What is it like to be an adolescent with ASD?

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i was just diagnosed with aspergers a few days ago, but i think i knew something was wrong with me all along. in 7 th grade it was the worst. all but two of the entire class laughed at my social ineptitude and(bullied?) me. i couldnt stand it so i transferred to another school last semester. here i am the class clown, class rebel and many other thing because i figured that would be a nice concealer for all my weaknesses. i participate in social events, but i make sure i understand everything before i join in. i do have one very close friend though. I have (each) one close friend in elementary school and middle school, and im pretty content with that.
hope that helps

It does help - thank you!

I had it really rough 6th-10th grade. Everyone is making social circles and "cliques" while these have no interest to me whats-o'-ever. I was never into a lot of the sports many guys my age played and was bullied into being really shy. I was very out going before all the bullying happened, up until the 6th grade I had tons of friends to have fun with! But once people start to see you are different it is a whole new challenge. I never learned sarcasm and all these jokes kids my age knew, I was still concerned about my video games way over these dramas/cliques.

The collapse of my middle school/early high school years just game from being bullied and bullied until I felt horrible about myself. At this point I did not even try to make friends as every attempt result in being yelled at or called ret*d.

The story is not all sad and horrible though. Junior year I worked up the courage to join our schools theater! It took 6 years of observing social interactions, piecing together puzzles and getting the will to make friends. Everyone in the Theater had never met me before so I got to start fresh! I was kindly introduced to everyone and slowly worked my respect up amongst the group. This is also how I met my girlfriend of 16 months, she helped raise my self confidence higher than it was ever before! Taught me how to socialize, join in group conversations, and most importantly be myself! (That sounds cheesy but it worked haha)

So now after all the bullying and the end of High School things are much brighter for me, in two years I was taught so many social skills through trial and error. With everyone reaching a higher level of maturity, the bullying stopped completely and I was able to truly branch out to new people. I still am that shy, odd kid; but I now can tackle real world experiences in college thanks to those two years in High School.

My names Ian, I am 18 and this is a brief over-cap of my teen years! Hope this helps!

Hi, I am 16 and going into junior/senior year this fall (might graduate early) I have had tough times and am just now "finding myself" But my life is looking pretty bright

Ever since elementary school I've had a rough time, I am great in school and have even skipped a grade but I've never been socially able or like the other kids. I read a ~300 Page Book about the complex workings of the brain at 9 Years-Old while my 5th grade classmates read picture focused books about dog breeds. I was bullied all through Middle school, mostly due to the fact I was different, I was quiet, introverted and didn't spray Old Spice until a Gas Mask was needed . I was the outcast who was never accepted. Friends were near-impossible to come by and just friendly people were few and far between, and usually didn't stick around (or stay nice) for very long.

I eventually got depressed and was diagnosed w/ Aspergers around 7th grade. It's very hard for me (and Aspies in general) to relate to NTs and as such, I rarely connected much at all with most kids I met. Strangely enough, I connected with and made more of an impact on my teachers than I did my peers. I attribute this to my high intellectualism relative to the kids I went to school with. In High School (last 2 years) I could barely get through the halls without major stress, and add to that the attitudes of students and the extremely high importance placed on social standing and your expressed outward persona (both of which I have none) and I was barely treading water. I am starting an advanced small setting program in my school district this fall and am very excited.

On my (albeit limited, if even existent) social side, I think my logic and analyses have made up for some of my social deficiencies, at least enough for me to seem relatively normal from arms-length, But I'm still me once you get to know me But I am a good person overall with a lot of thoughts and ideas under my silent exterior.

To sum up, with a little realization, me accepting who I am, and putting my mind to what I strive for, I have turned my life around 180 Degrees since middle school and am looking forward to College and a Successful Career. I still have many obstacles ahead though, including everyday life, but I'm confident I can work through them

I hope that helps...

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I used to get bullied in elementary and middle school. I remember I was always called "weird", and I took that name in pride. I even made an imaginary word I called "Weird World", and drew maps of it (one such map was destroyed by a bully. D:). I think in eighth grade, I realized that life was better if I just stayed quiet. I'm now in high school, and even though once in a while someone asks me if I talk or asks me why I close my eyes in the sunlight, I'm (almost) never bullied anymore.

