lizzy-wilson Report post Posted June 30, 2012 Well, I'm 16, got diagnosed with aspergers two years ago after nearly a year of waiting for the diagnoses. I managed primary school OK, it was when I moved onto secondary school that I really started to struggle, I lasted two terms and got told by a 'health professional' not to go to school as it was causing my depression, anxiety and panic attacks. So, I was out of school for three years...I didn't do much at all, I spent quite a lot of my time with my sister and my nieces, the rest of the time was spent in my dads office watching DVDs...I watched..just a few DVDs over the years! After I eventually got my diagnoses we came across this Education welfare officer (I think that's what she was) who managed to get me back into school one morning a week but to only stay in the learning support room away from the rest of the school. I managed it with the help of my therapist who stayed with me for the hour and a half I was there. I then upped my hours and my days and finally managed to go in by myself but had the same one to one teacher, which helped. This year has kinda gone to fast for me to fit everything in i.e exams, I did exams on the internet through edexcel, I did Level 1 and 2 English and passed them both, Level 1 maths I did in January but failed the first time so had to re - take...I just past that by one mark. I took my Level 2 maths last week and am still awaiting the results...I know what it's going to be as I guessed every flipping question. I also did entry level geography but wont find out my results till next year. With being out of school, I lost the ability to make friends and meet new people, so apart from work friends, family friends, I don't have any real friends that I can talk to or go and do things with. I'm not interested in drinking, make up, trying to be someone that I'm not. I want people to see me as who I am not someone I'm not. I joined a local community band as a drummer and am loving it, we have gigs pretty much every weekend, after next weekend we should start calming down. It's given me confidence that I never use to have and all the people in the band are very friendly and have helped me with every gig. I was so nervous on my fist gig but now I just get on and do it...doesn't matter how many people are there. Anyway, believe it or not, there's more...but I wont bore you all. I'm looking forward to Tuesday afternoon after the final review meeting and I step foot out of the school doors and never look back, to forget school ever happened. Lizzy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkshine Report post Posted June 30, 2012 Well done for how far you've come since you left school for 3 years - you've made big steps - and I get the impression that you'll make many more (you seem determined!!). I'm 31, secondary school was a nightmare for me, did do the whole GCSE thing - but then very little for a long time - am now trying to pick up the pieces, but wish I had the courage to do it at your age. That's the problem when you spend time out from the world - it's so much harder to pick things up again, especially as things change as you get older (whether your age or mine - or older or younger lol) but life's all about going out there and finding something - much better than rotting away What sort of music does the band play? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lizzy-wilson Report post Posted July 1, 2012 We play all sorts of music. Things like Queen, the beatles, ABBA...loads more but my brain has failed to remember....we're looking at learning some new songs when we're not so busy with gigs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted July 1, 2012 (edited) Hi lizzy, my name is special talent, my nickname is FLipper. First of all welcome to the group. I was like you diagnosed with autism age 14 years old. I had a lot of diagnoses when I was 4 years old. Speech delay, learning disability, dyspraxia. When I was 12 they were looking into ADD, fragile x syndrome, aspergers but that was a no no, but if it wasn't for the nurse asking to be retested for autism and not aspergers then probably wouldn't of known. I went to a special school. I took entry level qualifications and asdan - silver challenge. My English is at entry level 3 and Maths is entry level 2 so below level 1 qualifications. But somehow however trying to get my English to level 1 which didn't happen I managed to pass my computer course level 1 ecdl. That's great your in a band- I love music too. I sing in a choir called ' rock choir' . Do you have obsessions mine are dolphins? Edited July 1, 2012 by Special_talent123 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lizzy-wilson Report post Posted July 1, 2012 ...I use to have an obsession with stairs (Don't ask me why) I like watching passenger airplanes land and take off but wouldn't say it was an obsession. