Do you identify as "Disabled"?

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Hippotherapy! You would not believe how much it helped after I the epilepsy hit hard and I was having regular meltdowns trying to deal with that, the medication side effects, a new job, and some health scares with my wife.

It is so wonderful that you are able to do that therapy. I love horses and spend a good bit of time with them. In fact I need to go to the barn tonight. But they are so amazing at helping us with these things. The horse you are riding is beautiful. I wish you the very best for overcoming your issues and I am really glad that the therapy is helping you so much.

I never said Asperger's didn't impair me. I said I had challenges as does everybody. I try to focus on the positives. And those positives have given me gifts.

I am not going to dwell about my college life on the campus of Ohio University roaming the campus alone without one single friend.

I am not going to dwell about trying to fit in with kids my age when I was growing up because it felt like trying to penetrate through a solid brick wall.

I am not going to dwell on the bright lights and loud noises and repetitious sounds that have made me have to leave certain places due to the sensory overload.

I am not going to dwell on the fact that I can barely look people in the eye (including my family).

I am not going to dwell on all the missed social cues and...and...and...Well, you get the picture.

I sat through lengthy sessions of therapy trying to learn how to better navigate this world. And you know what I learned? I learned to take those things that were positives about autism and let them drive my pathway through life and set the negatives aside.

But there are still challenges.

It takes all the strength I can muster to pass a dropped pencil on the hallway floor in the school I teach at because all my life I have added dropped writing utensils to me endless collection. And right now at my teacher's desk, I have just closed the blinds because the barely noticeable glares are driving me bananas. Hmmm, I have just misidentified a student due to my problems recognizing faces. And then there's executive dysfunction. Oh...it goes on and on.

But I am not going to dwell on that.

Right now I am dreaming of creating my HO scale amusement park with all the plastic hotels, motels, restaurants, stores, etc. surrounding the plywood based amusement park that will house a multitude of historic roller coasters and rides crafted from my vast collection of historic blueprints and drawings.

Right now I am dreaming of the next selections I will perform on the organ and dulcimers for my next public engagement of music (I am a talent savant).

Right now my mind is categorizing and finding patterns in my surroundings. I like my world as symmetrical as I can get it. After the carpenters left my house after a remodeling several years ago, I moved a window because it was a fraction of an inch too far to the right.

Anxiety??? Oh my...I went off my anxiety medication this past June. So far so good, but who knows.

And right now, I am editing this post because I think I missed what you were really saying. And for that I am sorry. My negatives aren't as apparent to me as the positives because I try to think of the good things. As for being diagnosed with Asperger's, trust me, it was an easy professional diagnosis. I come from a family laced in the autism spectrum. It is a lifestyle I am used to.

Last edited by glider18 on 15 Sep 2014, 10:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wow, the amusement park in your basement sounds awesome. I hope you build that.

Me too. What started out as something little has grown into a major obsession. Next spring I am hoping to buy one of those Amish buildings to put the whole layout in.

Nice! You'll have to post pictures!

No!

I do not consider myself disabled. I have severe social anxiety and that isolates me, but I am still capable of attending a few classes. If I can get a job, and I am qualified for several good jobs, I could do very well for myself, I just can't handle the job interview mostly and the first few weeks of work. If I am given space and one or two people took the time to slowly try to get to know me, I could work brilliantly. As for now, since I am still surviving as (barely) a full time student, I don't consider myself disabled. If I were to become fully disabled from my anxiety, it would be the anxiety not my aspieness.

WOW, that is so BEYOND COOL!! ! It reminds me of the train gardens I have a bit of an obsession with, and have visited. I have a small one that I set-out for Christmas with "snow", shops, a skating rink (mirror), of course, a train, and other stuff----not enough stuff, though!! Now I'm thinking I should at least set a Ferris Wheel in there!! LOL

Sorry I'm off-topic, Original Poster.....

No.
Only complete strangers get the faintest idea.

In terms of ordinary jobs, yes.
I´ve never fitted in, have always been socially anxious, have always had trouble finding out how to be one of the effective ones, even though I´ve worked my butt off, whenever I´ve had a job.
I´ve always been confused about what they wanted, what went on nonverbally.
I´ve allways been fired or have left more or less crying, - and I feel absolutely a mess, when I try to picture myself in yet another unskilled work.

Last edited by Jensen on 16 Sep 2014, 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yes, I do, for multiple reasons.

No.

AS-ish (read bio) I may be, but that doesn't mean I'm disabled. It means I need to push harder to do certain things, be more methodical in some ways, less impulsive in others. Socialising is still very sucky but, contrary to the opinions of others, I don't see this as a disability; it's just something at which I'm not very good. Or I AM good at it, but the majority of people are fuck-brained losers, with whom I have no desire to interact.

Finally, somebody talking some sense!

What do you mean when you say that Johannes?

No, unless you consider me being completely incapable of picking up a woman at bar to be a disability. Some might.