Coming out: autistic

[bing181 9,328]

New Year, time to put a few things in order, so a small personal “coming out”.

 

About a year ago, following a remark I heard on a podcast, I realised I was autistic. The Big A. A little while later, I had a bit of paper to confirm it: a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. (Asperger’s is autism without delay in speech development as a kid.)

 

So, whatever, this is a football forum, fair enough. But posting here for the good and simple reason that the vast majority of adults with autism or Asperger’s are undiagnosed. In general, people have little or no real idea what autism really is. I know I didn’t.

 

Given that autism is present at around 1%, then according to the stats, there would be 40+ autistic Demonlanders, most of whom don’t know it. That’s the stats. In reality? Who knows, at least a few. Or more. You’d be surprised. I know I was.

 

There are underlying key diagnostic criteria, but outside of that, there are no specific rules with autism, everyone’s different. But if you have trouble looking people in the eyes, have trouble maintaining a conversation (except about subjects that really interest you, such as Hogan’s goal-kicking routine, or MFC players in the years between the two world wars), are maybe a bit uncoordinated, and are bothered even slightly, by sound, light, touch (e.g. clothes or textures) it might be worth looking into. For example, one of the ever-so-subtle give-aways for me was that I realised I always drive with the sunvisor down, even in winter.

 

Equally, you could be fine with all of that … and still be autistic.

 

If any of this rings a bell with you or anyone you know, you can look around the net for more info, or do one of the (validated) screening tests. They won’t confirm that you’re autistic, but will confirm that you aren’t (if that’s the case). Do a search on RAADS-14 or Baron-Cohen AQ Test. (if that name rings a bell, yes, cousin of …).

 

Happy to reply to any questions as best I can and based on my own experiences, here or by PM.

 

Autism has been good to me. Alongside the challenges, thinking differently has given me advantages professionally and personally. I wouldn't change it for anything. But I would change having spent most of my life not knowing.

 

Go Dees.

 

(Mods, if this is inappropriate or whatever, please delete.)

[dieter 3,325]

48 minutes ago, bing181 said:

New Year, time to put a few things in order, so a small personal “coming out”.

 

About a year ago, following a remark I heard on a podcast, I realised I was autistic. The Big A. A little while later, I had a bit of paper to confirm it: a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. (Asperger’s is autism without delay in speech development as a kid.)

 

So, whatever, this is a football forum, fair enough. But posting here for the good and simple reason that the vast majority of adults with autism or Asperger’s are undiagnosed. In general, people have little or no real idea what autism really is. I know I didn’t.

 

Given that autism is present at around 1%, then according to the stats, there would be 40+ autistic Demonlanders, most of whom don’t know it. That’s the stats. In reality? Who knows, at least a few. Or more. You’d be surprised. I know I was.

 

There are underlying key diagnostic criteria, but outside of that, there are no specific rules with autism, everyone’s different. But if you have trouble looking people in the eyes, have trouble maintaining a conversation (except about subjects that really interest you, such as Hogan’s goal-kicking routine, or MFC players in the years between the two world wars), are maybe a bit uncoordinated, and are bothered even slightly, by sound, light, touch (e.g. clothes or textures) it might be worth looking into. For example, one of the ever-so-subtle give-aways for me was that I realised I always drive with the sunvisor down, even in winter.

 

Equally, you could be fine with all of that … and still be autistic.

 

If any of this rings a bell with you or anyone you know, you can look around the net for more info, or do one of the (validated) screening tests. They won’t confirm that you’re autistic, but will confirm that you aren’t (if that’s the case). Do a search on RAADS-14 or Baron-Cohen AQ Test. (if that name rings a bell, yes, cousin of …).

 

Happy to reply to any questions as best I can and based on my own experiences, here or by PM.

 

Autism has been good to me. Alongside the challenges, thinking differently has given me advantages professionally and personally. I wouldn't change it for anything. But I would change having spent most of my life not knowing.

