Introducing myself; I'm new here.

[autism-and-autotune]

Hello there! I'm a late-diagnosed individual in his early thirties. Getting my diagnosis has let me have a lot of time for reflection and revelations.

I'll try to tell a bit about myself without giving too much info. I'm a college graduate who has worked many off jobs, from retail to farming to being in the school system. I've had only one relationship, which is currently with my fiancee. I was raised in a dysfunctional home by parents who were very supportive of the passions which their children chose in life, but our parents were also emotionally unavailable and occasionally physically abusive (which, I feel, may be due to the neglect/lack of acknowledgement of their own mental health issues). I'm not trying to justify the abuse, but explain it, I guess. They're cut out of my life anyways.

Math always caused me great difficulty in school, and I was very very socially awkward, especially around girls. I have trouble with reading directions, like recipes, and those darn blinking yellow traffic-lights at four-way intersections. They make me want to scream. In addition to these vexations, I've had a number of sensory issues and gut problems linking back to childhood, as well as problems with depression and burnout. It's kind of sad that it took me so long to discover what was really going on...but I'm glad now that I know.

Currently one thing I'm struggling with is whether or not to come out to my employers or the public. Would it benefit me, or be a hindrance? And why do I want my...affliction? Disorder? Disability? to be so.. 'worn on my sleeve'? Is it for recognition and validation purposes? I want badly to be an advocate and involve myself to help others--Devon Price and Bianca Toepps have given me the spark of encouragement. It just feels...sad and terrifying to have to hide an element of my identity for fear of social backlash, either in person or online. Does anyone have similar experience or advice?

Another thought: would I want my disability tied to my chosen craft, as well? Would that be a help or a hindrance?

Thanks to you all for reading! I'm glad I've found a little hub/safe space online where I can share my story.

Just to note--I tend to get overwhelmed online so I may not be as responsive as some would like.

 

[VictorR]

Welcome! I'm glad you're taking things in stride and one step at a time.

Self-identifying is quite often a "your mileage may vary" thing and unless you're in an environment where you know you'll be supported, the common advice would be to limit things on a need to know basis, which often may mean letting whoever is responsible for accommodations know about what adaptations you may need to perform your job, but not going any further. As you're well aware, it is something you can't just take back, and just because you have a great supportive manager today doesn't mean you'll still have them a year from now.

At the beginning of my journey, I was quite eager to engage in activism and representation, especially given there are many who may not wish to do so or may not have the spoons (see spoon theory) to do so. Personally, I've done a mix of things, both public advocacy in addition to being available on a one-on-one basis to talk to colleagues and others who may want a sounding board about their situation. Something that I have learned is that somewhat unfortunately, for those of us who are not on social media, opportunities may be more restricted, but being active in this community and helping provide mutual support is a form of engagement with the community as well - so there's lots of different ways to "be involved".

Anyways, welcome again and see you around.

 

[autism-and-autotune]

Welcome! I'm glad you're taking things in stride and one step at a time.

Self-identifying is quite often a "your mileage may vary" thing and unless you're in an environment where you know you'll be supported, the common advice would be to limit things on a need to know basis, which often may mean letting whoever is responsible for accommodations know about what adaptations you may need to perform your job, but not going any further. As you're well aware, it is something you can't just take back, and just because you have a great supportive manager today doesn't mean you'll still have them a year from now.

At the beginning of my journey, I was quite eager to engage in activism and representation, especially given there are many who may not wish to do so or may not have the spoons (see spoon theory) to do so. Personally, I've done a mix of things, both public advocacy in addition to being available on a one-on-one basis to talk to colleagues and others who may want a sounding board about their situation. Something that I have learned is that somewhat unfortunately, for those of us who are not on social media, opportunities may be more restricted, but being active in this community and helping provide mutual support is a form of engagement with the community as well - so there's lots of different ways to "be involved".

Anyways, welcome again and see you around.

Thanks for your response! Your insight is helpful to keep in mind. luckily I'm involved in fields which don't require too many accommodations...so why cause ripples in a perfect lake? Then again, my autism hasn't caused any reprimand or issues on the job(s).

I like that you're mentioning spoons! I love using spoons as an analogy for executive function. This is my reasoning for....well, avoiding places like the Youtube or Twitter for my sound-box; being on social media all the time is social interaction, and therefore still draining (for me).

I neglected to mention that I'm involved with a support group in my state, which has online meetings.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[Thi]

Welcome autism-and-autotune

 

[tree]