
Out of interest, if you work, what do you do? Is your workplace supportive? I am thinking of changing jobs as it doesn’t feel right to me, and wondered if there are places that would be more suited to me, as I struggle with over stimulation from lights/noise.
Thanks
BethJ99 said:Out of interest, if you work, what do you do?
I'm always working, but I govern and control every aspect of it. It keeps me both happy and poor that way. I can cope with that compromise. I work for myself, under my rules and requirements.
No "workplace" nor "job offer" could reasonably be able or willing to accommodate my peculiarities.
Hi Beth and welcome
I'm in my 60s and have had lots of jobs over the years, in a few different types of roles. No previous job lasted more than 5 years, sometimes for the same reason you are struggling now. I've also been betrayed by colleagues, been given extra /higher level tasks without any increase in pay, been picked on by managers although I am doing the job adequately, and sometimes have just felt that I don't "fit in"
On the positive side though, I've had lots of different experiences, done lots of training, and learned quite a lot. My qualifications include a certificate in Learning Support, the CERTA English language teaching qualification, and an AAT (Accounting Technician) qualification.
My current job is an accounts role, which includes managing my own area of work and one assistant, and using Excel spreadsheets to do some reporting. My attention to detail and ability to hyper focus help greatly in this role. I've been there around 9 years now. I started full time, but after a year I discovered I was on the spectrum and after disclosing to the senior managers I negotiated to change to part time hours, which helped to prevent me getting overloaded. About a year ago I found that my sensory issues were starting to overwhelm me, so I asked to be moved out of the main open plan office to a smaller quieter one and this was arranged for me.
I do not have a "formal" diagnosis, but I've done every test available, read about autism extensively, and shared experiences on this forum - I know definitively that I'm autistic and have no problem telling people that.
Have you disclosed to your employers that you are probably on the spectrum? Have you explained how lights and noise affect you? A lot of people don't have much understanding about autism and so may need to be told how they can support you. Employers have a duty of care to their employees regarding their health and safety, which includes invisible disabilities and mental health issues - but as they can't see those, they need to be informed. They also need to know that you need more extensive training to help you get to grips with the job.
If you don't feel comfortable communicating your needs to them, or they try to avoid putting reasonable adjustments into place, it's probably not the right job for you.
I wish you luck.
I am glad you found the forum - welcome.
It is good to hear you were able to make progress with the GP on your way towards an assessment.
Now you have made that initial step with the AQ-10 screening measure, perhaps you might find yourself feeling a little less "weird" and a little more "gloriously unique"? Within the forum, I am fairly confident you might also come to find that - even within "unique" there are common experiences many of us share and with which we might identify, in ourselves, some similarities among some of each other within the forum.
You raise some important points in your introduction about your workplace experience / concerns so far.
I don't want to be tempted to give you simply an instant "first thoughts" type of feedback ...when it is such an important topic. I will try to think about your questions, in more detail - as we all get to know you more - so I can feel a bit more confident that any feedback about your work questions would hopefully be a better balanced / considered reply - rather than just the "first thoughts" kind.