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• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Mary – Interview 01b >> Mary was called “an enigma” at school because the teachers couldn’t understand why she was so good at English and so poor at maths.

After researching various conditions on the internet, Mary was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome aged 21. She also has OCD and experiences anxieties.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Ian – Interview 13b >> Ian’s first college was a “disaster” as it was a special course where the students were “treated like kids”. He is now at a mainstream college studyin

Ian is 22 and was diagnosed with autism with he was 8 years old. He is currently doing a vocational waiting at table course and is interested in palaeontology and film making.

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• >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Messages to others >> Messages to others

Messages to others

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Messages to others >> Messages to others

Messages to others

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> James - Interview 49 >> James felt very bad about himself when he was diagnosed during secondary school. He said it was “soul destroying” to find out he was disabled.

James was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 12 years old. After spending some time in a psychiatric ward, James went to a specialist unit on the site of a mainstream school and is now in his third year studying psychology at university.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women in employment/education: >> Miranda – Interview 05b >> People should see the person and not the disability.

Miranda was recently diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, after three years of her being aware that she may have the condition.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> John – Interview 08b >> John’s landlord can cope with the impact his irritability has had on his home.

After having a lot of contact with mental health services over the years, John was diagnosed with mild Asperger syndrome aged 45. Previous employment has proved problematic for John and he feels employers should be more aware of Asperger syndrome.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Alex – Interview 04b >> Alex’s new carers didn’t notice that she hadn’t eaten for 13 days when she first lived on her own.

Alex was diagnosed with classic autism aged three years old. She lives independently in an adapted house, with some care assistance. A few years ago she was injured in a road accident and, as a result, now has epilepsy.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Alex – Interview 04b >> It has taken a long time for Alex to get an appropriate care package. She had a long period of being passed between learning disability and mental hea

Alex was diagnosed with classic autism aged three years old. She lives independently in an adapted house, with some care assistance. A few years ago she was injured in a road accident and, as a result, now has epilepsy.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> Simon – Interview 16b >> Simon sometimes finds his obsessions comforting. Computer games for example, are more predictable than people so are animals.

Simon, aged 22 was diagnosed with autism when he was 5 years old. He has developed his own strategies to cope during social situations. Simon is interested in animals and aims to find employment in this area. Simon does talks on autism to help people to understand.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Steve - Interview 37 >> Steven thinks people on the spectrum like computers because they are safe and predictable.

Steve and his son have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Steve is studying for a degree in autism using distance learning and has heightened sensory sensitivities and some OCD traits.