Greetings from Johannesburg, South Africa

[Dorian]

I am 57 years old and not formally diagnosed. I have seen a psychologist referred to me by the Autism Association of South Africa and am seeking a detailed diagnosis. Diagnosis is important to me because it would help me explain the difficulties I've experienced my whole life. The melt downs especially. I have one every few days and until I saw someone's description of one in a blog I thought I was alone in experiencing this.

My wife and kids think I am putting it on, that I just want attention. I know that for them diagnosis doesn't mean anything. Whatever I have I am just plain impossible to live with! For me it means everything because I need a sense of why this happens to me and what I can do about it. Already I am better able to control a melt down because I recognise it coming, and can go somewhere quiet before it becomes an issue and my whole family starts screaming at me, which escalates everything.

I'm a teacher of English and ICTs. I just wanted to introduce myself and say hi!

 

[Nitro]

Hi Dorian

 

[Mia]

Welcome Dorian, to the forum.

 

[Bolletje]

Welcome to the forums! I've been to Johannesburg once, years ago. From what I can recall it's very noisy and full of potential meltdown triggers. Otherwise, South Africa was rather lovely

 

[clg114]

Welcome to AutismForums!

 

[George Newman]

Hey ya, Dorian. Welcome to AutismForums. We are always glad to have another voice on the forum. I hope you interperate your time here as profitable and that you find satisfaction in potentially helping others understand. So what does a meltdown look like? Do you go silent because your frustrated? Do you cross over into a rage and throw things? Do you laugh and get sarcastic? What does a meltdown look like? Are you simply getting frustrated, loosing your temper, and going off? Why would your wife and kids think you are “putting it on” and looking for attention? I’m really interested. It seems meltdown looks different to different people. Once again, it is great to have you in the forum.

 

[Thinx]

Hi Dorian welcome. Sounds like it may be useful to be here with others who experience melt downs and other aspects of Aspie life. I definitely benefited from realising melt downs were a thing, and these days can usually tho not always do something different. I hope you enjoy it here!