Newbie

Hi,

I'm a 47 year old man who has recently been flagged up as possible for mild Aspergers. I've been waiting for an assessment appointment for ages partly due to a screw up with the mental health services in my local area. It's now supposed to be in the pipeline, but I still don't have any confirmation yet and the uncertainty gets to me.

In the meantime I've been doing a bit of reading up on ASD conditions. I don't think I'm particularly seriously affected as I seem to be missing what might be considered more common indicators like aptitude with maths/numbers; collecting and/or organising habits; eye-contact difficulty (though I remember not being good at eye contact when I was much younger it doesn't seem to be a problem now); and difficulty with metaphor.

However I do seem to have a number of mild issues, such as difficulty in social situations and regular social conversations; interests that are almost entirely solo (computers and programming; railways - real and model; science fiction films, TV and books; film music); a pathological need to be honest and open, often to my detriment); and a deep desire to live alone but currently no way to do so (unemployment).

Most of my life I've felt out of place with other people, be it home, school, college, work. I've always felt others don't quite 'get' me (perhaps the 'Wrong Planet' feeling?) and consequently I've not been able to get on with others well. I have a few close friends who I am best with one-to-one, not that they can all cope with that.

I have fallen into the hands of mental health services in the last year as a result of physical ill health and ensuing communications problems with NHS staff, and it was that, despite some failures, that lead to the possibility of Aspergers being suggested.

Hopefully I'll get a date for the assessment soon, but until then I'm in uncertainty purgatory.

C. Corax.