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• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> Richard – Interview 12b >> Richard has various friends that he plays games and watches television with.

Richard, aged 22, was diagnosed with autism when he was just over two years old. He lives in independent supported living accommodation.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Peter - Interview 50 >> Peter finds telling people about Asperger syndrome hard to deal with because he is never sure what their response will be.

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 >> Christopher – Interview 14b >> Christopher prefers to stay home as he finds going out scary.

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.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men not in employment/education >> Simon – Interview 16b >> An expert in autism has helped Simon deal with his depression.

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 not in employment/education >> Simon – Interview 16b >> Simon’s friends helped him understand his feelings for a girl who wanted to be his girlfriend.

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 >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Alex – Interview 04b >> Alex has online friends who help her by checking that she has eaten or locked her doors.

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 >> Mary – Interview 01b >> The first psychiatrist Mary saw said that she interacted too well to have Asperger syndrome. The second carried out specific tests for autism spectrum

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 >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Mary – Interview 01b >> Mary attends a structured support group where they discuss emotions and talk about how they have been feeling.

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 >> Simon – Interview 16b >> Simon thinks he has overcomplicated interactions because he is so conscious of them.

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 >> 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 not in paid employment/education >> Mary – Interview 01b >> As a child, Mary was very clingy and obsessive about friendships.

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 >> Simon – Interview 16b >> Simon has studied the art of conversation. He is learning ways of managing his emotions more effectively to avoid self harming.

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 >> Sam – Interview 17b >> Sam enjoyed the academic focus at university and also met his best friend who he was able to connect with. As a postgraduate he found he was accepted

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 >> Men in employment/education >> Ian – Interview 13b >> Ian finds it easier to make friends with autistic people as they think the same.

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.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Oliver and Suzie – Interview 11b >> Susie thinks Oliver has a lot of friends but he finds defining friends difficult.

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 not in employment/education >> Simon – Interview 16b >> It took Simon a while to learn what a friend was and explains how he finds it hard to trust people.

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 >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Mary – Interview 01b >> Mary gets on better with people older or younger than her. She thinks this is because she is less interested in fashion and the music that people her

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 >> Simon – Interview 16b >> Simon became depressed in his third year at college and found that people didn’t respect each other’s views in the class.

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 >> Damian – Interview 03b >> Damian tends to go out with “odd ball misfits” and relationships have been very intense.

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 >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Alex – Interview 04b >> Close relationships are Alex’s idea of “hell”. She can cope well with relationships on the internet.

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.

• Topic
• >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Friendships >> Friendships

Friendships

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Friendships >> Friendships

Friendships

• >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Education >> Education

Education

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Education >> Education

Education

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Richard and Sue - Interview 10 >> Richard had a solitary childhood.

Richard was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome seven years ago after being referred to a specialist diagnostic centre. He is working hard to change aspects of his behaviour for his wife and family.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Stephen - Interview 32 >> Stephen talks about how he enjoys going to art college a few days a week.

Stephen was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. He has drawn and painted since childhood and has exhibited his work internationally.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Neil and Catherine - Interview 55 >> When she was first at school, Catherine had no friends apart from her cousin.

Catherine, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 23. She works part time as a volunteer gardener.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Neil and Catherine - Interview 55 >> Catherine could not bear to speak in front of other people and describes the fear she experiences if she goes into a situation with lots of people.

Catherine, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 23. She works part time as a volunteer gardener.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> Sam – Interview 17b >> Sam finds a lot of people “banal” but found having a friend at university made a “massive difference” to him.

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 >> Neil and Catherine - Interview 55 >> Catherine thought things would get better at secondary school but the teasing carried on.

Catherine, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 23. She works part time as a volunteer gardener.

• Autism >> Life on the Autism spectrum >> Men in employment/education >> James - Interview 49 >> James describes his schooling at the specialist base.

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 >> Men in employment/education >> James - Interview 49 >> In his last year at school James found that he had made friends without realising it at the time.

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: >> Laurie - Interview 53 >> Laurie says the hardest thing about Asperger’s is the difficulty she has making friends.

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 says he tends to approach people with a ‘level of emotional detachment'.

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 >> Women not in paid employment/education >> Neil and Catherine - Interview 55 >> Catherine has learnt how to “sit about with people” from Neil and is amazed she can now do that.

Catherine, 27, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 23. She works part time as a volunteer gardener.