Autism support groups, useless for those high functioning

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The issue is that doing a job that actually utilizes the brain is NECESSARY for some people. It is not about money or status. It's about having a purpose to live for. Spending all day doing a repetitive mindless job leads to depression because my mind will only think about awful things. The work is not significantly distracting enough. It doesn't engage me.

I would dread to find or place myself in the context of an "all in" support group - ie Autism Speaks-type parents of AS children, AS high functioning adults, ditto children, severely impaired adults, ditto children and everything in between, curebies (who view disability as the only focus) and "maximists" (who believe in playing to strengths, finding the ability in disability) - even though I would fit into two of these categories. I would rather stick the proverbial pins into my eyes.

Just imagine me in a group like that if there were curebie parents present insisting that vaccines cause autism and that bleach cures it! I would probably have to be restrained from assaulting them.

Capable AS adults must be anathema to those parents - because that we exist at all as adults who have functioned sometimes better in life than themselves - must be a daunting and unwelcome challenge to their one-focus mindset of of ridding their children of the "accursed disease" whatever it takes "for their own good". I can imagine the hate and resentment in their eyes. I wouldn't ever want to be in an atmosphere like that.

As for a group of only adults, from all parts of the spectrum, perhaps. Though there are political divides there, too, and perhaps the support part would be contaminated by resentments too, and if it became a who-is-the-most-impaired focus or competition. I would be out of there so fast.

I don't know any AS adult (and I know a few) who found any benefit in either kind of group. Some have found a lot of benefit in groups dedicated to their own subgroup though, there is one that exists here (quietly) for AS women who blog and also offer a peer support system to other women with AS, so it focuses on their issues specifically - of being ASD women in their own lives and in this culture, and reading the blogs it sounds really supportive and productive. If I was a joiner (which I am not) it would probably be the right group for me and would be supportive.

Make sure you record the sessions. Then you can peddle them forever. And think what a wide audience you can reach then!

That's what happened to me when I was working at the factory 20 years ago. My job placement officer found me the most simplest job on purpose.

Adult Aspergers support groups are very hard to find and keep going.

My husband's group struggles to keep it geared towards *adults*, but they get many parents who show up and get pissed off when adults Aspies give their take on social skills classes, IEP, GFCF diets....

There was another group for adults in our area, but that person flopped it over to children and parents only. Many more people to support the group, more options to offer, and a more hopeful vibe.

The support group has a hard time because we have no decent mass transit, and the adults aren't college kids. When you have a wife, family and kids and or work, burning off an evening for a support group is tough. They have moved the times all over the place. Tried weekends, which no one could do.

They also skate a very thin line on what public topics can be offered. No one cares if you talk about dating problems in the group. It's if you advertise that group will be about dating and dealing with human relationships. If it smacks of group therapy, the group can't run. If it sounds more authoritative than what you can grab off of Google, you better have a credentialed guest speaker. What to know about the ADA got cancelled because the group needed someone like a social worker, advocate or attorney to head it up. The group found a lawyer to help run that session (which they had to pay).

All about practicing without a license. The place they use the room for the meetings is very picky about what is advertised. Even the local churches give you the once over. We thought church meeting rooms might be easier, but no.

Also with some Aspies, the thought of getting dressed, getting to a venue, being around 10+ people you don't know, worrying about sensory overload makes visiting a IRL support group almost impossible.