aspieman

Happy New Year to everyone. Wishing you all a happy and positive new year!

Tonight reading through some of the topics on this board I can see that a couple of members here are anti moderation. I have been reading posts from this board for many years even if I haven't posted replies as I used to have another user name mainly for just reading topics and it's a nice board here. Please give the staff here some grace, It's not an easy job working behind the scenes and until you have worked behind the scenes you won't have a clue what's involved. I speak out of experience as I have had my own php board and I'm currently an administrator on another popular board. Moderators and Administrators are there to help us as many with ASD are very vulnerable. This board is only lightly moderated to other ASD boards and others have hardly any moderation which don't make for a safe haven. Please just remember moderators are human just like me and you and they also have an ASD and moderating is very stressful so public criticism is very painful when all they are trying to do is help everyone to have a safe and friendly board, If anyone is upset then PM a moderator or the admin team rather then behaving like a troll trying to cause mass confusion.

I have severe social phobia and claustrophobia. I have struggled with crowds since I was at school. I have not been out of the house on my own for over 8 years but I do get out with my support workers and other members of my family who I live with. I can't stand town centres, The noise, Crowds, Closeness, Public transport, The lighting. I struggle with it all and it just becomes a blur and I get really stressed even if I don't show it, I get frightened and feel very anxious in these situations. In my comfort zone I prefer to visit town centres with others in the family car as I often sit in the car when I'm having a meltdown and will let the others go off on their own or I know that I can return to the car if it gets too much for me. My social phobia has not always been this severe as I used to work a long time a go but after being wrongly diagnosed, over medicated and my mental health has deteriorated over the years because of ill physical health and me being a victim from health professional's mistakes. I find it very hard to trust people now.

Thanks for the warm welcome and it's also nice to see you here Alexis.

Just saying hello. My name is Paul, I'm 47 and have a diagnosis of high functioning autism, I have 3 children on the spectrum all who have diagnoses from adhd, conduct disorder, odd to aspergers. I was a member on here a long time a go and have forgot my old username as didn't post very much but have now changed my user name to the same user name I use on different AS boards such as aspie village and my own board aspie villa which is not active now the same with aspie vision. I have already reconised a few members here who I already know so a hello to them and a hello to others who don't know me, Hoping that I can contribute something useful to the board.