Willow-Tree

I read an article somewhere once that seemed pretty interesting. It said that you need to get up at the exact same time every day, but go to bed when you feel like it - so long as it doesn't get ridiculous, like if you set the time you're going to get up for at 7am, don't leave it until like 4am to go to bed. Anyway, here's the article: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/ Maybe try that

At least that's something though - you can assume the days you missed were good days

It's a good idea - also make a note of what the weather was on each day Sometimes you may find certain types of weather impact your mood. To be honest, it might be an idea to keep track of what you eat aswell just incase certain foods are making you feel worse.

I think we can all feel the same at one time or another. Sometimes it takes a while for those asking for help to be able to give back. I leant on a lot of people a few years ago when I had a nervous breakdown - some on forums, some in real life. Only in the past year have I felt I can give back. I took some time out to recover and generally piece things together - now I like to be able to support others/give advice where I can, but until you've overcome something, there's not always anything you could say to help - because you're feeling low as well.

I've never really had this, no. I mean, I have different moods, but they don't appear as different voices to me, or different personalities. I had a pretty rough time in my teens where I was in a dark place, but at my worst, I was just in bed all day as I felt sleep was easier than reality; one time I forgot who I was for a split second, and where I was etc. But it came back to me almost instantly - it scared me though. Hearing voices/having different personalities instead of just different moods is more... schizophrenia or Borderline Personality Disorder (I think) as oppose to just the AS - I think something must be overlapping it to cause the hearing voices.

Thank you I'll be nice, hopefully everyone else will play nice too.

Hmm I guess you could look at it this way, which I never really though about. Yes I am just refusing to be beaten by it ie. my AS has stopped me from getting a job, so instead I spend all my time helping others in any way I can think of Thank you for your kind words Thanks Suze

Thank you so much for your reply I was really worried that everyone might be thinking the same of me, and I would hate to think that was the case

Hi guys, As some of you may know, I run a YouTube account where I have over 150 videos - and I recently started posting regularly again after about a year. Anyway, I get a LOT of negative comments (I also get lots of nice ones which always brighten my day) on there and most of the time they just brush over me because you can't respond to them etc and it's just not worth it. But sometimes the odd one gets me down. This happened today with somebody saying they're unsubscribing (not a problem, of course) because they spoke with their AS partner and have agreed that I'm milking the disability by having the YouTube page and a forum plus my own website and earning what they seem to believe is a lot of money. (Oh, what sparked it for them was the fact that I am having soft toys of the mascots in my logo made. The only reason this is happening is because a few people started asking if soft toys would be available and I'd never even thought of it, so I was like, well sure I guess I could if you want! (Plus I just thought it'd be cool to have them for myself as I designed them )) Anyhoo, the point is, I don't make money from this. I work on my projects pretty much all day, every day and aside from the money I do make from my book (which, again, isn't a lot) I make less in an entire year than you can earn working a minimum wage job for a day, which arguably, doesn't even cover the cost for my site and my forum to be live for the year, at all! Do you guys think I'm milking it? I work hard at what I do, for little to no money - because I enjoy it and because I'd like to help others, and I love getting the emails from people saying they saw one of my video and it really helped them - that's what makes it worth my while. Of course, the only reason I can do this is because my fiancé works a full time job to support us.

I don't grind my teeth (as it's one of the many noises that makes me screw my fists up and shudder) but I clench my jaw and sort of bite down really hard, a LOT. I hate it and have to stop myself doing it (I have a phobia of the dentist and I'm worried my teeth will suffer). My fiancé used to grind his teeth in his sleep, but he's not doing it so much now (he's also an Aspie).

I got the diagnosis of ASD fairly easily but it left me a bit confused because I felt like Autistic Spectrum Disorder was what described the whole spectrum, from Autism to Aspergers or High Functioning Autism etc...so it was the specific diagnosis of Aspergers which was hard to get. Once I had that it was easier because you didn't have to explain to people where abouts on the spectrum you were. If you said I have ASD people automatically think Autism, and then they think of the film Rain Man. So that got a bit difficult, with me being Aspergers. But having said all of that, Aspergers has been taken out of the DSM so maybe you have the best diagnosis you can get now.

