Published on 12, July, 2020
A little bit about me.
I have a form of autism called Asperger Syndrome. For those unfamiliar with this condition, visit here: www.autism.org.uk/.../asperger.aspx.
I was only recently diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Throughout my childhood and while I was growing through to early adulthood, I experienced the symptons of Asperger's, although at the time I just thought I was socially inexperienced and I didn't think that I had a problem at the time. When I attempted to 'socialise', I found it etremely difficult and I was just quiet and 'pretended' I was doing something else so that I didn't look stupid.
Troughout my adulthood (and quite recently), my Asperger's has manifested from social awkwardness into complete isolation from other people. I even become anxious when someone I dont know comes near me, and I really struggle when there are groups of people.
I live 300 miles away from my family, so I am dealing with this condition on my own with no help what-so-ever, and I've come to the point where I need to get support or I'm going to severely struggle to care for myself.
One of the things that I really struggle with this condition is job interviews. People give me advice on 'how to calm my nerves', but for me it's more of a phobia; where some people's phobias are height, snakes etc, mind is socialising and job interviews. It gets to the point where my vision is blurred, difficulity breathing and I experiencing slight panic attacks.
People tend to judge because Asperger Syndrome isn't visible on the outside. For example, I'm currently claiming JSA and my advisor at the job centre is a real bully. She has already made the prejudicial opinion that I'm lazy and I have noreal problems, even though I have an official diagnoses of autism. She forces me to go into job agencies and 'talk' otherwise my claim will be sanctioned. For those of you who don't know what Asperger's is like, when one has axiety with people,it can induce panic attacks and affect your health. This is why I'm considering signing off and applying for ESA, because I cannot cope with theseanxiety attacks anymore.
ESA probably isn't an option either as I've heard some real horror stories with DWP and ATOS, and you have to be severely incapacited to be considered incapable of working. Like unable to pick up a kettle etc.
Life kinda sucks with zero help for my condition. I'm expected to cope on my own (I live alone), and when I do struggle to go to job interviews (I'm scared of those things), I will get sanctioned, which means less money, which will in turn affect my physical health. Oh, I forgot to mention, I suffer from Perthes Disease too, which affects my hips.
Any advice will be appreciated.
Hi Pride and wlecome to the community,
I totally understand your problem with interviews. Having gone through yet another interview, without a clue about why I hadn't hit it off with the interviewer, was the trigger for me looking into autism as a cause. I have had loads++ of interviews over the years and still flounder when put on the spot as I struggle to list things off in a sensible order and I struggle to find a response to competency based questions (qive me an example of a time when you did such and such). There are things you can do to help with this but ultimately it is likely to be a struggle and I have come to accept that I will hit it off with some people but not others and I have stopped beating myself up when I don't get it right. It sounds like you have developed a real anxiety about it so you may benefit from some professional help...
There is a scheme called Access to Work www.gov.uk/.../overview that provides assistance for people in your situation. They will provide assessment and help in getting a disabled person into work. A diagnosis of autism was readily accepted as qualifying for the scheme when I rang them to get help and they were very friendly and helpful. They will fund various interventions and I wonder if they would fund some intensive help with your interview issues? They will send out someone to work out what help might help - they do see this as an opportunity to get people into work and off benefits so there aren't the same pressures on spending that you have hit with other benefits.
I haven't heard of Perthes disease but I wonder if something like that is the cause of my own degenerative hips. I have just had a complete hip replacement at the age of 58 which I thought was too young for such a procedure - the operation also cured me of my phobia with hospitals so I got two benefits for the price of one!