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkshine Report post Posted July 1, 2012 We play all sorts of music. Things like Queen, the beatles, ABBA...loads more but my brain has failed to remember....we're looking at learning some new songs when we're not so busy with gigs. Cool, I'm a bit of a music fan - never had the guts to play for people though (keyboard is my thing) You tried any foo fighters stuff? Dave Grohl is a pretty good drummer - I used to talk to this guy years ago who played drums, he said that the hardest thing to do was to play quietly - dunno whether that's right or not - but it made some sense. There's this song I love the drum sections of called "The Rat" by The Walkmen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lizzy-wilson Report post Posted July 1, 2012 Playing the drums quietly is one of the hardest things to do. We played a gig a couple of weeks ago in a small room, they wanted us to play quietly....I couldn't! My dad is a drummer and he never plays quietly! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkshine Report post Posted July 3, 2012 I've tried it, it requires incredible and constant control - which I cannot maintain - plus I get bored of drumming if I'm gonna do it I'd rather have fun and deafen everyone I reckon you could cheat with drum brushes, you can get retractable ones so you can adjust the length of the brush - a bit jazz based though maybe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 9, 2012 Well done for how far you've come since you left school for 3 years - you've made big steps - and I get the impression that you'll make many more (you seem determined!!). I'm 31, secondary school was a nightmare for me, did do the whole GCSE thing - but then very little for a long time - am now trying to pick up the pieces, but wish I had the courage to do it at your age. That's the problem when you spend time out from the world - it's so much harder to pick things up again, especially as things change as you get older (whether your age or mine - or older or younger lol) but life's all about going out there and finding something - much better than rotting away What sort of music does the band play? How about we do this together? I've also decided age 30 something to try and work out who the real me is after an age 16 diagnosis. Welcome to lizzy-wilson i was encouraged to leave school but held on until the end of my exams. i passed them on pure adrenaline and determination. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 9, 2012 ...I use to have an obsession with stairs (Don't ask me why) I like watching passenger airplanes land and take off but wouldn't say it was an obsession. i have quite a preoccupation with not falling down or upstairs. The take offs and landlings sound like you enjoyed the routine, like watching something else repetitive. Tried african drumming for the 1st time recently and loved it straight away. My honourary sister plays african drums. i like music and can recognise some songs within seconds of them being played. Turning the bass up makes songs seem louder but they arent really louder, great for high pitched hearing sensitivities. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A-S warrior Report post Posted July 9, 2012 i used to have obsessions, street lights were my strangest one. now i try to remain moderete. if you let one obsesssion go to far it consumes you. why was in so into street lights? even i dont know why Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkshine Report post Posted July 9, 2012 How about we do this together? I've also decided age 30 something to try and work out who the real me is after an age 16 diagnosis. It's difficult isn't it? What were your 20's like? Mine were a mess lol (another thing about being me now is I can have a sense of humour about some of the hell). It's nice knowing that you're trying to do a similar thing. It's good to have some company on the way I sometimes don't know where to start... you know when there's so many problems and stuff and it's sorta like starting from square one? But at the same time trying to take apart a load of harmful thoughts and beliefs.... I guess I missed out the step of getting to be ok with myself and now I have to try and work it out - it seems to take forever! i used to have obsessions, street lights were my strangest one. now i try to remain moderete. if you let one obsesssion go to far it consumes you. why was in so into street lights? even i dont know why Did you ever have a key for them? My brother made himself a key and I begged him for it, and he let me have it for a pound - you could open the panel with it and mess with them I really used to love doing that Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A-S warrior Report post Posted July 9, 2012 if i did i would turn all the lights multicolored, they would go, green, blue, red, yellow, purple, orange, ultraviolet. in that order. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkshine Report post Posted July 9, 2012 That would be pretty amazing - and maybe then the light pollution wouldn't make the sky look grey/orange - cuz that looks dull and dreary, at least if the stars must be blocked from view they could be blocked by blue, red, green purple, ultraviolet and yellow too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
