How on earth do you survive with Asperger's/HFA? (Poll)

Post Reply New Topic

I have a lucrative career as a musician known by my stage name as... I better not say.

I've been a clerical worker for the City of New York since 1980.

I am just lucky that I seem to work well within the UK mental health service and have a very supportive manager

Most of my work has been as a comunication support worker, which means I interpret lessons into sign language for deaf students. I'm now working towards a special needs teaching assistant qualification.

Since studying is more or less what I can do best (only if intrinsically motivated), I just moved on from university to doctorate studies, and I'm working full-time as a scientist. Saying full-time, however, is a bit of an overstatement, since my work routine tends to be pretty messed up (sometimes I work mornings, sometimes evenings, sometimes from home, etc.). I do get some support from my workplace, in that I have a flexible schedule (I can work from home if needed, if my anxiety is too bad, etc.; workplace doesn't know about ASD but it knows about anxiety), but I also work long hours doing experiments in the afternoon, evenings, and weekends, so it kind of balances itself out. I often think I wouldn't be able to support myself if it weren't for the type of job I do, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it up. Probably looking into non-ordinary jobs (with flexible schedules, self-employment, part-time jobs, etc.) is one of the best bets for some of us. Good luck with figuring things out, I know how draining it can be!

I have a work-from-home job, but I live with my mom and pets. I wish I could live on my own, but most people have said that it would be impossible for me to do so.

Why do you think it would be impossible?

Ticked other because I live with my wife and two children.

I've had government social support before but its a joke - they just fire you off into a dead end job to improove their unemployment statistics. Then I end up returning again and again. Had some support from family, however recently had to cut them off because of my manipulative brother and my mother believing his lies and not supporting me.
Now I'm returning to the social services - three weeks of living on the street before I can get any financial support from them. They will demand I look for any job. I have no referees or freferences. I prefer part time jobs, increases time before I become proficient and bored out of my mind. I don't need much money to survive. But the social service demands I look for full time - they think I'll stay on the benefit otherwise.
I've some business ideas that hopefully will pan out and bring in just enough income for me to continue my programming studies and other self studies that can give me a significant income boost. I also plan to build myself a boat, then I'll finally be rent free.
I've gone through some fairly dark moods.
I thought if I'll never be happy and have no friends what is the point in continuing. But I realised if the earth was empty except for myself & animals I'd be happy.
So the real issue is other people. So I stay away from people. But I have an ultimate unrealistic long term goal to cure NT - the thought of an honest world keeps me going. Imagine if Hilary could not lie, oh the truth that would pass those lips!

The same way that everyone else survives life. I look out for #1. I take things one day at a time.

I live with my parents and although I'm not currently working, I have been in work for most of the past 3 years. I've been looking for work since my last job finished two months ago. I'm hoping that I'll have found something by Easter. I would love to live on my own but, even when I am in work, I just can't afford to unless I manage to get a job that pays substantially more than what I have been earning. When that happens, then I'll be in business.

I was diagnosed at the age of 40, so i went through my teens, twenties and thirties undiagnosed, just wondering what the hell was wrong with me. I bounced around from job to job for many years unable to keep employment, because i would either say the wrong thing to my boss or coworkers, and on to the next job i would be.
I've had plenty of emotional support and some financial support over the years, but found my niche a few years ago. I went back to school to study land surveying, and i have not looked back since. It's a low stress job, where i get to work by myself, and not have to worry about someone looking over me every minute, or keeping tabs on my performance. I do very well at my job, and love the pay. I highly recommend it to anybody who struggles in a normal work environment, and likes working alone.