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Autistic adults are being left behind.

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peterd
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25 Sep 2011, 2:53 am

Finding ways to be autistic adults, and to work constructively with non autistic adults seems to be a key to moving forward from this current unsatisfactory condition. It's likely to take our lifespans, and probably our children's lifespans as well.

There's already stuff in the laws of many civilised places that makes discrimination illegal. Because the majority of autistic adults aren't aware of their condition, it's hard to make those laws apply to the little individual indignities each of suffers every day, but little by little it can be done. And we're the only ones who can do it.



anneurysm
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25 Sep 2011, 3:44 pm

Shebakoby wrote:
twich wrote:
I never understood why services like this have an end, it's not like once you hit a certain age, you suddenly don't have the problem anymore. there are so many things wrong when it comes to access for anyone who isn't rich to any sort of health facilities, be it mental or physical in some places. These things can LITERALLY be life saving, yet they're so hard to obtain.


The simple fact of the matter is, those who are trained to deal with autistic children, including experts, claim that autistic adults are out of their league. They don't know what to do with them. Perhaps because autistic adults are too set in their ways? I'm not sure. But yeah autistic adults have far fewer options than children.


Perhaps that's the case. They see autistic children as more malleable in terms of their social skills, and figure that they can change them the most while young. However, autistic adults can learn too, and they are not the 'hopeless cases' many organizations think they are.


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Given a “tentative” diagnosis as a child as I needed services at school for what was later correctly discovered to be a major anxiety disorder.

This misdiagnosis caused me significant stress, which lessened upon finding out the truth about myself from my current and past long-term therapists - that I am an anxious and highly sensitive person but do not have an autism spectrum disorder.

My diagnoses - social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I’m no longer involved with the ASD world.


anneurysm
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25 Sep 2011, 3:54 pm

peterd wrote:
Finding ways to be autistic adults, and to work constructively with non autistic adults seems to be a key to moving forward from this current unsatisfactory condition. It's likely to take our lifespans, and probably our children's lifespans as well.

There's already stuff in the laws of many civilised places that makes discrimination illegal. Because the majority of autistic adults aren't aware of their condition, it's hard to make those laws apply to the little individual indignities each of suffers every day, but little by little it can be done. And we're the only ones who can do it.


+1...agreed!


_________________
Given a “tentative” diagnosis as a child as I needed services at school for what was later correctly discovered to be a major anxiety disorder.

This misdiagnosis caused me significant stress, which lessened upon finding out the truth about myself from my current and past long-term therapists - that I am an anxious and highly sensitive person but do not have an autism spectrum disorder.

My diagnoses - social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I’m no longer involved with the ASD world.


AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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30 Sep 2011, 2:37 pm

lokilost wrote:
Trust me, people CAN survive. How do I know? I survived. I am intellectually fine, I've been told I'm on the smart side, but given my functioning level, I shouldn't be able to care for myself. I can't work, talk to people other than in pre-planned monologue scripts, answer questions verbally within three days, be around people ages 14-30, be around anyone female over age 12 with a very few exceptions, be around more than one person without my fiance or caretaker, shower, load a refrigerator, make a simple choice, eat without being forced, I can't deal with bright colors, background noise, moisture, drinking anything non-carbonated, loud noises, unpredictability or unplanned events of ANY sort, or being corrected.

Despite being misdiagnosed and over medicated to the point of nearly dying twice, having abusive parents, lacking a supportive school environment, running away at 18 to avoid living with them, being homeless 6 times in the year and half since then and refusing to ever go to a shelter because there would be women and strangers there, and not being diagnosed until the passed few months, I'm engaged, and I'm doing better than I've ever done before. There may not be official support available to me, but I'm happy and I'm still learning and growing, albeit slower and less officially than if I had proper help. I know everyone isn't so lucky, but I think if they truly tried, they'd find they could survive too.

Congratulations on being engaged and I wish you and your fiance all the best!! :D And congratulations on continuing to grow as a human being!

I like what you say what you say about being able to grow and learn even in the absence of support, albeit at a slower pace. I wish we had a variety of different supports where we are respectfully asked, what support and services would actually help you, and what services would you like? I think self-advocacy groups and network groups, even in Internet form like WrongPlanet here, even given that officialdom usually changes slowly, can help keep this ball rolling.