Any autistic health care professionals out there?

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Thank you. I HAve been honest with them and I think both sides recognise a large part of the job is detrimental to my health. So I think I probably will take up redeployment once I get my head around it and feel confident that I won’t be leaping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Not presently, but maybe in a decade or so if I can make the grade through school.

Regardless of occupation, I deal with ASD via a restricted diet, medicinal foods, vitamins, supplements, and probiotics. This minimizes my symptoms and allows me to enjoy all aspects of life better from work to play to socializing. It's also enabled me to consider a return to University for part time studies for a possible eventual shift into the health care field that I couldn't have considered before.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents. Diet/supplements/exercise etc regardless of occupation can get negative symptoms under control well enough to allow us to do whatever it is we do for a job, whether it's healthcare or janitorial work - doesn't matter.

Yes, hello. I'm a nurse also NHS, I have more difficulty then solutions so far, BUT, I have held down this job for more then ten years. I had problems with depression, which have brought me to my Aspie diagnosis, which is still very new. HR know about me but realy don't understand. I have popped under pressure and am in a very high pressure environment. Neuro typical co workers go home in tears. So I think the first step for me is saying "I have a right to be me".

I’m a UK nurse, but work for a disability charity within a care home for disabled adults. I was working in an elderly care home, but the manager was toxic so I had to leave due to the stress. I’d been there for eight years.

I’m not managing well at work. My antidepressant is causing brain fog, which isn’t ideal as I need to concentrate obviously. It’s very busy, but not too cognitively challenging as it’s not an acute care environment.

I’m working four six hour shifts a week, but it’s too much for me and I’d be better off back on nights I think. No openings atm though.

I haven’t disclosed my aspergers, but did declare my anxiety and depression and meds on the health questionnaire.

I’d be far happier not having to work. I used to enjoy it, but I’m not doing well now. I’ll have to change my meds I think. I’m currently suicidal.

It’s good to hear everyones experiences.

My last anti depressants caused brain fog. I have recently changed after months thinking about it. My brain doesn't seem as foggy and the dreams aren't quite as bad. So far I am coping with them. I considered going part time and working 20-25 hours a week, just working in the afternoons because on these tablets and with the depression I just can't handle getting up of a morning. I have disclosed everything to my employer now. Maybe if you disclosed it they could help and be more supportive and understanding. That in itself can take the pressure off. I'm sorry to hear you are suicidal. I have been myself on and off the past few weeks. I feel okay at the minute though. I'm hoping things will start to turn around now. Please don't act on it. If you ever need a chat, just send me a PM. I'm on and off my computer most of the day so it shouldn't take me long to get back to you.

I understand how you feel about how you'd be happier not having to work. I think I can only really cope with a minimal amount of work before I start to get anxious and stressed. I feel like routine and my interests just completely take over and I don't really know what to do about it but never mind. Anyway, I'm here if you'd like to chat anytime.




Well done on holding down the job for 10 years. I cracked within my first 6 months! I'm only just 3 years in and I've really struggled so I don't think it's looking good is it. I think the sensible thing to do now would be to get redeployed. I guess I could always work as an allied health professional again in the future if I felt up to it. I hope so anyway. I think I am starting to say to myself I have a right to be me since being diagnosed and not beating myself up about things. so that's got to be a good thing hasn't it.

I work in Health Information Management/Medical Records which is a support role to healthcare. I tried doing clinical lab tech in college but the pressure of getting the measurements correct wasn't worth it for me. So I went to HIM which is more office-based environment and with the increase in technology, more computer work. Right now, I am working as a medical records clerk which I was so happy they gave me this opportunity. It's a part time gig and for the most part I can set my own hours (I work the evening shift, but my boss has let me come in later once in a while). Anyway, I like it fine, but it's not something I want to do forever. I scan in documents and index to the patient's file, but it can get overwhelming with the different phone calls (I'm getting better at it but you never know who's on the other end of the line) and we also process the charts of patients who die in the hospital and authorizes the release of the bodies and that can be difficult sometimes. My coworkers are cool, but they've been getting on me for cleaning up after myself. I thought I did, but I've been making an effort to clean up more. I want to go into coding which you sit and analyze the medical record and assign codes for the diagnoses or procedures depending on reason of encounter. I won't have to interact with people as much (except maybe physicians if there's confusion in the record) and I can just focus on my own thing. With this career I can even work from home but I want the in-office training first. My plan is to keep this current job for at least 6 months while working on sharping my coding skills and even adding a coding credential. The best advice I can give is know your strengths and your limitations. Try to be open with your boss about it unless they're unreasonable. It's easier said than done since setbacks can happen and everyone has bad days.

I'm currently in clinicals to become a Physical Therapist Assistant. On Friday I got a complement stating that I work exceptionally well with patients, and do good at addressing their physical and emotional needs. I'd recommend you find a healthcare worker in your field who does a good job, and literally just copy their methods and means of coping with the profession. I'm sorry that you are having trouble in your field.....don't try to figure it out on your own....just find somebody who has figured it out and do exactly what they do.....that's how I'm doing well, I'm mimicking the behavior of my clinical instructor and shamelessly stealing her methods on how she handles patients and other staff.

I've also had similar comments to you in how I deal with the patients. It's not the patients that is the problem....it's everything else

Hello all,

That is exactly the topic I was looking for.
I work as a vet in small animal practice in UK. I was recently told that I look not happy enough at work and that I should come to work more cheerful. I think I am an introvert and have some signs of Asp, however non diagnosed. I think this is just my type of personality. Yes, I am a bit tired, because we do 10h shift 5 days a week, but I always try to be as polite as I can with the clients but I just don’t shine the energy with my co-workers and social awkardness kicks in. I always thought that medicine would be a good field for me as it is a proffession where intelligence matters more than show-off (as marketing, for example), but am I so wrong?

Yes people tend to think I don't look or seem happy when I'm perfectly fine. It gets wearing!