I really appreciate you sharing your stories - thank you so much.

Being an adolescent in general is difficult, but someone had to be cruel enough to throw in Aspergers Syndrome. I don't exactly hate having Aspergers, if anything it actually enriched my life a little bit. There are just lots of negative attributes to being an Aspie.

The hardest part about it for me is getting the people around me to understand who I am. Most of the teenagers that go to school with me used to view autism as a disease that makes an individual stupid. I had to work really hard to set them straight. My father also doesn't understand autism, so imagine how he reacted to Aspergers. He would make my life a living hell when I was younger, because he didn't understand me.

Most of my personality came from the way my father treated me. For a long time, I was irritable, nervous, and scared. I also did poorly in school, because my father would hide my homework until late at night, forcing me to do it then. I can't count on both hands how many times I've fallen asleep in the middle of class. Then there was a bunch of physical and emotional abuse, making me barely able to function in public. It's not until recently did I make a turn-around in my over-all life, finally doing better both socially and emotionally. Now I'm not as angry, and my fear has disappeared completely.

I don't talk to my father anymore, because he still treats me like a terrified little kid he think he can bend to his will. Being away from him has improved me entirely. Thankfully, the rest of my immediate family was open minded about my diagnosis, and they treat me like I can take care of myself.

My overall school life is simple; just get through the day, and go home. That has been working for me for a long time now.

I'd say the best thing I've discovered on the internet for support is Wrong Planet. I've only known one other Aspie in my life, and I don't know where he is or how he is doing. Being able to interact with other people with Aspergers or any other ASD has been a big life changer. I don't feel strange, or dumb, or alone.

As for special interests, that's just something to keep me grounded.


That's pretty much me summed up right there. Hope it helps.

Thank you so much for your post - it was very helpful!

I don't remember very well elementary school because I zoned out so much of the time.
I wasn't interested in any of the other kids, though, and I would do weird things like hide under the table during class, or lie on the floor and play with little bits of dust.
In second grade I was diagnosed with ADD, and I got a classroom assistant who helped me focus, especially because before I would read all the time even during class.
When I was in Grade 5 I made a friend, she wasn't very popular either, but she moved before Grade 6.
In middle school I went to Enterprise, basically like a study hall but with less kids and teachers to help you with homework, but I still almost failed a lot of my classes, but I made 1 friend, who I had all the same classes with, and lockers next to each other.
When we got to high school, though, we didn't have any of the same classes and she made new friends, since then I haven't had any friends.
Last winter my mom was worried that I'm depressed because I read or watch TV all the time, and my grades are bad so she took me to see a therapist, who said I might have AS.
Last spring I got diagnosed with ASD.
School started a week ago, and I'm taking another class like Enterprise called Learning Seminar. I was supposed to take a social skills class, but now the teacher is saying that she doesn't think I should, because the group of kids is younger and they know each other.
I guess I'm just really upset because I don't know anyone at my school, really, and I don't think I can get into the college I want, besides I only have a year left and at this rate I'm going to end up an old spinster who still lives with her parents, and has no friends, and probably I'll be working at a Mcdonalds and die a virgin. All because the stupid school board wouldn't give me any support at school.

Being a teen with ASD is being a teen with ASD. It doesn't make my life better or worse, just different to other teenagers lives.

Im 14 years old and was dianosed about 3 years ago with aspergers syndrome. Its really tough. i isolated alot which led me to anger when parents tried to get me to leave the house. i ended up being hospitalized for 3 weeks. after that i tried homeschoolings with tutors..my anxiety was still way too high, i freaked out a couple times and then it was time for me to be in a Theraputic residential. Ive been in that residential for a year and 2 months...it helps alot with all the different therapy and groups i have been im still having a tough time. I still isolate alot and my anxiety takes a quit turn to anger when it comes to being social or outside.

I've never known anything different, so I have no idea how to answer the question. It's like asking "what's it like to be neurotypical?" I've always been this way, so how the heck am I supposed to compare it with something I've never experienced?