Are you capable of leading an independant life?

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I am 17 and I don't even know how to be independent! I am afraid of everything, afraid of new things. I had a serious depression about a year ago.. i was on edge, i was about to kill myself, but survived in hospital. Seventeen-year old person should be independent already, i think.. but i am not. People have to treat me like a 10 year-old. They have to drive me to phychologist, buy me food and tell me how to be and so.. When the time comes to be independent i might get depressed and kill miself for real.. i don't want to die! But there is no other way, it's like my duty to kill myself if i am not like normal people should! I am learning computers at school, but i have bad marks and difficulty doing homework! If i drop out of this school then my whole life is gone. My life, it shouldn't be called even "life" it's pathetic what i am.
Beign an asperger is SO hard! Atleast on my country - Estonia. People here dn't seem to know about aspergers, there are no support groups and stuff. Oh,I have great marks in computers and english, but other are hard. Especially maths, russian..
I said i have great marks in english, but i still sound horrible

yes

I am not independent: Am mostly unable to work, tho' have made many attempts (and am qualified); am unable to prepare regular meals and grocery shop; unable to drive or navigate unfamiliar places; socially isolated; great difficulty going anywhere alone; unable to use phone; unable to deal with bills, rents etc.

Reason I am not independent: having a neurological type that is not planned for or accomodated in society. This is to such an extent that, where I live, those of that type are excluded from basic social services and planning. Eg I have never been able to obtain a needs assessment.

skonamis--I think many of us are simply not ready to be independent at 18... mid-20s is more common. I do think most Aspies can live on their own, though. I think it's a matter of learning all the little bits that go into it by themselves, so you aren't overwhelmed when it's time to put them together: It's not so hard, for example, to learn to do your laundry; it's not too hard to learn to cook simple things... If you can learn the little parts, and they stay learned, then you can live on your own. I remember at 17 I didn't even know how to take showers regularly, or take one in less than an hour. Considering that they're now daily and ten minutes long, that's progress. I still have a lot to learn, though. I'm working on sleeping properly, at the moment; since it's nearly 5 a.m. and I'm still awake, this is obviously not going very well.

Don't try to learn everything at once. Figure out specific things, and concentrate on one at a time.

Give yourself time; it's probably true that five years ago you were not as independent as you are today; so five years from now, you should be more independent than now. It's a matter of learning, and time, and going as slowly as you need to. Even if you do live at home for a little while longer, there is no shame in it if you need it. Just be sure you are always learning, and eventually you should have what you need.

I lived in a rented flat in Manchester by (mostly) myself for a few years. My workplace was just over the road, there were takeaway shops just over the other road and a couple of grocery-type stores within a few hundred yards. It was alright, although I drank too much, ate total rubbish, was suicidally depressed and eventually quit the (long hours, low pay, shift work) security job I had before it drove me totally nuts and/or got fired (I actually quit three times on the spurs of different moments, but was persuaded not to be such an eejit twice.) It did give me some interesting experience of life "on the other side of the mental health fence."
I dunno. I don't cope too well by myself. If I had to do it again I'd probably go off the rails. I don't fancy it.

I'm very capable of living an independent life. My apartment is clean, I do my own laundry, cooking and shopping, as well. I know how to use the public transit system on my own, and I pay my own bills. I've also been able to get myself around town, since I was 18.

Vegetating in some room in share housing. No car, therefore dependent on a schlerotic bus system. Precarious work hours; therefore forced to rent. So no, not really living independently, and not really living, for that matter.

I forced myself to get my driver's license at the age of 21. I didn't really drive much until age 23. I think this is the main thing that has kept me even remotely independent so I would urge any aspies reading this without a license to get one, even if you don't intend to use it. I don't drive on highways but at least I can get to the grocery store and in an emergency I could get myself around.

I don't work and all my past attempts at doing so failed miserably, but I believe I could do so at this point, if I had to, if I had someone to watch my kids (I don't). But I think it's better for my kids if I am home.