Independence and being on the spectrum

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Joined: 24 Oct 2011
Age: 46
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15 Dec 2011, 1:31 pm

I miss the days of living alone. A few years ago I was in a back corner cubicle, and occasionally went entire days without having to talk to anyone. Quiet, calm days were a nice luxury, and are all but gone now.

anneurysm
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15 Dec 2011, 4:52 pm

I would rather live by myself, but lack the necessary finances to do so. I'm moving out as soon as I save up enough money. At the moment, I am stuck with my parents. I love them dearly, but I really need my own space and they invade my privacy at times.

Not going to do roommates again. The ones I've lived with in the past were fun at times, but I can never trust them with the way I am. When I come home, I don't want to do small talk or anything like that...I don't even want to say hi. My socialization abilities become exhausted, and I just want some time for myself.

_________________
Given a “tentative” diagnosis as a child as I needed services at school for what was later correctly discovered to be a major anxiety disorder.

This misdiagnosis caused me significant stress, which lessened upon finding out the truth about myself from my current and past long-term therapists - that I am an anxious and highly sensitive person but do not have an autism spectrum disorder.

My diagnoses - social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I’m no longer involved with the ASD world.

Fern
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15 Dec 2011, 7:04 pm

sorry for the wording issues, I am a dork and can't figure out how to edit a poll.

leviathans
Snowy Owl

Joined: 12 Feb 2011
Age: 36
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Location: Canada, Qc

21 Dec 2011, 2:29 pm

Guineapigged wrote:

There wasn't an applicable option for me.
If given the choice, I would always "prefer" to live alone; in reality, I've tried it, but it didn't work. I fell into comfortable but harmful habits such as never leaving my room, only eating cereal, barely washing, until eventually it got to a point where I became so ill I had to leave university and return home.
As irritating as I find it, I do need the nagging/prompting of my parents in order to maintain an acceptable quality of life. Without them I just fall back into my comfort zone.

This is what I'm fearful of. It is often annoying to live with your family because they so often want to interact with you when you don't and occasionally I even get a shutdown from this.
The problem though is that if I live alone, I'll probably stop completely interacting with human beings... I'll stay in my apartment room and will very infrequently go out.

Also, I don't even know how I could deal with the fact that I can only focus on 1-2 thing at the same time so it would be horribly painful to think about doing the laundry, dishes, going buy food, buy clothes, repair/buy stuff, pay the bills, go to the gas station, take good care of my appearance at the same time that I would have an intense obsession and also have to work. It just seems too much.

chssmstrjk
Deinonychus

Joined: 22 Jan 2011
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Posts: 318

21 Dec 2011, 3:59 pm

I prefer to live on my own. But for financial reasons, I choose to live at home (which consists of only myself, my dad, and my dog) for the present. Also, I am the one who's taking care of things (i.e. cleaning the house up, doing the grocery shopping for my dad and sheltie, paying the house bills on time, etc.). In addition, I am usually by myself most of the time while at home and can cook my own meals, remembering when to shower, brushing my teeth frequently enough, shaving (when needed), and get to class (and work) on time without any interference from dad. Thus, I am able to function on my own. When the day comes that I have to live on my own, I will still stay in touch with my closer family members.

Ambivalence
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21 Dec 2011, 6:06 pm

There are times when I'd prefer to live by myself, but based on previous experience I don't trust myself to do so. I'd end up dead or alcoholic or otherwise troubled in some unpleasant way.

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No one has gone missing or died.

The year is still young.

SylviaLynn
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21 Dec 2011, 10:10 pm

I live with my child and talk to her a lot. Too much, she says. I might prefer to live on my own but that will be a long time in coming. At least I have no one else to answer to.

_________________
Aspie 176/200 NT 34/200 Very likely an Aspie
AQ 41
Not diagnosed, but the shoe fits
10 yo dd on the spectrum

Phonic
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21 Dec 2011, 10:37 pm

OP: I think many autistics would like to live alone but are unable too

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'not only has he hacked his intellect away from his feelings, but he has smashed his feelings and his capacity for judgment into smithereens'.

skenasis
Pileated woodpecker

Joined: 11 Aug 2011
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 183
Location: Geelong, Australia

21 Dec 2011, 11:54 pm

I would prefer to live with my boyfriend, which isn't an option on the poll. I don't mind living with family, but it's not my ideal living situation.

Adventus
Toucan
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Joined: 25 Aug 2009
Age: 59
Gender: Male
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22 Dec 2011, 11:50 am

I picked living with a roommate as I am married. If I was single I would prefer to live alone.

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