Hello! (Introduction to the crazy train that is me lol)

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Hi everyone!

I'm new around here. My name is Heather, I'm 27 years old. I'm married and I have a 5-year-old daughter with ASD/ADHD and a 1-year-old son (NT). I'm currently getting ready to pursue an Aspergers diagnosis (or high-functioning autism, whatever they will call it by the time I get my evaluation!). Currently I'm diagnosed with bi-polar disorder (atypical), adult ADHD, panic anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder.

Background as far as symptoms:
I actually had a somewhat normal childhood in the sense that I didn't have behavioral problems and I was fairly social to an extent (although I was home schooled half the time). I preferred to be by myself a lot though and would often shut myself in my room all day reading books or writing. I was also emotionally very sensitive, had anxiety, and had tummy issues (common of AS from what I'm reading).

As an adult, I am less social, I have a lot more anxiety/compulsions (though I've learned to put on a good front in public).
- I am prone to agitation/meltdowns when something unexpected pops up (more so if it's negative or means I will have to deviate majorly from my plans).
- I am very obsessed about details (I have a hard time summarizing things, and usually prefer written communication so I can pour over what I write and edit it first).
- I am very forgetful, especially if something is told to me verbally. I comprehend things better through written communication (I even watch movies and tv shows with closed captioning on even though I can hear fine. I just need to see the words! lol)
- I prefer to be by myself when I can. I often get sucked into solitary activities such as reading or watching my favorite movies and such.
- I get very anxious when I'm around a large crowd (especially people I don't know).
- Eye contact is uncomfortable for me, although I've learned to force myself to make eye contact because I know it is expected socially. - --- Normal social ettiquettes do not come naturally to me or else seem pointless to me (ex: I hate shaking hands, I often forget to ask "How are you?" and other polite questions that seem to be superficial or have no real purpose as far as information, sending things like thank-you notes, christmas cards, ect... seem pointless to me).
- While I am detail-oriented, I have a tendency to get distracted easily and become hyperfocused on things that interest me and have a hard time prioritizing when presented with a lot of tasks (so housework is usually slacking).
- I have a very stubborn need to prove that I'm right when I know I have facts to back it up and get very agitated when people say things without researching it first.
- When I get overwhelmed, I usually retreat to my bedroom and sit with a heavy comforter on top of me and plug my ears, or else pace the room and shake my wrists. Sometimes I do throw things (not at or around anyone, usually a pillow or something that won't cause damage).
- When I get REEEEAALLY overwhelmed, I've had meltdowns so bad I ended up curled up on the floor in a fetal position, screaming, wailing, rocking, crying (with no control over what's going on.) This is fortunately more rare, but it's not pretty when it happens.
- I do well with work that involves straight-forward technical tasks and things that there is an established procedure for. I don't do well when it comes to face-to-face communication or something that has no concrete procedure.
- I love to write sci-fi and fantasy and get super hyper-focused when I write.

I do have a couple other quirks but I've already listed a ton so I'll leave it at that!

Last edited by zaithyr on 23 Mar 2013, 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Welcome to Wrong Planet.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Welcome! What of your characteristics do you think you were born with and which do you think developed due to your environment?

I think I was born with all of them, but just had a different load of stressors in childhood than I do as an adult (now it's more forced social interaction and more stress and things I have to do on my own).

You say you like technical tasks. Are you employed? And if so, is your job in a technical field?

I do web tech support (basically a virtual assistant) part time for my mom's company (I work from home). I used to work in a bank. and before that fast food. I only did well in those jobs if I were back in the drive through where social interaction was more limited (I still struggled when they tried to make me do things like sales referrals. I knew more about the computer systems than the supervisors though and was very efficient! lol). I left my job at the bank when my daughter was dx with ASD and she was having a LOT of trouble (she had gotten kicked out of her prior preschool because she was out of control).

Have you ever done software testing? That is, testing a website?

That isn't something I've done yet. I usually do the odd jobs like formatting online newsletters, swapping out website content/images, some social media stuff, renewing domains, adding menu navigation/sidebar items, simple html edits, opt in boxes, ect... just a hodgepodge of little things. I'm basically an assistant to my mom.

Well, it sound like you are fully functional, in the right environment. You will meet a lot of friends here. Again, welcome!