Greetings fellow Aspies/Autistics!

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Frank here. I'm 53, and have known since I was a kid there was something different about me. As a kid I had severe learning issues, though I was an excellent reader (still LOVE books). I remember having to go to a special school, and getting taken for all sorts of tests when I was younger, up until maybe 9 years old. I had the epilepsy test done (flashing lights during an EEG), and all kinds of other stuff that I barely remember. Some of it was kind of disturbing to me, and I always felt there was something "wrong with me", and having to have all those tests just reinforced that. Many years later my mom finally told me I was in the Autism spectrum, but I don't think she said "Asperger's" since I don't think it was an actual diagnosis then, I can't remember. I had trouble relating to people (still do to an extent), especially since I'm so blunt and truthful, though now I think it's a positive trait in this increasingly fake P/C world. A few years ago a female friend looked at me and asked me if I was an "Aspie". I wasn't sure, and we got to talking about specific things, and she said she had just been diagnosed and said she thought I was as well. She recommended taking an online test or 2 (which very strongly suggested I was an Aspie) and to read the book "Look Me In The Eye". It was a great book (I highly recommend it), and his tale brought back my struggles as a kid, as I saw a lot of his behavior and life experiences in myself, though not to the degree. Like him I have my struggles, and there are things I simply cannot do or find extremely difficult, but also like him I've managed to be successful as I define it (not so much money but accomplishments, and proving my detractors wrong). The book also helped me understand myself and now I embrace my "condition" (I don't consider it an overall "disability") because while I suck at a lot of things, I excel at the talent that gets me hired and pays the bills (3D Mechanical/Industrial Design via CAD). I've found I can visualize and create in 3D far better than most, and have become expert at it. So, if there are social negatives, I have a professional positive to balance that out.

So, my advice is, find out who and what you are, and embrace it. Work to minimize the negatives of being in the spectrum (it CAN be done), and work to maximize the positives and rare gifts that come with it. And most of all, take no sh!t from anyone because of it because while maybe they're not in the spectrum, they have THEIR negatives and limitations too....

Be well.....

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Welcome to WP!

Good words you posted. I could have written some of them myself meaning my experiences have been similar. I also view my strengths as a positive and use them where they are useful and have managed to cobble together a life that is decent and rewards now, if somewhat chaotic in the past.