Newbie here to say Hello and to ask for urgent advice

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Detty,

interesting that you talk about working in retail and your interest in maps.

In my case I can pretty much draw the world map, including most islands, major cities, country boundaries. I can also draw maps of how the boundaries were in the past (such as the effect of the breeakup of the Soviet Union, the split of Eritrea from Ethiopia etc). I developed a mapping game where I drew imaginary maps and divided these into imaginary countries. Each country had a score that was based on the number of other countries that they shared borders with. The rules were that countries with smaller land areas could not gobble up larger ones and countries with fewer neighbours could gobble up those with larger neighbours. This game would progress until only one or two large empires remained. I used to play this game a huge amount, and had to hide it from my parents. It was an obsession.

When I was a student I walked around shops asking for jobs. This was mainly because I couldn't phone. I got a job as a sales assistant at a clothes shop and I spent almost all my time in the shoes section. Initially, saying "Hi can I help you?" was terrifying. However, I found that with getting to know my environment, I became quite confident. Selling shoes was actually very good therapy for me. I became an expert at shoes sizes and knew codes (numbers we put on the back of displayed shoes and on boxes in the shelves at the back) and the stocks like the back of my hand. I was a very effective sales assistant simply because I could focus on the job at hand for 8 hours without flinching and I was also able to serve up to 10-12 customers simultaneously. Of course, that wasn't emotional connection with the customer, it was just, get size x-z and how many of ... no frills. The troubles came when I had to phone another section of the store for something; I couldn't do it. When they asked me to do store announcements on the intercom, I flatly refused. I also refused to be Father Christmas.

I find it quite how your experiences are so similar to mine.

Hi Detty,
So much of what you have shared is very familiar, especially what has hurt and how you find you need to process things. First, I am sorry that you have to deal with these hidden handicaps. Second, though we are scattered about, overall there are very many of us all in the same boat mentally.

I am impressed by your spirit, that comes through the words and wanted to share that your spirit, your will to succeed, is the key element in overcoming obstacles. Harnessing what ever it is that motivates you will keep you going forward. You are doing well at figuring out the pieces and what works and what doesn't. My feeling is you will craft a sustainable livelihood in time and be OK.

I have been travelling a fair bit hence not contributed over the last few days. Detty, keep in touch with this community. I am a newbie too and I am also realising how good it is to speak to others who understand. I am not formally diagnosed yet but am seriously considering doing so. I took the leap this last week and told my mother about the whole thing. My mother (and father when he was alive) is the one person I have spent my whole life hiding these things from. I think she always knew I was a bit different and I deseprately wanted to be 'normal' (whatever that is). So, to tell her that I think I'm AS was a bit of a worry to me. I asked her to think back to my childhood and tell me if her understanding of me matches the AS profile. She has taken all of this quite seriously and hasn't dismissed it out of hand. That is really great for me. I thought she might just say, 'Oh don't be silly."

I have been writing up biographical information to try pin down a definite diagnosis i.e I don't want to be messing around with a false diagnosis. The document is 10 pages and I am still writing ... no question about it in my mind.

Detty,
Welcome to Wrong Planet.
I have no idea what the educational system is like in the UK. Here in America more and more colleges are offering on-line courses. Some colleges are for-profit. Others are community colleges, state supported universities and private colleges. You, as the instructor, have an on-line class and can interact with them as a group or individually. Textbooks can be purchased either though the college or even on Amazon. I don't have to tell you how advantageous this can be. Do you have this in the UK? Is this something you could do and still use your hard earned degree?
If not, relocate here to beautiful Indiana! We always have room for more immigrants. Plus, we are in love with English accents and British shows on public television. My favorite right now is Doc Martin. You, too, can enjoy our hot summers, Arctic winters, and endless fields of corn. There are several colleges in Indianapolis that are almost all on-line.
I wish you the best. I hope this was helpful