Autistic shutdown during an interview

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Snowy Owl
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16 Sep 2016, 2:11 pm

I am trying to raise awareness of our issues. Before I realized I have Asperger at 37, I was always told I just needed to work on my confidence.
Even now, after the diagnosis, most of what I know is from the internet, as there is virtually no support where I live.

I wrote a blog post about an autistic shutdown I experienced during a job interview only two weeks ago. I would love if you share it with those you know (and feel comfortable with)

https://aspiemoodboard.me/2016/09/16/the-interview/



kraftiekortie
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16 Sep 2016, 4:33 pm

I feel like you should have used your manager for support--even if you didn't explicitly state that you needed support. He/she was in the room with you. Maybe you should have looked at his/her face to see "what was going on."

These things happen. I would say just chalk it up to experience; this sort of thing sometimes even happens to "normal" people.

You've been successful before; you'll be successful again.



B19
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16 Sep 2016, 4:54 pm

I needed Valium to be articulate and focused during job interviews, and after I discovered that, never had another shutdown during one.



carbonmonoxide
Snowy Owl
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17 Sep 2016, 2:15 am

B19 - does is not send you straight to sleep? Btw I don't think I will get it from my doctor for that purpose. They don't like giving meds here in the UK.

Kraftie, thanks. I got over it. And my manager probably thinks I'm faking Asperger. And I can't discuss that with her because if I really had Asperger I wouldn't know that she thinks I'm faking it as she never said that directly :-P



B19
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17 Sep 2016, 4:05 am

I was not sleepy at all because of the setting itself, which being a stressor would have upped my levels of adrenaline and cortisol - to very high levels that were unhelpful. The valium counterbalanced that to a very focused and aware state.



carbonmonoxide
Snowy Owl
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17 Sep 2016, 4:31 am

B19 wrote:
I was not sleepy at all because of the setting itself, which being a stressor would have upped my levels of adrenaline and cortisol - to very high levels that were unhelpful. The valium counterbalanced that to a very focused and aware state.



That's interesting. Will discuss with my GP. But did you try it out first before you took it for an interview? Don't know what would be worse, having autistic shutdown or falling asleep :-P



B19
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17 Sep 2016, 8:08 am

There is another alternative, which actors use for stage fright. I think the name is propanolol. It is not a benzodiazapine. I tried it when I did a lot of public speaking, though it wasn't as effective for me as valium was. The key thing is that the shutdown occurs because of anxiety overload, and valium is more anxiety specific.



Scorpius14
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17 Sep 2016, 10:07 am

I get the same treatment from my GP, tell him I have social anxiety but also short term memory loss, but on the other hand have great long term memory, I think there was a syndrome where you appear to fake a mental illness but genuinely have one. Dunno if theres any medication for short term memory problems which I know makes me fail interviews.



carbonmonoxide
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17 Sep 2016, 11:56 am

Well, I don't have social anxiety, it's definitely to do with information overload.

The first interview with this company went really well as when I turned up, they weren't ready to interview me so everyone just came to meet me and then I was left pretty much on my own for around 15 minutes. So I had time to get used to the idea how they look like and get the feel of the building.

So I am not sure valium would help. I can always ask for adjustments from now on.



Campin_Cat
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17 Sep 2016, 2:09 pm

I always suggest taking an anti-histamine (sold, over-the-counter), for anxiety / nervousness, etc. (like, when someone who is afraid of flying, has to fly)----if you were here, in the U.S., I would suggest Benadryl----but, ONLY on an as-needed basis; you couldn't take it every single day, for work "problems" (only if you're having a particularly taxing day). If you are on any other medication(s) (including herbal remedies), just make sure to ask the pharmacist if it (the anti-histamine) will "play well", with your other medication(s)----there's certain drugs that you're not suppose to take concurrently with anti-histamines, but I can't remember which ones (SSRIs, maybe).

Also, it won't make you drowsy, because of the circumstances----when one flies, for instance, they can succumb, if they want----in an interview, you will be looking-around, thinking, listening, processing, etc.; all those things won't ALLOW you to succumb (unless, maybe, if the room is super warm). If you're worried about it, though, there are anti-drowsy anti-histamines. If you want to check its effectiveness, beforehand, buy a package to have on-hand, and take it, say, a half-hour before you have to endure a particularly stressful situation; like, a company meeting.

(I have a prescription anti-histamine, that I take on an as-needed basis, for anxiety. It doesn't make me sleepy, in-the-least, if I'm active----if I'm just sitting-around home, it might make me a LITTLE bit sleepy, but if it's too late in the day, for instance, and a nap would make it so I couldn't get to sleep, at night, I can fight-it-off.)





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