I'm still bad

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I was told about wrong planet by a friend of mine some time ago. I've been spending the last two years promising myself that if I didn't improve my main problems like anxiety and not being able to communicate with others properly that I would join the site - two years later, here I am.

I recently went for a job interview, last Thursday, thinking that I was a lot better than I actually am. I lasted about two minutes before feeling unwell and then going into a panic attack, during which a ambulance was called and the paramedics had to help me get me calm again.

I'm so disappointed in myself that I wasn't strong enough to be the girl I wish I could be. My Autism is terrible and I don't know where to go from here.

Welcome Adele Brookes to Wrong Planet.

There are a few ways to defuse panic attacks.

A panic attack is a very frightening experience for an Aspie. These attacks often come on unexpectedly and are accompanied by many frightening physical sensations, such as shortness of breath, hyperventilation and helplessness. They are triggered by a buildup of stress and trauma.

The shortness of breath that occurs during panic attacks and anxiety is often caused by a change in your normal breathing pattern. Typically, we are not conscious of our breathing. When panic and anxiety occur, our breathing may become more shallow and restricted. Instead of filling the lungs with full, complete breathes, we take in quick and short breathes.

Our lungs take in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. When our breathing is short and shallow, the stale air remains trapped deep in our lungs. Unless this carbon dioxide is vented it will trigger an automatic reaction in our brains that produce feelings of faintness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and confusion. It can trigger a panic attack.

Therefore one method to avoid panic attacks is to take deep breathes and vent the carbon dioxide deep in your lungs. It will help put you back in control.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

there is nothing about being bad. i understand the embarasement of having a PA in public. been there had that, got a tshirt. but it doesnt define u as a person. u have special needs. its hard to well, accept, maybe u need some therapy for it? ppl say that can help sometimes...

ya a catch22 when u need therapy and cant do therapy. related. maybe we can help u here a bit, but we are not professionals. we do try.

I'm very grateful for all the help I've received here already. I feel like I've made more progress here than I ever did with a therapist.

ya in my experience, pills did help with magnitude but not with the problems. and price was too high, and i dont mean just money. and i had never seen any psychologist or shrink who could do anything for me. exept prescribe me pills that would just dull it a bit. all good stuff that happened to me, happened with help of unprofessionals, ya. not saying its allways the answer. but it is for me. i hope i can do something for u here, too.

Job Interviews

I thought I might give a little advice on job interviews. There are 2 things that pop in my mind.

1. Think of a job interview as an elaborate game. The interviewer is your opponent. Pick your favorite game and as you walk in the door for the interview, you are walking into this imaginary game world.

Whenever the interviewer ask a question, that is your opponents move. Pause for a second. Think your best response. Then answer. That is your move. There is a back and forth during a job interview. The main point is that it is a game. Just play the best you can.

In a way it is like a game of tennis. Your opponent serves the ball and you knock it back to them. Back and forth. You are not focused on who is winning or losing, just what is my next move.

[A half century ago, I went into Boot Camp. Before I left someone told me that they would put a lot of psychological pressure on me during Boot Camp. They also said I should pretend it was a game. So I followed their advice. For 6 weeks I played a very intense elaborate game. I made it to the other side. I was subjected to quite a bit of psychological pressure during the game, but because it was only a game, I had no problem dealing with it.]

2. Know how to give a firm handshake. NTs will sometime use a handshake to evaluate your character. If your handshake is weak, they may perceive you as being a wishy-washy. So find someone who is an NT that you trust. Maybe someone with an outgoing personality. Maybe one of your parents. And then just tell them you would like to improve your handshake. Shake their hand and let them tell you if it is too weak or too strong. Do this several times until you honed a good firm handshake. Many times you will shake an interviewers hand when you first greet them and also at the conclusion of the interview. Just nail the handshake.