Do your Autistic Symptoms disable you?

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I'm not diagnosed nor do I think ever would be, so if you've been using me as an example, don't.

That said, I am currently disabled to the point of not being able to maintain a job, and the intermittent issues I have I have heard described by other users of this forum as autism symptoms. Officially I've got depression, anxiety, and an adjustment disorder.

That was a very good article you pasted there skibum, I enjoyed reading it and found it insightful.

Like others have mentioned, I think your problem is that you are 17. Most NTs can't function independently at 17.

I haven't explained this well. What I meant by situation is current functioning, not environment, sorry if that wasn't clear - hell, not sure if it even is clear now.

So someone who has found their niche - used their skills to their advantage - doesn't mean they're residual, it just means they've found the right environment.

Someone residual is someone who has gradually lost impairments to the point where they're either more BAP or even NT when in the past they had ASD.

Sorry this is so clumsily explained.

In the past, I was disabled. Since the age of 5, though, I've been merely impaired.

I'm not totally disabled, but I am impaired.

I forget things easily. It is very good that my husband makes enough money that I can pay the bills the day they come in, because if I don't then they might not get paid. Not from lack of funds, from lack of remembering to pay them.

I am slow. I keep the house clean(ish), but what I see other women manage in a couple of hours takes me all day (and even then, I get it cleanish-- that is to say, it's sanitary and mostly neat, but it's not pretty, not photoworthy). My house is NEVER pretty, like other women's houses. When it's clean and neat, it is not warm and homelike. It looks and feels like a stage-set. At least to me.

I have crippling anxiety. Some days, I can't do things because I can't go out in public, can't speak to a stranger, basically I'm just too scared to function.

I'm dull as dogshit. I have no clue of how to manufacture fun for other people. I can go along with their ideas of fun and try really, really hard not to be a wet blanket, but I'm not fun. If I'm not very careful, I suck the fun out of a whole crowd of people. I don't know if that's disabling, other than in terms of having friends, but I sure hate it.

Mine disable me. I'm developmentally delayed, often social...and would definitely need help to work/volunteer somehow or with schooling.

Would you call these symptoms a disability?
1. I've moved around from job to job, for one reason or another, like an iterant nomad.
2. I've been homeless many times because of the long spaces between jobs.
3. I can make friends or acquaintances but I sure can't keep them.
4. I can't do the "social" things (small talk, parties, family reunions, weddings, etc) unless I'm drunk. And I don't drink.
5. I'm perpetually alone, it's difficult for me to reach out to people, and I swear, my amygdala is so over-protective that it keeps me away from others. I'm always in "Danger, Will Robinson!" mode.
6. I also have PTSD, anxiety, depression and, according to one doctor, probably bipolar.

Everything that Skibum said.

Personally, I think it also matters if you are looking at generalities, or specifics.

Generally, I am a mother, a wife, and I have a license as a nurse. I graduated high school, and I socialize. I am the VP of a non-profit organization as well.

Specifically, I am a mother who sits on the couch with a messy house, who can't keep on top of laundry or meals. I am a wife on the verge of divorce because my husband can no longer cope with my inability to maintain a normal conversation, not embarrass him at parties, maintain the house, not get enthralled in some interest, simple tasks like registration for the car, start working out to lose weight because of stupid reasons (I hate sweat), have an interest in a 'physical' relationship, or remembering to shower on a normal schedule. I haven't been able to get a job as a nurse in four years. The applications confuse me, and I don't interview well. I graduated high school with a 'D' average in several classes from never being able to complete my assignments, although I frequently passed tests. I took Pre-Algebra 3 times because I couldn't test well enough to advance to a higher level math (Math has always been difficult for me). I placed in Honors English classes, but was unable to maintain grades because of the additional requirements, and necessity to 'read into' assigned reading, which I didn't do well. The non-profit organization? One of my 'special interests', babywearing. I have been cataloguing, organizing, and making everything run better. I know most information that there is to know on the topic, but communicate so badly in person in meetings that several people have asked if I have ADD. I have a very hard time maintaining relationships, even with family, who frequently gets together and 'forgets' to invite me.

In general, I look functional. Specifically? I'm a train-wreck. In fact, it is the 'general' functioning that has had several diagnosticians refuse to meet with me, as I'm too 'functional' to be autistic.

With the vastness, floridness, yet clarity of your writing, how the heck can you be DULL, Buyer Beware?

There's lots in that mind of yours.

I find you very interesting, actually.

And that ain't dogshit.

^Yay for Kraftie!! !

I believe that I make the best use of my gifts as I can, and instead of trying to fit in or conform to the masses, I strive to be unique and different in my own way. I am not disabled by any stretch of the imagination. I am differently-abled.

I wouldn't say they disable me too much. I have social and emotional problems, but am generally able to function. But it'll probably be a challenge when I start living independently, because of my complete lack of practical skills.