difficulties with things like chores and work -autism thing?

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Hi everyone.

I've recently turned 30 and am understanding many of my issues from childhood are related to either high functioning autism or Aspergers.

I have a hard time learning and even reading these days. Unless the topic really interests me.

I feel like keeping this short. Without going into much detail can you tell me if the experience of it feeling like my brain is shutting down every time I try to do unpleasant things (like chores and yard work) ...it's like I shut down my whole life and simply cannot do anything unless I have an extreme interest in something. Even then it's like using my "left brain" to do things like sorting silverware or doing math...is extremely painful.

I've always just thought I've had extreme laziness. The social difficulties have prevented me from getting and keeping a job. Even if I had a job it's like my brain doesn't process information right and it takes effort for me to push through and learn something. But usually if I do stick with it I become an expert in whatever it is...and it's like all I think about.

I am seeing a psychiatrist on Friday and will be bringing this up.

I guess my question is the pain I experience when trying to do things (like yard work or chores)...it's negatively effected my life and I am still 30 and have never been able to make money and move out on my own. Everyone things I am just lazy...and I have up until recently.

I'm kind of frustrated and don't feel like adding anymore to this atm. But can these possibly be signs of some sort of autism? All I do all day long is listen to music and thing about things like the mystery of the universe. lol. Reading used to be easier but I was placed on Klonopin (benzodiazapam) for 6 months and stopped in December which I feel added to whatever impairment my brain already had. I've recently begun taking them again for sleep.

Would appreciate opinions.

It's like it's hard for me to do basic things in life or learn on my own but when I have someone there showing me and helping me (like as simple as helping me clean up my yard) it's like I understand how to think and what should be done.

Agh. I'm confused. Going to attempt to clean my room which as been uninhabitable for most of this year.

It can be, I think... look up "autistic inertia." You may find something there that applies to you.
What you describe also reminds me of ADHD symptoms, but I'm no psychiatrist. I have read that ADHD and autism often go hand-in-hand.
The narrow-mindedness that you mentioned (obsessively thinking about one thing) is to my knowledge considered to be an autistic trait. I experience the same.

I think that it could be, but it depends on why you have those issues. If it's an executive function issue — difficulty switching your attention or planning complex or unfamiliar tasks — that would be in line with autistic traits.

Yes, that sounds like ASD, if not ADHD.
I'm exactly the same position, except it's with almost everything I have no intrtest in. The pain and lethargy really kicks in when it's something important that "I got to get done".

I waste a lot of time (not from my point of view) studying and doing things only that I have interest in.

Do yes, I identify with your symptoms.

Also, I posted a thread detailing my most salient symptoms and got 9 out of 11, according to ASPartOfMe. Even though many repliers chose yo ignore all the main symptoms I had. Thinking is not a strong-suit for many posters here (naturally most of them are under 30yo). So don't take what they say too seriously.

Finding a sympathetic doctor will be difficult. Many of them have pre-determined attitides towards autism related conditions.

That sounds more like ADHD to me.

Sorry everyone else, about to go completely off topic here but this really irritated me. Everyone but Cryos (and ASPartOfMe if he reads this, please correct me if I get any of this wrong and misunderstand your point, I am trying to assume what you meant) please disregard this entirely.

ASPartOfMe's quote: "I can't have a strong opinion about you based on this little information but in IMHO their is enough for SUSPICION of an Autism Spectrum condition."

What he did do was analyse your symptoms and compare them to facts of autism. He was not saying you fit those definitions he stated. There were a lot of "ifs" in there. If you do not fit those ifs, it is discounted as an autism symptom, and just part of normal human life. It is impossible to tell on such little information of what you gave, so he was linking them up to facts to help you analyse it and research more. What he was not doing was saying you fit it.

And the ones you're counting. Here's the list of 11.
1. Humming is a common autistic stim
2. Allergies are common to all groups
3. Lack of understanding social situations is a key Autistic trait
4. It does not matter what the interest is, it the narrowness, intensity and repetitiveness that is associated with Autistic special interests
5. Sleep issues are common in the general public and particularly common in autistics
6. Executive Functioning problems is a common Comorbid of Autism and ADHD
7. Why does this occur need to dominate or true lack of social understanding?
8. If you have these stresses it is not surprising but could be poor diet.
9. Similar to 8. Depression is not uncommon in the general public very common co-morbid in Autistics /Aspergers
10. Sensory Sensitivities is a diagnostic criteria for ASD's but is not exclusive to Autism
11. Meltdown or shutdowns are common reaction to stress or sensory over-stimulation

Which 2 are discounted? Are we counting comorbid conditions as part of autism now? Everyone with depression is autistic because there are high rates of depression in autism? How about things not exclusive to autism?

And given these are your most salient symptoms, this does not project a complete picture of you. These are just selections of you you've picked. It does not say how common, how bad, and your control, how they affect you, etc.

Now please do not disregard what I said because I am under 35. And to clarify there are no underlying messages, so please do not try to look for those again.

Again I apologize. I don't like doing things like this.

It sounds similar to my problem, except mine doesn't really relate to how interested I am in something. (I haven't found a particular common thread, but it seems a little related to how much effort it would take to get started on some activity. Sort of. I can usually make myself do things if there are sufficiantly dire consequences for not doing it. Basically, my fear of the consequences of not doing it has to almost outweigh my negative emotions about doing the the tasks.) But maybe you're just interested in things that don't make you want to curl into a ball and die, hahah.

When I made a topic about it, some others were sympathetic and said they'd seen this problem in other autistic people too. Apparently it's one of those many "autistic things" that aren't reflected by the DSM criteria except possibly that part about trouble with transitions.

Here are recent topics about it:
viewtopic.php?t=284220
viewtopic.php?t=285551

Some keywords if if you want to google:
autistic inertia
paralysis of will

I believe I have ADHD.

I find a lot of things very overwhelming. Right now I'm sitting here on my laptop, knowing that I need to wash, clean my teeth, get undressed, and take my tablets - all before I can wind down and watch a film. But just the thought of doing those things is overwhelming, but I know I should do it before bed rather than leaving it all to the morning when I'm rushing.

Also I have difficulties with work, emotionally, not intellectually or socially or physically. I am so bored doing what I do, and I keep feeling depressed at the thought of going. People just tell me that everybody feels like that, but it seems to affect me more. I do have problems with knowing when to stop being dissatisfied with what I've got and learning to embrace what I have. I know I need to think ''hey it's not that bad, it's a job, I'm earning my own money, the people here are friendly to me and I fit in well enough, and I don't have to go every day as I only do part time''. But no, I still feel bored and fed up with it. I really struggle at carrying on with something I'm bored and uninterested in. Most NTs can just carry on and ignore those bored feelings, but I find it hard to push those feelings to the side. It affects me to breaking point.

I'm no expert but can I ask you to expand on this, maybe to tell us a bit about you and others?