Do you take government help for ASD?

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I wouldn't mind getting that-----in addition to my job!

$10,000 a year in the US is a ridiculously small amount.

Well, that's what you can get in UK. Its not meant to be luxury, just enough to keep you alive.

Yep. The United Kingdom has an awful benefits system compared to many Western European countries.

You have to fight tooth & nail to... keep alive.

Not for ASD, no. I get a small sum of disability money due to my physical disability and the expensive medication for my chronic condition, though. When I was a teenager, I did get a chance to go on these week long camps meant for teenagers with Asperger that I think were meant to coach us in to adult life, and I'm pretty sure my parents didn't need to pay for those.

Without conditions? Absolutely. Not allowed to work at all and make more money if I take it? No way.

I didn't apply for disability benefits until I was in my late twenties because I was too brain damaged to do so & my parents were both disdainful of 'benefits' and didn't help me apply before then. I couldn't even afford anything more than maybe £30 a week in shopping at one point? I was as thin as a rake, legit' starving with a bunch of health conditions, maybe 6 or so (conditions).

Before that I had a 2 & a half years of deep depression from 2009 until 2012, and then went head long into another disaster, like a pong ball being batted along a series of nightmarish obstacles.

My life has been a series of unrelenting disasters of disproportionate scale.

Then you get people telling you that you are entitled because you have white skin.

Both of my parents lived in the worst, underclass areas of what was back when I was a kid, a depleted & hellish city. Neither finished high school.

I am now doing an MSc.

Yes, the odds are stacked a zillion to one against you with a bunch of health conditions, but even a bit of success can be achieved in many areas.

I worked at a mushroom farm for nearly ten years before I suffered from burnout. I spent some time in hospital recovering. After that I went to claim for employment benefits but they saw I had been diagnosed with autism and so gave me the Disability Support Pension which meant I didn't have to look for work.

That was back in 2005 and I still get the DSP today. I have a part-time job and I volunteer at a second hand shop twice a week so I keep busy.

I haven't yet but I've been investigating my eligibility.

I would try to avoid becoming involved in the “system” whenever possible.

I understand people sometimes need help, though.

There should be monetary incentives for those on the “lower tier” of the “system.” People like “therapy aides” make crap money.

I am lucky because in Poland I have social pension (about 250-300 USD monthly) due to ruling of total incapacity of work from Social Insurance Institution, care allowance (about 50 USD monthly) due to onset of disability before being 21 years old and moderate level of disability (with two special conditions: pervasive developmental disorder and mental illness). When I applied for benefits, I had diagnoses of Asperger syndrome, schizotypal disorder and OCD. It is good that I have such a help which I have... It allows me to live "with dignity". Especially during COVID-19 threat and pandemics.

I think that in many western countries I might have problems with getting such services which I have in Poland... For example in USA my situation and quality of living might be worse.

Sorry for the delay in responding - I had one of those weeks yesterday. I actually was in Afghanistan, but well before the United States was officially there. My original role on my team was as the Russian translator, though I filled a double billet nearly immediately as our corpsman (medic) was killed by the first shot fired on my first mission with the team. Anyway, we were there after (though not immediately after) the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in support of the communist government. Thanks for the kind thoughts; they're appreciated.

I get it for physical disabilities. 3 different disability lawyers would not even take my case for Autism. I made too much money back in the 80s “proving” I was not disabled. The changed job requirements for more team player type person making me unemployable did not factor in.

Even US$800 a month is very low within a US context; this is below the Federal Poverty Line.

I get SSDI. The company I work for has nothing to do with the gov or state that employs people with disabilities.

Me? No, because if I did I'll have to admit out loud that I have ASD and I don't want to. So I rather struggle along than to let people know I am associated with autism.

think of autism as giving you a diffferent perspective on life

think of life as an experience

Joe stop being down on autism

I'm autistic and I don't mind

I like people with autism, they are fun

but so can nts be too

you are fine

I know you want to be friends with people at work but don't force it, that won't help
.