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Autism diagnosis: feelings

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Autism diagnosis: feelings >> Autism diagnosis: feelings

Autism diagnosis: feelings

• >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Feeling different >> Feeling different

Feeling different

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Feeling different >> Feeling different

Feeling different

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• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Debbie - Interview 19 >> Debbie did not feel that she had an impairment while her mother was alive.

Debbie was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 35 years old after experiencing bullying in the workplace. She now does voluntary work and looks after the home for her father.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> Luke - Interview 35 >> Luke never understood why children played things like cops and robbers.

Luke was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was eight years old. He has written three books and is a keen photographer.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Mark - Interview 58 >> Mark always felt different to everyone else.

Mark, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 26. He is returning to university to study economics and accountancy.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Steve - Interview 37 >> Steven describes how, although he has found strategies to help him fit in, life still feels like having a job interview fifty times a day.

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.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Peter - Interview 50 >> Peter knew nothing about Asperger syndrome when he was diagnosed so his first concern was “was I going to die from it or something”.

Peter, aged 33, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome three years ago. He is seeing a psychologist regularly which helps him with depression and he is finding life is getting easier over time.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Duncan - Interview 51 >> Duncan felt pleased to get the diagnosis because ”it put a lot of things into place and answered a lot of questions”.

Duncan, 17, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was thirteen years old after originally being diagnosed with dyspraxia. He is currently in sixth form doing his A levels and hopes to go to university.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> John - Interview 52 >> John walks around and feels that “everyone has ‘got it’ apart from me”.

John, 65, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 62. He had a series of jobs and started some university courses over the years but is now unemployed and fills up his days ‘by wasting time’.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women in employment/education: >> Laurie - Interview 53 >> Laurie recommends a book ‘Pretending to be Normal’ that was “like finding a diamond in the dust”.

Laurie, 46, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 44. She is starting a university course in journalism and works part time as a market researcher.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Mark - Interview 58 >> Mark talks about his experiences of commuting and how baffling his experiences were for other people.

Mark, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 26. He is returning to university to study economics and accountancy.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> Daniel and Margaret - Interview 54 >> Daniel has learnt that the most important thing is to accept yourself as who you are.

Daniel was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 11 years old. He does voluntary work one day a week and Margaret runs a support group for people with Asperger syndrome.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> Daniel and Margaret - Interview 54 >> Daniel has realised that people with Asperger syndrome are all different through meeting different people at a support group.

Daniel was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 11 years old. He does voluntary work one day a week and Margaret runs a support group for people with Asperger syndrome.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Mark - Interview 58 >> For Mark the diagnosis means a “little magic piece of paper that says can you treat this person a little differently”.

Mark, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 26. He is returning to university to study economics and accountancy.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Sam – Interview 17b >> Sam wasn’t convinced by the suggested diagnosis of schizoid type personality disorder and so did some research.

Sam was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago. He is studying for a PhD and lives by himself.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Mary – Interview 01b >> Mary worried about having a personality disorder and was relieved to be diagnosed with AS.

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 not in employment/education >> Jamie – Interview 02b >> Jamie’s mum instigated his diagnosis as a child because his behaviour was different to other children.

Jamie was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 9 years old. He uses certain techniques which helps him gain comfort and confidence in social interactions. He’s working towards finding employment and leaving home to live independently.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Damian – Interview 03b >> Damian was upset when he was first diagnosed because of the labels he’d been given in the past.

Damian was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome a year ago. He is well educated with a degree, Master’s degree and a PGCE, and is now studying for a PhD. Damian lives with his son, 7, who has classic autism.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Martin - Interview 10b >> Martin likes not being “an ordinary Joe”.

Martin was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome aged 12. His mother and older brother have since been diagnosed too.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Sam – Interview 17b >> Sam recalls an “emotional distance” between himself and other children.

Sam was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago. He is studying for a PhD and lives by himself.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women in employment/education: >> Gail – Interview 06b >> Gail sees autism as a difference in the same way that race and sexuality are different.

At 18 year old, Gail suspected she may have Asperger syndrome, but did not feel the need to get diagnosed until more recently. She was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women in employment/education: >> Gail – Interview 06b >> Gail felt she was seen as geeky as a teenager and was ashamed when she didn’t fit in with other teenagers.

At 18 year old, Gail suspected she may have Asperger syndrome, but did not feel the need to get diagnosed until more recently. She was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Tim and Julie – Interview 09b >> Tim and Julie discuss the ways in which Tim was different when he was at school.

Tim was diagnosed with autism eight years after a paediatrician suggested that there was a family link between himself and his son. Tim has a very supportive wife and they have two sons who also have autism.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Oliver and Suzie – Interview 11b >> Oliver and Susie reflect on what life would be more like if more people were autistic.

Oliver was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago. His mother and younger brother had also been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome previously. Oliver describes his family as easy going and not concerned about what other people think about them.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Oliver and Suzie – Interview 11b >> Oliver found feeling different was like trying to “shout without having a mouth”.

Oliver was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago. His mother and younger brother had also been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome previously. Oliver describes his family as easy going and not concerned about what other people think about them.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Christopher – Interview 14b >> Christopher is unhappy he is autistic, but also glad that he is.

Christopher, 17, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 14. Family is very important to Christopher and he will soon start college to do A-Levels in history and law.