 

Go Dees.

 

(Mods, if this is inappropriate or whatever, please delete.)

Lovely stuff, Bing181. I appreciate your insights.

[Sir Why You Little 37,120]

Stay strong Bing

not one human on this planet is made to perfection...

find your spot and be proud. 

[bing181 9,328]

And you too, stay strong SWYL.

not one human on this planet is made to perfection...

find your spot and be proud. 

[Sir Why You Little 37,120]

On 23/01/2017 at 9:17 PM, bing181 said:

And you too, stay strong SWYL.

not one human on this planet is made to perfection...

find your spot and be proud. 

Thanks mate. I am not sure how old you are but from my experience hardships can get easier as you get older if you have found your spot...

but there are always potholes...

[Ethan Tremblay 30,962]

I scored a 38 on the Baron-Cohen test. 

[bing181 9,328]

2 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I scored a 38 on the Baron-Cohen test. 

If you didn't cheat (!) and aren't taking the proverbial, might like to explore it further. Of course, this in itself doesn't confirm anything, I've known of people with "high" scores who don't meet diagnostic criteria. But from what I've seen, the results tend to be quite polarised, neurotypicals often get scores down around 11, 12 etc. I managed a performance of Gawn-like proportions: 47.

Putting this alongside RAADS - 14 would help give a fuller picture.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,962]

11 minutes ago, bing181 said:

If you didn't cheat (!) and aren't taking the proverbial, might like to explore it further. Of course, this in itself doesn't confirm anything, I've known of people with "high" scores who don't meet diagnostic criteria. But from what I've seen, the results tend to be quite polarised, neurotypicals often get scores down around 11, 12 etc. I managed a performance of Gawn-like proportions: 47.

Putting this alongside RAADS - 14 would help give a fuller picture.

Nope didn't cheat, I've read about the symptoms before and was quite shocked when I realised I had a fair few of them. Like you said, doesn't confirm anything but might look into this further. 

[bing181 9,328]

37 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Nope didn't cheat, I've read about the symptoms before and was quite shocked when I realised I had a fair few of them. Like you said, doesn't confirm anything but might look into this further. 

Signs or characteristics rather than symptoms ... autism isn't a disease or a pathology.

Good luck with it.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,962]

1 minute ago, bing181 said:

Signs or characteristics rather than symptoms ... autism isn't a disease or a pathology.

Good luck with it.

Thanks Bing, please excuse my ignorance. 

[bing181 9,328]

59 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Thanks Bing, please excuse my ignorance. 

Being a Demons supporter means never having to say you're sorry ...

No apology needed or expected. Just passing on info, not intended as a reproach. Hopefully helps a little with understanding and perceptions.

[Nasher 33,617]

I've never really had it 'looked at' per se, but I have for a while suspected I'm on the spectrum.

General traits:

• I impulsively avoid eye contact when talking to people, especially in forced situations (passing each other in a hallway etc)
• I can't small talk, at all.  I consider it lucky if I can sustain any sort of conversation, often.
• I am usually the first one to cross the line in to inappropriate conversations, unintentionally.
• I can't read between the lines.  If you're not explicit, I probably won't understand what you're saying to me.
• I can't read body language.  I have no idea if the person I am talking to likes me or is at all interested in what I have to say.
• It takes me a very long time to make friends.  It would be unusual for me to consider someone an established friend within the first year of meeting them, though there have been exceptions.  
• I can remember the number plate of every car I've ever owned, and can remember the number plate of every car any member of my family ever owned up until the age of about 15, and a few of my friends early car number plates.  I know the current sequence of number plates (letter number number letter letter) in Tasmania and roughly where they're up to (I've seen 'F' number plates, 'G' ones are reserved for Government vehicles, 'H' ones should start appearing on the streets soon...).  With the older style number plates (letter letter number number number number) I used to be able to roughly guess when a car was registered based on its number plate.  There used to be a car that parked near my house with the number plate next in sequence to mine.  I was disappointed the time we parked next to each other in a car park and I didn't have my phone on me to take a photo.
• Did I mention I notice number plates?
• I have an elephant-like memory in general, especially when it comes to numbers
• I am obsessive about doing things right, to the point where I will abandon anything I can't do near enough to perfect for my own satisfaction on early attempts.

