Published on 12, July, 2020
My name's Michael, I'm in my late 50s, and this week I've had a diagnosis which confirms what I've suspected for a while: high-functioning ASD, or Asperger's.
I took early retirement during a downsizing exercise, having spent most of my career in the Civil Service, as an IT specialist, programme and project manager, and commercial manager.
Married, three adult children, one adult step-child, 4 grandchildren. Into modern history, aviation and aircraft modelling, and the Telegraph crossword.
Good to be here.
Welcome Mike!
I have the same diagnosis as you...High Functioning Autism and I received this around 3 months ago; I am a tad different to you however as I am a 31 year old female.
I also work in IT for a large financial firm as a project manager too; I enjoy my job very much but it is very very stressful at times! Like you I am also married but no kids...do have a dog though who is spoilt like a child! I'm obsessed with fitness/running/distance waking, love Philosophy (have a degree in it), adore reading classics, love films and have a serious weakness for shopping!
A bit about my HFA; I struggle to maintain friendships so don't have many friends at all, I can't empathise with people and this makes me feel like I am a freak, I find conversations with people tediously dull and I usually tune out within around a minute, I am super sensitive to high frequency noises (my husband laughs at such a pitch that makes me want to physicaly hurt him) and I also hate the seams in clothing as it rubs the sh*t out of my skin. :)