macgumerait

Where did I highlight that only lowfunctioning autistic people would not benefit from some preventative treatment? Sorry, but it seems you have also misunderstood what Im saying.

Do you suffer from autism yourself? Have you had any form of diagnosis? It appears like you have misunderstood what I was saying. From the two differing options, I was most closely relating to choice A. I dont talk from reading books or watching documentaries....I speak from my own personal scenario. I underwent counselling for 3 years, trying to fix what was only known as social anxiety at that point. The constant therapy, and countless exercises never took the edge of my anxiety at all, no matter how many times they were praticed. My CPN had said that someone with only a social anxiety disorder would have been able to develop and cope with the strategies highlighted during the therapy, and they were puzzled why these would not stick with me. It was on this basis whereby the exercises were rendered noneffective that I was then sent for my assessment for AS. The assessor couldnt be any more adamant that I had the condition, via many tests, including facial expression recognition, scenario describing, etc. Ive been on courses, volunteering in aspergers/autism groups, and know firsthand individuals from all over the spectrum. The one difference that has emerged over the last 5 years is the focus on youngsters being diagnosed. You refer to your son, being diagnosed at a reasonably early age, so intervention was made as soon as detected. With his mind still developing, its plausible that youngsters diagnosed and treated may debunk the standard definition, and have some form of susceptibility towards coping and development strategies in social situations, should that be his preference. You may disagree with my assessment, but you did ask for a common definition between HF and "standard" aspergers (although standard is a mildly used term). Blankly disagreeing with the hypothesis is nothing more than contradictionary.

Welcome to the forum here.

The traits that spawn from a "high functioning" asperger may appear common to other conditions, but with one specific exception. Take a condition like Social Anxiety....traits from this are mutually shared with some on the autistic spectrum. However, the difference which seperates them is in terms of development and coping. It is commonly referred that social anxiety can be controlled, learned, and in some cases, even corrected. Someone with an autistic disorder has no chance of that kind of treatment, because the brain is physically wired differently from the other classes (this may also suggest the link between learning difficulties which can be associated as a trait with a sufferer). High functioning is defined by the level in which the symptoms are present. As said before, you have people with autism who are very withdrawn, struggle with speech, and require care fulltime....the "low functioning"....then you have me (no im not boosting an ego here), where my traits are slightly milder - even in some cases where these traits can be looked over by the other qualities I have.

First of all, lets dispel the myth that "High Functioning" is based on intelligence....it is not. "High Functioning" is more about the severity of the symptoms that sufferers inhibit. On intelligence, I dont have a particularly high IQ, and certainly do not regard myself as intellectually superior to the neurotypicals in any way, shape or form. In fact, if anything, I feel a bit "wooden". Ive seen both ends of the spectrum, throughout my dealings with groups and individuals. The way I see things, the strain which ties us all together is the lack of understanding and ability to comprehend unwritten rules of social engagement. That lack of "social sense" can create irrational anxiety, as we are unable to learn in this arena, and are somewhat affected. Even though my own personal diagnosis was highfunctioning AS, I certainly dont think that lessens the impact that AS has had one me, in one format or another. Im 30 years old, and certainly stand out from people of a similar age group. Due to a complete lack of social and life experience, Im very naive, but also very isolated, suffering from both paranoia and depression. As I get older, and with the inability to adapt sufficiently, the forecast for my later years is not good at all. Unlike other people that may lay claim that AS should actually be embraced, my strain has no benefits to it in any way. Also, it only took half an hour from an expert, running many tests, to conclude that I indeed have AS.

Two points I want to make here:- 1. I think its very dangerous trying to secondguess someone's potential for having autism via body language. For example, this behaviour could just be something rational in their mindsets...and just being very extrovert by nature. Autism doesnt always necessarily have physical symptoms. For example, I have highfunctioning AS, so my symptoms may seem 'mild' to people who dont know me. Whereas I know other autistic people whose symptoms are far more graphic, whether a speech impedement, no eye contact, specific patterns, argumentative, etc. 2. If you suspect that you yourself could have autism of some kind, have you considered an assessment? If so, then you may be able to access any assistance to build coping strategies for this.

