Hi, I'm a 42 year old Dad and a world leading computer & robotics expert, originally from Iran but living in the main alternative / conscious / hippie part of Austraila. I was diagnosed as having Asperger's 4 years ago and it didn't surprise me at all, but it was a relief to have a name for it. I was also diagnosed with Complex PTSD that same day, and they said I'm only slightly effected by Asperger's whereas my Complex PTSD symptoms are very severe, so I focused heavily on C-PTSD recovery for the last 4 years.
A year ago someone mentioned I should read the book The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Attwood, and it blew my mind! That book helped me realise that I'm actually very much Autistic internally, it just isn't obvious in my behaviour, and that Autism wasn't about behaviours. By the time I was 9 I had already noticed that I experienced things differently than everyone, that I always have to figure out a logical model of how each human behaviour works before I can do it, whereas my younger brother and all my classmates were somehow just naturally understanding how to be a human and how to be "normal". So I knew I was a bit different, but that book gave me an insight into what actually goes on in NT's heads that I assumed was only slightly different to mine but realised it's way more different!
Now I'm very proudly accepting that I'm autistic, and noticing how much it impacts me in subtle ways. I do struggle with many "normal" things, but I also excel at many things that most people struggle with, so I'm not complaining
A year ago someone mentioned I should read the book The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Attwood, and it blew my mind! That book helped me realise that I'm actually very much Autistic internally, it just isn't obvious in my behaviour, and that Autism wasn't about behaviours. By the time I was 9 I had already noticed that I experienced things differently than everyone, that I always have to figure out a logical model of how each human behaviour works before I can do it, whereas my younger brother and all my classmates were somehow just naturally understanding how to be a human and how to be "normal". So I knew I was a bit different, but that book gave me an insight into what actually goes on in NT's heads that I assumed was only slightly different to mine but realised it's way more different!
Now I'm very proudly accepting that I'm autistic, and noticing how much it impacts me in subtle ways. I do struggle with many "normal" things, but I also excel at many things that most people struggle with, so I'm not complaining