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feral botanist
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05 Jul 2016, 6:14 pm

Greetings

Still coming to terms with who I am and how I function in the world.

I always knew I was different, but I never knew how different until I had a co-worker ask me "are you autistic?"

I thought this was a pretty bold question to ask someone, but then I had to ask him "I don't know, am I?"

I found my self laughing at the exchange. I wasn't offended, somewhere in my mind it made a strange kind of sense, like when you see someone walking around looking for their glasses, and you point out that they pushed back on their forehead.

He then followed it up with the statement, "my wife thinks I might be autistic."



I just got promoted to a position that is very public and requires a great deal of social interaction. I also supervise staff and oversee a budget.

I continually struggle with office politics and managing staff. I have a coworker who is my go-to person for advice on Homo sapiens. Somehow he seems to understand how I struggle with all of the the things that come natural for him.


I am having extreme social anxiety. I can give a formal talk in front of several hundred people, but you put me in a room with three people I don't know and expect me to have a conversation and I have a panic attack. Five minutes of waiting in line with a bunch of anxious, cranky people will find me running out the door.

I think I want to get a formal diagnosis. My ex-girlfriend got the dog in the separation and I think that she (the dog, not the girlfriend) really helped me in social situations. I think an emotional support animal would be good for me. If anyone would like to share their experience along these line, it would be appreciated.

I have taken all of the online tests and I score very high on all of them. I just took the RAADS-R and scored a 180.

FB



TheAP
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05 Jul 2016, 6:26 pm

Welcome to WP! Hope you enjoy it here. I like your topic title.



feral botanist
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05 Jul 2016, 6:33 pm

Thank you. It was I tell people when I get the "what is wrong with you?!" look.



seaweed
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05 Jul 2016, 6:45 pm

hello feral botanist! :flower:



feral botanist
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05 Jul 2016, 7:43 pm

Aloha Seaweed

Thank you for the flower.



RoadRatt
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06 Jul 2016, 3:26 pm

Hey feral botanist welcome. :sunny:


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feral botanist
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06 Jul 2016, 4:05 pm

Aloha RoadRatt

Thank you I like all of the great emojis. I have never really used them. I know one for the work chat, but I am not sure if it will work here.

}:-)

rick



DancingCorpse
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06 Jul 2016, 5:29 pm

Welcome to the forum, animals are certainly a great source of comfort and companionship, they provide meaningful exchanges without demanding anything too draining or complicated in return, I can communicate with my dog for hours just fighting with her, throwing her food and showing her strange objects, I think a pet to give you what you lost with the dog would be a useful pursuit psychologically.



feral botanist
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06 Jul 2016, 6:00 pm

Is there special training for dogs that support neurodiverse people or is it a general therapy/emotional support animal?



AnonymousAnonymous
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06 Jul 2016, 8:00 pm

Welcome to Wrong Planet! :D


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