I've also been worried about this criterion, since I'm going to speak with a psychologist in about a week about whether or not I am on the spectrum. I have a job, can pay bills, and live in a city. Here's a list of 'impairments' I have to present to the psychologist. I'll let you guys know what she says about them.
- My job is solitary (I work alone in a lab). In the past, working in an environment with many people has led to serious anxiety and at least a couple of meltdowns. I have been able to work in the service industry, however.
- I have trouble interacting with people, particularly in processing what is being said and responding in a way that linguistically expresses what I am meaning to say. I think I come across as ignorant a lot.
- When I have had coworkers, I usually have problems with them assuming I am aloof or bossy because I only interact with them to get a job done, not socially.
- I struggle with understanding/retaining verbal instructions from my boss (or others), so I carry a notebook around and write things down.
- I cannot be in crowded, public places for long (I get disoriented and panicky). This impairs my ability to go grocery shopping or get out of my room in general (other than at ridiculous hours of the night/day).
- I rely on my two friends (who live with me) to schedule/attend any social function or go out to eat/explore the city/etc...
- My extreme interests in certain topics often impair my ability to focus on things that need to be done.
- I overreact to small changes in the environment, like a cheese knife breaking or someone moving my cup from the edge of the sink to inside the sink. A change in plans can cause me to have a shutdown (though shutdowns/meltdowns are not frequent for me).
- I REALLY struggle with personal hygiene, but have been getting better at it as I get older.
- I was reading about autistic imagination issues, in that there can be difficulty imagining multiple outcomes to situations. I think I struggle to make plans for the future and have anxiety about outcomes changing if I don't follow certain routines in my life. Not sure if this is an 'impairment.'
_________________
AQ Score: 41, MBTI: INFJ, Pronouns: They/Them
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 158 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 44 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)