mayB12

Not always as simple as it sounds. I work from home, I'm trying to earn money even if he isn't, damn it. I had all this issue last year when I had to abandon all my own work in order to supervise him 24/7. Every day I had to create a timetable of events in order to give him a routine. Day after day, month after month. Taking him out for a walk is a flaming misery, he does the entire route without a single word. I'd rather go on my own. At 56 I'm brassed off with the whole thing, and I have decided this morning, after reading your comments that I am going to kick him out to the Job Centre. I've given everything I have from within me, and I have no more to give. Stuff it.

Anything happened with Canopus' organisation yet? I see this is quite an old thread; a lot may have happened since then (or not, as the case may be).

I'd like to bump this thread up a bit, since I am experiencing the same sort of problems with my own son, who is approaching 22. He has traits of Asperger's syndrome rather than the fullblown thing, but it causes plenty enough problems. After completing a science degree, he had a complete breakdown and we dealt with psychosis for many months. Earlier this year he managed to get some computer work with a local firm, one which was already familiar to him. However, it was a short-term thing and he is now at home again. He has become very uncommunicative and I hardly see him all day, except meal-times when he magically appears from his room. I am trying to battle my way through the barriers to try and get him motivated. He has a good mind and it needs exercising......but the trouble is, he just doesn't know what he wants to do; it's like every suggestion made is no good. What is important for everyone here, I think, is the fact that this country is rapidly losing jobs and it is going to make life really hard for our young Aspies (as if it isnt hard enough already). I will be going back through the posts made here, to see if I can pick up any ideas for my own situation. I don't want to make him feel as if he's being a parasite, but that's what I AM feeling right now, as I listen to him pacing around his room, hour after hour. It's the ROUTINE they need; my son badly needs a regular routine and I can't provide it.

Yes...it is a psychosis. We now have professional help so just have to work it all through. Some days good, others bad, but I hope it will gradually clear for him.

Hi JsMum, I had a chuckle at your "howler", "someone can help you throw it", I am sure you meant "through it" but I guess we are all feeling like throwing things at the moment. Looking forward to getting through the weekend and onto Monday.

Just been contacted today; he's having an assessment on Monday. Today he is pretty poorly; will say how things are going next week. Many Thanks for those links.

Thank you for your replies. We'd been aware of the impending loss of university "structure" in his life and had been encouraging him to plan his own daily diary of things to do, including the ongoing improvement of his already highly capable computer skills. He was even thinking of setting up a website eventually and trying to sell a few of his ideas....wouldnt bring a fulltime income but of course one never knows where things lead. All these bright ideas are currently over-washed by all the depression. He is having good and bad days, but it is scary to see him so highly vulnerable and agitated. Yes the GP referred him yesterday.....we just have to wait for an appointment now with the specialists....we spent 2005 and 2006 with him as an undiagnosed aspergers and that period was highly stressful; finally the diagnosis came in early 07; we'd not heard of it, but in time we got to grips with it and so did he. This latest is just so unexpected. We will have to just wait now for the ball to get rolling; fingers crossed.

I realise the forum is not geared for handing out professional advice. Some of my original intended post is now obsolete, because events have overtaken me while waiting for my forum membership to be approved. My son was diagnosed with asperger traits at the age of 17. He received good counselling but once he reached 18 he was no longer eligible to receive it under the adolescent mental health services. He's just completed a physics degree at university, locally, and living at home with us, his parents. However, since completing it last month (and passing), his mental health has deteriorated rapidly and we are very worried about him. He has lost his ability to focus on tasks; he has become terrified that we are going to abandon him. He has started to experience voices in his head that tell him bad things about himself, and on several nights he has wandered into our bedroom to ask the most mundane questions imaginable.....at 2 and 3 in the morning. He claims the voices are nagging him to do these things. He has strange "missions" that must be completed and also vivid dreams that he mistakenly entangles with reality; to the extent that he fears our disappearance and his own abandonment. He has even suggested that he should go and live with "other people", who will come for him. It is like living with a four-year-old, yet he is a highly intelligent young man of 21. We went through excruciating worries and problems when he was first diagnosed, but during the past few years he has adapted and started developing into a sharp-minded, intelligent and scientifically-focused individual, with immense aptitude for computer programming. These latest happenings have come as an immense shock to us all. We are older parents in our 50's; but we don;t have all the answers. We are just trying to keep him busy at the moment, doing household tasks, things in the garden, anything to get his mind off "the voices" and other fears. He is not job-hunting, he isn't fit in mind anyway to even start. He is now being referred for help and we just have to wait for the appointment; but there isnt much help for us. We've hardly slept this past week. We just can't think what has brought all this on. I suspect a kind of schizophrenic condition but I'm not an expert. Do others recognise these problems? and what is a likely outcome?