I scored 36 on the Baron-Cohen test.  The questions that reduced my score were nearly all around imagination - I have a very vivid imagination, I *love* reading fiction, I have even dabbled in writing some.  I guess that's the whole thing about it being a 'spectrum'.

[Delusional demon 82 1,197]

All that is very similar too for me Nasher, my quirk is remembering dates, points in history , years movies were made and who won the premiership (or how the dees went) in any given year. Have always been a creature of habit, like watching the same movies, footy replays , reading same books etc etc

Scored 34 on the baron cohen test the other day, got to say doing the test and reading the common traits is an eye opener. Probably have always considered these traits as being due to being more of an introverted and detailed / analytical type . But will look into it a bit more, as I think understanding and being aware of it can only help me and those close to me

thanks bing for starting the thread , and thanks also Ethan and Nasher for sharing your insights too, much appreciated 

[Biffen 12,944]

I look people straight in the eye and then make an inappropriate comment.

Nasher, I suspect you are on the spectrum.

My Demon mate can recall every player ever and has no real friends but me, he is very smart but awkward.He lives at home with mum at 44.

I have an overly sensitive type of emotional intelligence and hate lies.I hate big  crowds.I fear the herd.

I forget names,numbers etc but never a face.

I think Economics is a bogus pseudo science.

I think we over medicate our population

I think the doctors are sending the country broke, along with the fat,lazy and wilfully stupid.

I enjoy watching drone strikes .

Viva la difference I say.

Drs are sending us broke and most of them now are born OS so they couldn't care less.

 

[Biffen 12,944]

7 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I scored a 38 on the Baron-Cohen test. 

I loved Borat.I just did the test and got 33 so ,if It's scored like golf you are really [censored] up.

Edited January 25, 2017 by Biffen

[dieter 3,325]

53 minutes ago, Biffen said:

I loved Borat.I just did the test and got 33 so ,if It's scored like golf you are really [censored] up.

Always knew you were one of us, a friggin genius. I still despise your slant on history. You should stop reading Biggles.

[daisycutter 29,703]

45 minutes ago, dieter said:

Always knew you were one of us, a friggin genius. I still despise your slant on history. You should stop reading Biggles.

lay off biggles, dieter, and get back to your famous 5. I preferred hop harrigan on the radio. Larry Kent at 8pm was my favourite  but i had to listen to it under the blankets because it was considered too adult for me.

[bing181 9,328]

For those looking for more info - well, it's easy enough to find around the net, though a very mixed bag. In general, the Brits do it well, so anything from the National Autistic Society or other UK organisations is generally good.

More specifically, I'd recommend anything by Tony Attwood, he's a British clinical psychologist but been based in Brisbane for yonks. He effectively wrote the book on Asperger's, there's plenty of info on his site, plus his book, Youtube videos (interviews, conferences etc.) etc.

But the book I'd recommend above all others isn't really a book on autism per se, but on the history of autism: Neurotribes by Steve Silberman. I learnt more about autism from this than any other, even though that's not the intention. It's also a great read per se, Silberman is an actual writer, unlike most in the field.

There are also forums and groups around the place, but I've found most of them fairly heavy going. Many of them end up like training threads. That's not to say there aren't worthwhile online forums, but if you were looking to explore any of this through groups etc., you might need to hunt around a bit.

 

Edited January 25, 2017 by bing181

[bing181 9,328]

Judging by some of the comments, perhaps some of you might like to explore this further, though it's impossible to draw any solid conclusions from a single test. I live OS, so am a bit out of the loop re how this works in Oz, but usually you would start off with your GP, though that depends on both you and the GP - some are more up to speed than others.

