Published on 12, July, 2020
I figured it'd be the polite thing to introduce myself before I go blundering about the forums writing random stuff, as tends to be my wont.My reason for being here is, well, I was actually directed here by an online acquaintance after discussing video-games and what-not since conversations seldom stay on topic. Or at least they don't where I'm concerned. So my actual reason for being here is as a "person with autism", though strictly speaking my diagnosis is of Asperger Syndrome, as was. I kinda knew it was significant, and would probably answer a lot of the assorted and creative "issues" that I seem to experience, but y'know, there's time for that later. I guess later has now arrived, considering I'm 46 years old. Better late than never, I suppose.I also have ADHD, just to make things a bit more interesting. Or actually a bit less interesting, as I have no concentration, unless something is randomly interesting, in which case I have too much concentration and growl at anyone who disturbs it. Though the "H" part of the diagnosis went in my late teens and I got fat. So I seem to be spending much of later adulthood trying to lose weight with variable and random success.I'm one of those people who doesn't view Asperger's as a disorder, for me it's just a personality type: sometimes one that's creative, sometimes one that's annoying and limiting, but if there's a "disorder" anywhere I guess I consider it one of society for really only catering for a rather limited set of personality types (or just the one, for that matter, whatever "Type A" looks like. I think it looks like Katie Hopkins. But I digress. Again).Er, was I making a particularly relevant point or just waffling? I forget now. I guess I was just trying to understand what it's all about, and to make life a bit easier to deal with, both for myself and my long-suffering partner who has to put up with my randomness and (usually intentional) absurdity.Oh, and my real name is Christine. I just think Vometia is more "me".I'll stop prattling now. Fortunately I've run out of concentration. Yay.
Hey, thanks for the reply. You'd think that after 30 years of being online and misinterpreting other people's comments (and making my own creative gaffes on a frequent basis!) I'd have got the hang of it by now. But apparently not.
I have very mixed feelings about my ASD: in some regards, I guess I just view it as a sort of alternative skill set, but that doesn't stop me getting frustrated when it contributes to me not being able to do stuff I want to do. But I just want it all anyway. I think I'll probably end up being happiest with tackling the stuff that can be fixed (e.g. gender shenanigans) and learning to live within the limits of stuff that can't, such as ASD.
I think for me, one of the more questionable strategies is learning to hide it, and when I'm on good form, people don't generally realise I have ASD; but when I'm not on top form, such as being tired, stressed or drinking, the facade rapidly slips away and then I feel embarrassed because suddenly I've lost my NT disguise and all the ASDisms start to sneak out. I guess it would help to learn not to feel embarrassed by it. But I'm good at being embarrassed.