indiscreet

I thought on this forum one had to supply one's own pic - and I haven't a clue how to do that!

THAT is maybe the most positive result of getting a dx - knowing what kind of crazy we are and that we are not alone.

Many times - and afterwards I feel so ashamed and my self-esteems drops several levels.

Thank you for posting this, Sa Skimrade. You've expressed my thoughts and feelings exactly.

Favourite animals - cats of all sizes.

Me too. (and I've always pronounced it AsperGERS)

Darkshine I think you are 'spot on' with what you say here. I know that in my life AS has made it difficult for me to do certain things - not necessarily stopped me but certainly hindered me from doing those things as easily or as well as I would have wished. In this respect AS has been dis-abling for me but I don't see AS, as such, as a disability.

I can cope with most noise, even if it irritates me, but rap, the cash machines in Tesco and high-pitched screaming and shrieking make me, quite literally, want to kill.

Hi Dandean, and welcome to the board.

Yes, that's the one. Thank you Darkshine.

During a Commons debate on mental health last week Charles Walker, the MP for Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, stood up and told the chamber about his 31-year battle with OCD. The 44 year-old said the condition takes him to "dark places", that he often washes his hands hundreds of times a day, and described his OCD "like internal Tourette's syndrome: sometimes it is benign and often can be malevolent. It's like someone inside one's head just banging away." In today's "Daily Telegraph" he's interviewed by Bryony Gordon, herself a sufferer. It's worth a read if you can locate it.

Darkshine, having an emergency appointment and seeing a new doctor as a result was probably the best thing that could have happened. It sounds as though she is really concerned and, as Robert says, let's hope she can kick a's with regard to the MH team. In the meantime concentrate on getting some 'food' intake - even if it's just liquid. Try Baxter's soups, they tend to be more expensive but I've found they are really good, being both tasty and nutritious.

Darkshine, I have been out all day and have only just seen your post. I hope the GP was able to give you the help you need.

Over the years before I was diagnosed (before I'd even heard of autism/AS) I had a number of periods of counselling because of depression, anxiety and a general feeling of dispair at being until to "fit in", although I'd always managed to work and had a partner. Although it was comforting to visit a therapist once a week I never felt that they were able to help much. CTT did a little but the effect didn't last. One of the reasons why I sought a diagnosis was that I hoped that if I subsequently needed counselling then the therapist knowing that I am on the spectrum might make it more productive. To date I've managed without needing further help so I don't know if that would be the case. My feeling is that if someone like the OP feels that they may be on the spectrum then they should go ahead and see if they can be tested. It's not easy for adults to get past the first hurdle represented by the GP but if they do manage to get a consultation with a specialist then at least they will have confirmation one way or another. How you subsequently regard the dx - either positively or negatively - will have a great deal to do with your life at the present time; how old you are, whether you work, if you have a partner and maybe children, your position on the spectrum and your upbringing - whether or not you had (or do have) supportive parents - plus your own personality and basic intelligence. The fact is that autism is a very new condition and in 20 years time (or maybe 10) there could well be a very different way of dealing with it, especially if it's possible to determine the severity in individual cases by, say, brain scans rather than the present testing of individuals.

Hi Donald, welcome and, yes, I also rehearse conversations in my head beforehand but whether this is 'normal' or not I don't know.

The good thing about the forum is that you can say what you like - at whatever length you want - and no one will tell you to shut up. They may, of course, ignore what you say .....! (BTW, why can't I access emoticoms for my posts?)

Soraya, did your son fail the probationery period in the previous five jobs for the same reason? If so, then he needs help to deal with his problem. To many people the way he tries to be friendly could seem intimidating and odd but if he can relate well to customers he can learn how to do the same with fellow workers. I can sympathise with him because even now I don't always get social inter-relationships right but I've learned it's better to initially seem standoff-ish then too pushy and "in people's faces".

I'm a Pagan - would that cause problems?

I'm repeating myself here because I know I've said this in other posts but my experience is that obtaining a diagnosis has been like getting rid of a huge burden that I'd carried all through my life to date. I now know why I'm different and that it's not my fault. Which doesn't mean I just sit back and use it as an excuse for not coping with things; on the contrary it's made me more positive and much, much happier. My advice is to press for it. If it's true that one person in a hundred in the population as a whole is somewhere on the spectrum then the more people who push for a diagnosis the less likelihood that our problems will be ignored or sidelined.

In theory I like the idea but I would find it very difficult to walk into a strange bar and locate a group of complete strangers. Also, like Robert I'm self-conscious and anxious in a crowd. I can just about comfortably manage three other people but that's my limit.

AS you are OK! You bring a breath of energy to the forum and if at times you are irritating that just helps to keep things lively.

Time flies? - we can't. (OK. it's an oldie but I couldn't resist.)

I would want to find out everything I could about the "group" before going. Specifically: a) How long has it been operating. What is the age range likely to be. c) What actually happens. d) What time does it finish. If it's been going for some time you might find that it isn't easy to integrate and nothing is worse than sitting or standing around with people basically ignoring you. I would imagine it's better if there's a wide(ish) age range of people - all of whom are on the spectrum. I can cope better if I'm given a clear picture of what's involved and how long it's likely to last - but maybe that's just me.

I remember reading somewhere that in parts of the world where cannibalism is within living memory human flesh is known as "long pig" - so presumably it does resemble pork - both in smell and in taste.

Adam, when I first read this I wondered whether you were referring to posts about things that are not specifically concerned with autism/AS as such. From my experience this happens on all forums but at least here there is an "Off Topic" section for these posts. I used to contribute to a forum about a particular movie but I seldom do so now because it's become top-heavy with OT threads.