Question for aspies who work... Do you ever feel like your aspergers traits cause you not to be taken seriously? This could eminate from anything; appearance, mannerisms, etc. Anywhere Ive went, or done, Ive always felt a distinct lack of respect/credibility from colleagues, and I am really frustrated at this. My main traits are the following: 1. Speaking very quickly 2. Limited eye contact 3. Looking "young" for my age 4. My use of vocabulary (my natural speak consists of long, fancy words) How can you correct this? How do you work around this issue? For me, the problem of a lack of personal respect is compounded by the fact that most of the colleagues I have are of similar age. I dont talk or act like them, and as a result, find myself isolated in a lot of ways. We have a Senior Personnel Adviser, only about 2 years older than me, who treats and talks to me like a child. She ignores weekly work-related emails I send, doesnt acknowledge me when in company, etc. She also, in my opinion, abuses her management role and expects me to dump everything on the odd occasion she needs me. Part of my role also involves visiting her office about three times a day to pick up mail. Instantly, the atmosphere changes as I enter the room, silence descends, until I leave. Aside from a lack of acknowledgement, we have also had our run-ins as well. 1. I am denied an opportunity to pass on tips/more efficient ways of doing things after a trial spell assisting her department. 2. As soon as a new employee starts, and I take on lead training role, I am ostracized by the Adviser and the department. My hands-on training begins raising friction. 3. My core duties list, from my first day there, is asset-stripped....all to the benefit of the Adviser and her department. 4. A problem arises from a task I had been doing, but it is kept from me. I offer to assist in finding a resolution, but am frozen out by their department. To this day, years later, I am unaware of the problem which did arise in first instance. 5. Feeling really anxious and nervous at a Xmas brunch, she thought she would comment sarcastically to me, seeing I was uncomfortable - "Dont worry, we will soon be out of your hair." Today, the Adviser was looking for a number of letters her department had produced. I am in charge of the departmental filing systems, so would be the individual best placed to locate and identify such material. Due to a strained workload in subsequent weeks, the filing has had to take a backseat. The Adviser decided to interrogate the current filing status in order to recover content. I spoke and offered to help assist, but she refused. Then she had the audacity to contact my line manager, and whinge about content I was organising on her behalf, being taken from her department. Thereafter, she took the rare opportunity to come to our office, and question me on the current status of the filing duties. Bottom line, the material she was looking for was not there, but rather than return to her office, decided to scrutinize and criticize the system. The lack of respect hit peak level when she decided to take custody of MY filing aid,an expanding file, without asking. In realtime, this now means that I have to sit and organise her filing in her office, then put it away. She is just an extreme example of the lack of respect I feel I generate in work. I am not treated equally, and find a lot of marginalising goes on, behind my back. To make matters worse, we had a skillseeker, just out of school, working with us. As well as the department in question isolating him (coz his face didnt fit), I had to end up taking informal tutor role and delegating work to him. Rather than try to resolve the issue of having a skillseeker officially unsupervised, they revelled in the position that I went out of my way to keep this young guy busy, and working, justifying his participation with us. It built up and image in colleagues' minds that myself and the skillseeker were inseperable, and became a "running joke". Colleagues had the cheek to mistake me for this person, who is 11 years my younger, as we were both quiet in personality. I found this very insulting. I am mostly annoyed at myself, as its my traits and mannerisms which is constantly causing this hapless perception colleagues seem to have of me. Any advice on how you handle a clash of personalities, or how to correct mannerisms which can address respect issues, would be handy. Alternatively, if you feel Im being paranoid, please feel free to comment.

Yes, I had looked previously into Number 6, and I got a feel it was some form of weekend "dropin centre" for teenagers. Regardless, I did make contact with the administrator there and he said that they no longer allowed memberships from outwith the Edinburgh area any more.

I would disclose. They cannot discriminate against you, using a condition which is recognised. In my case, disclosing actually was a good thing. Not only are we now in a culture where having a conditon or illness is treated with dignity, but there is more understanding. My condition granted me access to help assist in disability focus groups, to better improve facilities for both staff and visitors. It helped me feel a bigger part of something than I normally do.

Had you been diagnosed prior to employment? Did you disclose your condition during your interview, etc? As long as there is a note of your condition (even with equal opps paperwork), then they could not discriminate you by condition. Do you have regular appraisals? What do they say? In my situation, my employer is aware of my condition, although I dont brag or use it at every opportunity to disguise mistakes i make. I actually found the disclosure useful, as it opened doors to assisting in disability staff groups. Disclosing can have its benefits.

Having a meet function is important, for both people directly and indirectly affected by AS. From my perspective, as someone with AS, its important to me to reap social and therapeutical benefits from systems around. The great thing potentially with a coffee meet, is that it is controlled, to a degree, and can be fixed. Id be more than interested to help set up/assist anyone who wanted to run coffee meets in my area (scotland). Its the one element which I feel 'aspies' dont get much opportunity to do.

How did you get diagnosed? a recommendation, or a curiousity? How did it make you feel being diagnosed at that age?

Hi Caroline, Nice to meet you. What services are you aware of, which may be worth investigating? Im at a stage beyond accepting things as they are. I am also concerned about other late diagnosed who are being snubbed by services in many respects.

Bonjour to both of you.

Welcome to the forum.