Is there anyone here who decided to study neurodevelopment / neurodivergence / autism for Masters / PhD at the university just because you’re neurodivergent / autistic? :)
Is there anyone here who decided to study neurodevelopment / neurodivergence / autism for Masters / PhD at the university just because you’re neurodivergent / autistic? :)
I don't totally fit that category but I did study psychology (and psychotherapy) at Masters level. My studies included Neuropsychology, which was, and still is, fascinating. We learned detailed theories of childhood development, the brain and behaviour.
I only recently learned that I'm Autistic and my university years are long gone. However, like many, I'm aware that I was indeed Autistic then. I went to uni after treatment and in recovery for anorexia and depression. I know my issues made me want to study psychology. I wanted to learn to help understand myself, but I also wanted to help children so they could have a better life growing up than I did. I didn't want children to suffer from mental health issues and I wanted to support them properly - a rather huge goal!
My professors wanted me to continue immediately for my PhD but 6 years of uni was enough for me - I wanted to stop all the studying and work/have a life. I must say that staying at uni would have been better for me because my work environments were horrible. I just wanted to do my work and not chat all the time or gossip with colleagues I didn't like. Nobody respected me. I was the "weirdo" for just concentrating on my work.
During my employment, I did work for my uni training Masters level psychology/psychotherapy interns at my (terrible) workplaces. I was also a university board member. I got a lot of respect there. Uni life had always helped me feel good.
After 2 jobs involving my psychology/psychotherapy skills, I decided I could not and did not want to work with people - I liked working with children and they liked me, as did my employees; it was the 7-8 hours around other management colleagues that distressed me.
Therefore, I went into research, which I studied as well at uni. I just wanted to sit quietly with numbers, statistics and other data. I love questionnaire design. I made the mistake of working in an office and had the same experiences with colleagues as before. I wish I could have worked at home but that was a long time before that option was appropriate. Also, it would have taken too long to build up a consultancy career working for myself. I did some consulting work as part of my job and I sometimes got respect.
So I doubt I meet the criteria of your topic, but I just wanted to respond with my experiences that are sort of related (I hope).
I don't totally fit that category but I did study psychology (and psychotherapy) at Masters level. My studies included Neuropsychology, which was, and still is, fascinating. We learned detailed theories of childhood development, the brain and behaviour.
I only recently learned that I'm Autistic and my university years are long gone. However, like many, I'm aware that I was indeed Autistic then. I went to uni after treatment and in recovery for anorexia and depression. I know my issues made me want to study psychology. I wanted to learn to help understand myself, but I also wanted to help children so they could have a better life growing up than I did. I didn't want children to suffer from mental health issues and I wanted to support them properly - a rather huge goal!
My professors wanted me to continue immediately for my PhD but 6 years of uni was enough for me - I wanted to stop all the studying and work/have a life. I must say that staying at uni would have been better for me because my work environments were horrible. I just wanted to do my work and not chat all the time or gossip with colleagues I didn't like. Nobody respected me. I was the "weirdo" for just concentrating on my work.
During my employment, I did work for my uni training Masters level psychology/psychotherapy interns at my (terrible) workplaces. I was also a university board member. I got a lot of respect there. Uni life had always helped me feel good.
After 2 jobs involving my psychology/psychotherapy skills, I decided I could not and did not want to work with people - I liked working with children and they liked me, as did my employees; it was the 7-8 hours around other management colleagues that distressed me.
Therefore, I went into research, which I studied as well at uni. I just wanted to sit quietly with numbers, statistics and other data. I love questionnaire design. I made the mistake of working in an office and had the same experiences with colleagues as before. I wish I could have worked at home but that was a long time before that option was appropriate. Also, it would have taken too long to build up a consultancy career working for myself. I did some consulting work as part of my job and I sometimes got respect.
So I doubt I meet the criteria of your topic, but I just wanted to respond with my experiences that are sort of related (I hope).
Sorry you went through all that with other people. Now I'm in a job with the same people every day it's now awful. And being told to just ignore is so easy for those who don't experience it to say. Anyway I just wanted to say you're not alone in dealing with unkind people.
