About five years before Aspies officially existed, I couldn't use that to help explain why I was working hard to get a business going instead of trying to work out as an employee. I could take care of myself pretty well, but sometimes came up a bit short, so I would get a few hundred dollars from welfare from time to time for food. Each time, I'd have a new social worker, and then one day, one of them took a dislike to me, having misunderstood an answer, and cut me off.
The business died after a few desperate transformations, and I muddled through on grace and luck, until four years ago, when it took a counselor months to talk me into applying again. Then, this year I qualified for the pension, which is not subject to the whims of bureaucrats. It is nice having a few extra dollars, but the amazing part is that my brains are working much better without the constant worry, which had never left me even during the prosperous spells, or from discovering that my disability could be recognized.
This is not just subjective. I had to re-do a ladder repair from a few years ago, and this time, I saw how to do it right. I also just managed to get my cordless tools running again by a simple wiring hack I could have done years ago, if I'd just thought of it. Perhaps that was catalyzed by trying to spend money on the problem, and discovering that the pro was quite limited in skills, so it was up to me.
This may be mainly a hazard to those of us without family, but I was amazed at how the fog has lifted. I knew it had settled in, but didn't know why, as it made me do stupid things out of caution and confusion, and lack of planning ability.
11 Feb 2014, 9:24 pm
Oh, I absolutely agree, constant stress and anxiety wreaks havoc with one's Executive Functions. 
