Ever get concerned about life being delayed by AS of HFA?

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I do. I don't know by how much, maybe 5 years maybe 10 years, but I do feel when I look around I see those much younger than me about to move on.

So I feel that was I held back by AS completely or was it a combination of fear, anxiety, social limitations. Or was it caused by directions I chose. Because I don't want to use AS or HFA as an excuse that it caused my path. At the same time I feel it could've driven the delayness.

I always looked and picture the dreading "what if" nonsense all the time thinking I could've done better but I didn't and now this, or the "it's too late" scenario that boils me now a lot more than ever, or the "I completely lost out or lost touch".

Now I enter the crossroads of regrettedness and I don't really feel I want to move on anymore for some ridiculous reason other than that I took to long, lost touch with peers and mad a few mistakes here and there (physically emotionally, etc). But I cannot go and take the easy way out and hide from everything.

So I'm delayed the only problem is understand AS or HFA. Not to let it go too far,

But where to start, I still don't know.

I feel I am in the same situation.

I know what you mean. Although luckily most of the time I just don't think about it and don't care.

I attended a high school graduation ceremony yesterday. It was the same high school that I graduated from ten years ago. The kids there were receiving scholarships and talking about their plans to become engineers, doctors, world travellers and accountants. I remember having similar plans.

Today, I still haven't even completed a bachelor's degree. My friends all moved on and became professionals and got good jobs. Many of them are starting families. I never thought this could possibly happen to me. I always expected to finish university and get a good job and get married and buy a house and have children.

Instead, after high school I was lost. I was adrift. I can't organize my life. I can't organize anything. I can't keep my clothes off the floor, I can't keep the dishes clean, I can't hold down a job that doesn't have clear-cut, simple requirements, and I can't keep my finances in order.

Now that I know I am AS/HFA, I understand where many (if not all) of these issues come from. I am hoping to go back to university and start over. I want to take a degree that is more appropriate and will lead to a career in which I can excel. I worry, though, because I'm getting impatient and my body is aging. It's time for me to have children. I don't want to leave it too late. I worry that I'll get fed up and won't ever finish my education. I don't know how much more time I can devote to this.

Yes, I feel extremely delayed, and it breaks my heart and crushes my spirit. It has torn my self-respect to pieces.

I was severely delayed in some areas of my life. Some of it was due to Autism,
and some was due to anesthetizing myself with alcohol for about ten years or so.
I wasn't driving until I was thirty, I never had a relationship.
There are many other things I missed out on because of delayed development.

Yeah. Part of the reason I want a diagnosis is to possibly get help with school. Apparently they might have to adjust the few courses I have trouble with. It really is bad if I let myself think about it.

Yeah its a good idea to not think about it often. I seem to be hapier living one day at a time than actualy analyzing my situation as a whole.

I dont think just having AS makes you that delayed but some of the co-morbids can drag you down(CAPD,Anxiety,depression,chemical dependency,dyslexia,ADD).It does get a little depressing/frustrating working with people who are half my age,(especially your bosses).I dont have a house and didn't drive until I was 30(still avoid it when ever possible)I think the kids who have grown up knowing about their AS and having certian accomidations,will help them avoid some of the pit falls.

On the other hand,there are things about my childishness that I really enjoy.Like still rebelling against the "status que",stuffed animals and colllecting rocks,doing silly crafts.....I would personally hate to have to play golf and bridge instead.

Oh good, you like stuffed animals too? I've kept all of mine (they're IMPORTANT!) and I did buy an adorable Care Bear puppy a few years back too (I love cute stuff )

I don't feel I have actually been delayed, but I do believe I overemphasized some areas at the expense of others. My functioning in daily life (driving, cooking, etc.) isn't equal with my educational attainment or ability to perform at my job.

I have stuffed animals too-mainly different types of cats. Siamese are my favorites.

I can really relate to what nocturnalowl and Esperanza wrote, that's contributed to my first depression so far in my life, at 30 years of age. I guess you're more dependent on your environment with this syndrome than typical people are. Personally I'd love to have been able to take more advanced math/science classes that would remain challenging, so I wouldn't have lost interest, and perhaps have gotten a bit of attention as a prodigy. Then I bet my life would have been a lot easier. It contributes to social phobia as well, you're kind of embarassed if people you talk to ask about your career.

Something tells me we'd be more happy in more religious cultures also.. Here in the western world, what matters the most is your career and social network, whereas in a religious nation, we'd be able to memorize the scriptures and be looked up to for our knowledge of them.

So, if things don't work out for you guys, remember that the way things are done in the western world today is about as disadvantageous as it can get for AS people, with the emphasis on making connections. It's understandable if we don't achieve that much career/relationship success.