Stuck In Limbo....

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I can totally identify with all of the feeling expressed in this thread.
Most of my life I've felt as if I have just "fallen through the cracks".

The area where I have struggled the most is gaining employment. Even in a good economy, have have a lot of difficulty doing what is necessary to find a job. And in these difficult economic times, the problem is severely exasperated. It doesn't seem like anyone out there is interested in providing any help in that arena. Ex-convicts get more help finding work.

It seems people fail to understand how MUCH social skills make the difference in finding work. Most folks just assume that if someone is intelligent, they should have no trouble finding a job. I just doesn't work that way! The people who get jobs are the ones who are socially connected, social ability is 95% of getting a job. That becomes a major barrier to folks with aspergers.

Most of my depression is career related issues. It's very difficult to have hope in life when financial independence seems out of reach.

I'm on my second bout of being housbound due to agoraphobia, it's been two years so far, last time it was 5 years. I am grateful that I am receiving financial help to live and my mum helps me out with stuff whenever she can but she is already working full time. However, I quickly realized that there isn't really a 'net' from the government to catch and help people apart from financial help (which I know I am lucky to receive). They only offer antidepressants which haven't worked or they threaten you with being sectioned even though they say that is harmful and no sort of behavioural therapy or training is ever offered. Those two things seem to be the only things in their arsenal and quality of life doesn't matter. I am naively hoping for some sort of super drug that can turn aspergers down in some way. I wish there was an off button.

I'm in a slightly different position to most who have posted on this thread, as I don't have a diagnosis. I don't even feel I can discuss my issues with anyone in my life, except on WP, never mind asking for any support.

My husband and I were speaking about me going back to work, after 6 years as a full-time Mum (he's not pushing me). I said, 'Who'd want to employ me?' and he said, 'You were just in the wrong job, you were too good for that place.' I mentioned my social anxiety, in particular, and how that impacted a lot on my work and no more was said. Thankfully, we can manage on his wage (not that it's huge, just that we have simple needs), but I don't know how I'd ever cope on my own. We've been together since I was 16 and I've relied on him an awful lot, both financially and in a practical way. Although it's a long way off, I worry about retirement. I'm not paying into a pension now and that frightens me.

I used to get a lot of stick from his family about not learning to drive. When his dad was called on, to collect my husband from hospital, (we should have got a taxi), his parents went on and on about how I could have done it, if I drove. I've tried to explain my difficulties, but they think I'm just lazy, i.e. if I can't drive, I can't be called on to taxi anyone anywhere.

I felt that way when I was 15. The difference was that I thought that I was able to live a normal life but my parents let it be known that they thought I had too many faults to live a normal life. I've started to believe them and I kept saying to myself that if I wasn't autistic that I would be babysitting and making my own money or working at a part time job and that my parents wouldn't have to dole out money to me. There was a time when I felt the same way that all of you in this thread feel right now. Things do get easier as you get older. Hang in there.

I'm in the same position here, apart from the fact I can talk about my issues to a very select few in real life. But it's too awkward to discuss with most people. I'm not officially diagnosed, but I'm accepted as being on the spectrum by my parents and by a couple of people at work (after seeing multiple meltdowns - I had to explain a few things to them....).

I have a full time job, but I honestly don't think I can cope with the stress of it, and I don't want to be seen as lazy. I want to work and earn my money, but I'd much prefer a part time job. People just tell me "We all have to work. That's just the way it is." But I don't think people understand that everyone is different, and we all have different needs and can't all be "tarred with the same brush" when it comes to things like employment. Some people such as myself simply cannot cope with a full time job. (Maybe if it was to do with my special interest - but in reality, what would be the likelyhood of that happening?) The stress of being tied down with a full time job is harming me. And when someone is harmed by something, they need to stop. Simple. I need to stop working full time, but no-one gets what I mean. It's not healthy for me at all. My quality of life would be so much better with a part time job, so I could have just a couple more days in the week to wind down and relax. That is all I ask.