Hi everyone

[Spud58]

My name is Andy, I am a 34 year old disabled Marine Corps veteran, and just recently found out about Aspergers when my 10 year old daughter was diagnosed and sent to a treatment center very recently. After researching a bit, I realized that I could possibly be an Aspie myself, looking back at my life and social awkwardness, anxiety in groups of more than 3-4 even if it was friends or family, very few friends, not knowing how to talk to people, or keep a conversation going, inability to hold a job or relationship for more than a few months to a year, the list goes on and on. I took some tests online, scored 35-36 I don't remember, had my roommate take one, she scored a 9. My roommate is also my ex girlfriend, one of my longer relationships (3 years on and off) and she also says it explains a lot about me.

It has been a very rough past couple weeks finding out all this, it is a relief to know (possibly) why my life has been this way, but I am fighting depression with it too. I get the feeling of being different, not accepted, and a lot of paranoia about how I am now too. I guess I need to learn more and stop trying to blame myself for what I can't help. Very hard to do with how I have raised myself to respond to social situations.

I have hopes that I can get a real diagnosis through the VA but I am not holding my breath for that one. I read it's a long hard process to have done,but I want to start down that road if I can ASAP.

Enough rambling from me heh, I will be around the forums I hope, see you there!

Semper Fi
Andy

 

[Rocco]

Welcome aboard! Navy Vet here, but all the same team
I got my diagnosis at 32-33 through private insurance. It's quite an adjustment. Hope you enjoy the forums. Best wishes. Semper Fidelis

 

[Judge]

Welcome to AC, Andy. Hopefully you'll get more answers to so many questions. And most of all, discover you aren't alone in a world that seems so often to be alien for us.

 

[Spud58]

Love the gallery Rocco, very cool stuff, I could stare at those for a long time and kind of lose myself in them

What did you do in the Navy? It was definitely difficult for me in the military, Aviation electronics on CH-53E, loved the job, didn't care for a lot of the people though, felt like high school. Sadly I got out in 03 when the airlines were all shutting down so I couldn't find any work there. A lot of times I miss it, and I wish I knew what I was, maybe I would have been able to stay in.

Judge, thanks for the welcome, and it's a relief to know I'm not alone here, because yeah, it seems alien to me a lot!

 

[Rocco]

Ha! You must have gone through Pensacola also then? We used to PT with you guys down there.
I was an Aviation Electrician on the E2C Hawkeye. Same deal for me, didn't much care for the people, liked the structure, travel, and job though. I went on to join the electricians union eventually. Nice benes and retirement with union.
Thanks for the gallery feed back

 

[Spud58]

Sure did, end of 98 to early 99, 6 months of A school in the new hotel style barracks hah. Would be awesome to get back into the field but I'd need a lot of schooling again it's been so long.

 

[Vanilla]

Welcome Andy

Hopefully, by coming here, you'll not only learn more about AS, but you may very well learn more about who you are. It's quite natural to feel a little segregated from society, when you wear such a label, but it's important to remember, that you are still the same person, whatever the outcome of a diagnoses. Hopefully, in time, you will learn to be more confident in who you are.

I've included a few links below, which you may find useful.

Resources: Autism & Asperger's Resources | AspiesCentral.com

Tony Attwood: Home