Would like to hear from Asperger adults 40+ Special Insights

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Actually that does help, and I appreciate the idea of just focusing on the present moment... A lot of my worry has to do with what MAY happen, not what is happening right now. I'm always fearing the worst and that causes great anxiety.

So trying to just stay in tune with "right now" and not think about fears of what might happen is a good strategy. Thanks!

Asperger Syndrome and Anxiety: A Guide to Successful Stress Management / By Nick Dubin

Just came across this book online: Has anyone read it? The intro sounds GOOD - I'm going to read the pages available online. Looks at anxiety as the core problem in Aspergers.

I know I probably don't qualify for disability due to Aspergers, anxiety and depression disorders, as I have always been able, somehow, to make it as a truck driver. The job takes a terrible toll on my mental health, however. Also, I wonder if I'm a danger to myself and others on the road? Would I qualify for any type of retraining; does anyone have any ideas?

I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of qualifying for social security disability. Being able to work in the past isn't the issue. It's whether or not you can work now.

I think a lot of people in this forum said that qualified for SSD just because of having Asperger, I guess depends on the severity. So in case you need some break time to get rid of the alcohol problem, I guess you should try apply. I heard that they will reject most likely the first time and people need to go to the antornney office to get help and then approved. In my opinion, keeping the job will keep you busy and upbeat so that you have more motivation for no alcohol because sitting at home can sometimes too much freedom to go back to the addiction.

I'm glad the holidays are over and life can get back to normal. It's not that I don't like holidays, I'm mostly indifferent, but they say Aspies are creatures of habit and routine and - I am. This is usually said of course, in a negative way, as if we're ridgid and boring, but in my opinion it's simply efficient and productive. Am I going to waste time on finding a new and exciting way to brush my teeth? Of course not. Routine allows me to get down to work (writing), to finish early, and then spend the rest of the day as I wish. The fact that this arrangement can appear to be maladaptive to neurotypicals is another one of their crazy misperceptions. LOL

I've been reading articles on Aspergers (from the ridiculous to the informative) that my poor brain needs a break. Here's one question that keeps popping up for me as a reaction to mind blindness and reading emotion in other people's faces and body language:

If the ability to do this "face to face" thing is so important to communication, and by extension, to understanding and empathizing with other people, then what is the point of written language? The advantage of books and online publication is so obvious - communicating worldwide, over space and time and with many people, not just a few. If seeing the cues in face / body is so fundamentally important to being a normal person that Aspergers people can be labeled defective, then how does anyone communicate via written language, even when having to translate between languages?

And what about audio communication? Are we to believe that people communicating on a cell or other phone can't possibly know what the person they are conversing with thinks and feels because they can't see each other?

Some of the assumptions being made about Aspergers (and about being human) don't make simple sense! It's mind-boggling!

If anyone ever checks in to the thread again, I started a blog yesterday on google - called An Asperger Manifesto. An Asperger reaction to what is written and said about us. I am NOT using anything said here on WP, so don't be nervous. If you want to contribute to the blog, please go read it (not much there yet, but you'll get the direction I'm going) and let me know what you think or would like to say.

Blog site set up is awkward, so it's bare bones right now, but I'll keep trying!

http://aspiemanifesto.blogspot.com

I for one think you're off to a fine start.

Oh good, you found it! Thanks greeneyes for the support. I say "we" a lot, it's unavoidable, but I don't want to step on any Asperger toes.

Yup, found it just fine and like what you're doing with it, not that you need my approval per say. I don't think there is anything wrong with saying we, because as the saying goes: "If you've met one Aspie, you've met one Aspie." Underlying that however, is that we all have points of commonality that resonate more or less with others. Sure there's always likely to be someone that feels or thinks differently, but that's true anytime you put a group of folks together, be they NT or AS.

In the news on this end, Friday (Jan 10th) my status went, in an entirely anti-climactic fashion from unofficially diagnosed, to officially diagnosed. As I said elsewhere, that and five bucks will get me a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

I was officially diagnosed with Asperger's this past summer and have just found wrongplanet. It's nice to read posts from people who sound a lot like me. I've never met an Aspie and I'm not sure how to. I looked up Asperger support groups in my area a few months ago but all I got were non-functioning emails. Any suggestions on how to find a group would be greatly appreciated.

Is there a Grasp group in your area? I've never been, because they meet at a time when I'm at work, but it might be good. GRASP Support Groups page

I recommend a support group, if you can find one. I'm very happy with mine. I'm in the Boston area, so we have the Asperger's Association of New England nearby.

greeneyes: I don't know whether "congratulations" is appropriate or not. Happy New Aspie Day, maybe? LOL

Checking in to say hello.

gonewild: LOVE the blog.

You guys have probably already read it (I'm always late to the party), but I'm reading The Philosophy of Autism -Jami L. Anderson , Simon Cushing. I cannot recommend this book enough....

....Holy Grail of autism books.

Thanks A_number! I have quite a backlog of writing so am filing about 2 posts / day. Much of it I wrote before diagnosis, but it was about being Asperger, I didn't know it. Just have to edit and tweek a bit.

Doing the technical blog stuff is harder!