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Work struggles

NAS70989

Hi, I hear autistic people can do well in a job, but I also fear they can tragically fail. I'm reading about being absent minded, lost in their own world, not taking things in easily, gaps in skills, abrupt and aggresive, I have identified with all these. I also read about focus and precision, time reliably and good work ethic. Sadly I identify more with the first, but I also have nounerous mental health problems and very traumatic childhood. 

Still, which positives and negatives have autistic people with at the workplace? I'm currently on disability benefits, but I wonder what is the general experience of people with mental health problems at the workplace?

Please sign some light! 

Parents

  • I work full-time and coming to terms with a diagnosis of ASD. 

    Positive (of working)

    -Earning my own money / positive for self-identity 

    -Opportunity to support other people and influence things for the better

    -Provides structure to the day and some normalizing to everyday experience

    -I work with good people in the main. Good working relationships (even though I forget to "check in" with people socially).

    -I have an excellent manager who is working hard to make sure I've support in place.

    -I can look back on things I have achieved at work. They're minor successes, but still successes.

    -There's room for personal development and training

    Negatives

    -I feel limited by a workplace that isn't designed for me (i.e. it's not very logical, random meetings are all over the place, confused leadership). 

    -I don't function well with ambiguity or other people making decisions that impact me but are not explained

    -I'm not great at handling things with people (so I can work well with folk, but I really seem to struggle with the office politics or what seems like random decision making. I'd be a rubbish manager)

    -I can find full days exhausting (although I have flexible hours so if I'm absorbed in something I'll pull the extra time in and chip it off elsewhere)

    -I can get bored with routine tasks, fortunately I've been able to move around a lot workwise.

    -My occupational health assessment wasn't particularly supportive. 

    -When I was in the office I found some of the background noise, and commuting difficult to handle (no problem now at home!!!)

    -Occasionally I'll have a crisis of confidence and catastophisize everything- especially if I feel I haven't handled something particularly well.

    After a particularly rubbish day with general office stuff which would frustrate anyone - and where I'm feeling pretty awful - I'd still sooner be in work than out of it. I'm fortunate enough to have a fairly supportive employer and I do wonder how I'd fare in another role.

    To be honest, perhaps not as well. So figuring out the right role is important as well as learning the art of "letting stuff go" in the workplace and how many hours you can comfortably work (I did a 4 day week for a few weeks once and it was a godsend).

Reply

  • I work full-time and coming to terms with a diagnosis of ASD. 

    Positive (of working)

    -Earning my own money / positive for self-identity 

    -Opportunity to support other people and influence things for the better

    -Provides structure to the day and some normalizing to everyday experience

    -I work with good people in the main. Good working relationships (even though I forget to "check in" with people socially).

    -I have an excellent manager who is working hard to make sure I've support in place.

    -I can look back on things I have achieved at work. They're minor successes, but still successes.

    -There's room for personal development and training

    Negatives

    -I feel limited by a workplace that isn't designed for me (i.e. it's not very logical, random meetings are all over the place, confused leadership). 

    -I don't function well with ambiguity or other people making decisions that impact me but are not explained

    -I'm not great at handling things with people (so I can work well with folk, but I really seem to struggle with the office politics or what seems like random decision making. I'd be a rubbish manager)

    -I can find full days exhausting (although I have flexible hours so if I'm absorbed in something I'll pull the extra time in and chip it off elsewhere)

    -I can get bored with routine tasks, fortunately I've been able to move around a lot workwise.

    -My occupational health assessment wasn't particularly supportive. 

    -When I was in the office I found some of the background noise, and commuting difficult to handle (no problem now at home!!!)

    -Occasionally I'll have a crisis of confidence and catastophisize everything- especially if I feel I haven't handled something particularly well.

    After a particularly rubbish day with general office stuff which would frustrate anyone - and where I'm feeling pretty awful - I'd still sooner be in work than out of it. I'm fortunate enough to have a fairly supportive employer and I do wonder how I'd fare in another role.

    To be honest, perhaps not as well. So figuring out the right role is important as well as learning the art of "letting stuff go" in the workplace and how many hours you can comfortably work (I did a 4 day week for a few weeks once and it was a godsend).

Children