I was writing a book, a non poetry one, years ago but I'm only just looking at it again and I hope for it to be finished in the first half of next year. I just felt the poetry one reflected the dark parts of Aspergers, which sometimes people don't write about, which is why I decided to just self publish it and get it out there.

Now available as a PDF or an eBook for the iPad: http://www.blurb.co.uk/bookstore/detail/3783673

As a child, Thomas the Tank - yes. But all the others, no. But then I think you could go a step further and say these are pretty much aspie male obsessions because my brother fits in with these more than I do. If I were to generalize or pick the longest lasting/recurring obsessions from my life it would probably be; thomas the tank engine, space, dolphins, Tigger (from Winnie the Pooh) then it went on to be a couple of rock bands that I was obsessed with - and then art/photography/writing and singing.

Welcome! I've never been able to pick up foreign languages - I always struggled with it at school So well done for that!

I have completed the questionnaire

good luck with the computer repair.

When I lived at home and had everything all in my one bedroom, I used to 'collect' things more than anything else. I had DVD's still wrapped up and other things. I even bought things specifically to put them on a shelf still in their packaging. I'm not so bad now that I live with my partner, we have several rooms to spread our belongings through and now I mostly buy practical things that need to be used.

As people have said it is harder to define in a child because most children become obsessed with something. I used to play with toy cars when I was young, which I think could be classed as an obsession more because I was a girl and cars weren't the popular must have thing, especially for a girl. But then, my brother did the same, and I have heard of a lot of young spectrum children loving to play with toy cars - specifically lining them up or sorting them in some unusual way that's not considered 'play' (as both me and my brother did). But my obsessions in general are just anything which consumes me and take over the other things I should be doing - and I bore everyone talking about it all the time, as if I assume they are interested.

Yes you will probably qualify for it. You can claim it on his behalf until he's 16 I think it is. The forms are pretty extensive, but just explain in great detail how much help he needs which is beyond what a child his age would normally require - explain some of the worst case scenarios that you have experienced with him. The link Special_talent123 has given will be useful. And here'e the government link https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit/overview Good luck

I had issues as a child, they went rotten very fast and I don't think I ate too many sweet things - however, since getting adult teeth I have not had any problems - that I know of. (let me explain) I'm terrified of the dentist. I have excellent dental hygiene mostly because I'm so afraid of the dentist, so I try to clean/floss/use mouthwash/not eat too much sugary things etc just because I need there to not be any issues as I cannot attend the dentists. I haven't seen one for about 2 and a half years. Granted I have no pain or anything and my teeth are very clean/white all the time, no obvious gum problems etc. Although the slightest hint of pain and I get paranoid Although I do have a tooth that sticks out quite a bit (as the lovely people of YouTube like to point out from time to time but it doesn't bother me too much anymore.)

I found that without going to a private specialist, I just got passed from pillar to post within the NHS. Psychiatrists/psychologists/therapist etc I'm not sure what to suggest. It isn't too difficult to diagnose in adult life, lots of people have been diagnosed as an adult, so the first thing I guess I was say is: get a new GP! If you can do that, then just go and see them and explain everything, see if they have anything better to say. It may be a long process though. It was for me! Actually, I just did a video on how long it took me/which route I went to get a diagnosis if you want to see it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibspaL1Xxq8&list=UU2OdMVzzL6SaOKyP0dTcllQ&index=5&feature=plcp

Well, my fiancé has just taken on a degree with the open university. We were looking at other Uni's across the UK but we don't think we'd have fit it very well. With the Open Uni you can learn from home and there is a lot of online support should you need it - plus there are lectures and classes you can attend etc. He mentioned he has Aspergers and they were extremely understanding and supportive, offering a wide range of help - some which we didn't even consider ourselves, which was useful. Just a thought..