The majority of organisations and individuals offering diagnosis are working with kids, so there might be a bit of sorting out of the wheat from the chaff. I'd specifically look for someone:

a) specialised in Asperger's and autism, though if you're an adult and there was no speech delay as a kid, we're looking at Asperger's rather than autism (though that's a simplification of the situation, but enough for here), and

b) someone specialised in adult diagnosis. Aspergers Victoria look like a decent place to start if you're in Melbourne/Vic.

The first meeting with a psychologist or whatever might be nothing more than an exploratory chat to see whether it's worth pursuing or exploring possibilities, so it's perhaps worth at least going that far with it.

I'd just say one thing re all this: Adults on the spectrum have grown up with it, and have often learnt to cope by masking the difficulties, especially socially. But that can be much more stressful than what we might be aware of. One of the main causes of death amongst autists is suicide. And the incidence of suicide is highest amongst autistic people who have no cognitive impairment (i.e. invisible autistics like me), where the suicide rate is 9 times the non-autistic population (Swedish study). Tony Attwood has observed that for many adult Asperger's, managing stress and depression is a greater concern than anything to do with autism itself. Not suggesting that's the case of anyone here, but if there's anything in this, speaking from experience, it's worth exploring. If you're autistic, you can never not be (and vice versa). But knowing that you are brings understanding, and with understanding comes the means to live and manage it better.

Go Dees.

Edited January 25, 2017 by bing181

[Adam The God 30,403]

Having worked with a number of kids on the Autism Spectrum, from high functioning to mute, it's the lateral thinking that always interests me the most.

There was a program on the ABC last year called EMPLOYABLE ME (made by the BBC), which focused on a guy with Autism and a guy with tourettes. It basically showed how Autism afforded this guy certain skills that enabled him to excel in a professional capacity.

As an ADDer myself, I've found people like me and those that fall on the autism spectrum, are marginalised if it's known they have these disorders. So a series that destigmatises these conditions was much welcomed. Particularly, as ADD shares many of the symptoms of conditions on the autism spectrum and can be misdiagnosed as such. 

I know from experience with kids on the spectrum and my own personal experience with ADD, that as you grow older, you can develop coping mechanisms to deal with the symptoms. Particularly, if you are medicated and diagnosed early on, as I was. You can, if you're fortunate enough, develop to the point I have, where I haven't taken any form of medication since finishing Year 12 over ten years ago.

What I found is that my ADD afforded me both creativity and obsessional persistence, which in the film industry is about the only way to survive. And thus without my condition, I wonder whether I'd be working in the industry that I love and provides me great joy. 

My point? Often with something that's seen as a 'curse', actually enables brilliance, as long as it's harnessed in the right way. There is no way I could ever work a 9-5 job in a sterile office, in a concrete jungle. Instead, I work for myself, travel the world for my film projects and work my own hours.

Unfortunately, for my own mental health this last bit isn't always great, as it means I actually work every hour of every day, particularly as I make a lot of my films abroad (different time zones etc). But as a rule, my disorder has afforded me something positive. And good on you, mate, for sharing this with us.

Edited February 3, 2017 by A F

[Adam The God 30,403]

And FYI, I scored 17 on the Baron-Cohen test. I believe that's quite low...

[ucanchoose 1,816]

I scored 42. I am a 42 year old diagnosed  at 40, pretty autistic guy.  Some people on here run me the wrong way and I find it had to articulate my thoughts so I just block them. 

I've been lucky though that I've been employed my whole life!

What a wild ride it has been

[ding 5,126]

I was recently diagnosed with Tourettes (relatively mild) but unfortunately my daughter was also diagnosed with a much stronger version of it.

I have found it liberating to be open about it.

Until then i was SURE i was perfect.  😁