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Hi I'm here and an autistic adult
by MJIthewriter, Feb 24, 2008 02:48AM
I am an adult who deals with PDD nos on a daily basis. People have the tendency to believe autism and aspergers are childhood conditions and people "grow out of it."
This is not true. People don't grow out of autism, aspergers, PDD, but they can learn to cope in some way or another. This is what I've been doing. Though I still face struggles with transportation. For me, I am physically able to go places, but call it anxiety or whatever... I feel like going out on my own on a shopping trip or go out of town on my own is like trying to cross a freeway without getting hit... Or another example, say all of a sudden being plunked down in an airport and expected to control air traffic... It ain’t gonna happen... I'll freeze up and stay where I'm familiar unless I am familiar with what I am to do. I can take routes on my own only after being shown what the destination looks like and shown what to expect to get there.
I relate to my hesitation as more of a clueless feeling than an anxiety. I don’t know what to expect.
I can go on, but that's what journals are for. I highly recommend for caregivers who are curious to learn about autism to read both my journals and my dad's. You can find my dad on the autism and aspergers forum.
This is not true. People don't grow out of autism, aspergers, PDD, but they can learn to cope in some way or another. This is what I've been doing. Though I still face struggles with transportation. For me, I am physically able to go places, but call it anxiety or whatever... I feel like going out on my own on a shopping trip or go out of town on my own is like trying to cross a freeway without getting hit... Or another example, say all of a sudden being plunked down in an airport and expected to control air traffic... It ain’t gonna happen... I'll freeze up and stay where I'm familiar unless I am familiar with what I am to do. I can take routes on my own only after being shown what the destination looks like and shown what to expect to get there.
I relate to my hesitation as more of a clueless feeling than an anxiety. I don’t know what to expect.
I can go on, but that's what journals are for. I highly recommend for caregivers who are curious to learn about autism to read both my journals and my dad's. You can find my dad on the autism and aspergers forum.
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I plan to read your journal later today, as well as your dad's. What's your dad's screen name? Do you have Aspergers? How old are you? Sorry to seem nosey, but I'd like to know more about your daily life. Are you able to work?
You seem to do extremely well in your element. I have to say I would not do well plunked down in an airport either!
Penn
My mom has an account here as well. I'm hoping some time I can alert her about the caregiving forum. That would be right up her alley because she works as a caregiver.
As far as my age, I have it on my profile. Same with my dx. I have the PDD nos label. I was dxed age 6 I believe (Wiseman Center in WI). I had earlier diagnoses, like "autistic like" "atypical autism" My first diagnosis was that I was mentally retarded and not to expect me to make it to high school! *Waves high school diploma in the air, top 10%* Ha ha to those doctors!
Intelligence isn't my problem, though it does create problems when I try to get the help and services I need. I try to tell people, intelligence has nothing to do with my handicap and its hang-ups. People can be highly intelligent, but still clueless and confused when plunked down into a situation like I described. A highly intelligent person is not immune to getting a severe anxiety attack if dropped into a noisy, poorly managed place like Walmart (and Cub's Food in our area for noise).
That's one misconception I believe many people have. They probably think an intelligent person can think their way through these hang-ups. Maybe in theory, but in practice, it doesn't work that way. You just get someone who is better at describing and analyzing their situation.
I also like being treated with respect... Sometimes when I tell people I am autistic, they start patronizing me, which only gets on my nerves and makes things worse.
You're right about being able to better analyze your situation. I never really thought about that, but it's an excellent point.
It is interesting how many people assume that if someone has autism, they must also have mental retardation. I have had to educate people at work because they actually think that autism is just another word for mr. I have explained so many times that although the 2 sometimes occur together, it is only SOMETIMES, not always.
Unfortunately people can be insensitive and not bother to find out about things before they make judgements about some one. When I'm having balance problems, which is not all the time but only sometimes, people may think I've been drinking. I do not drink alcohol ever. It is part of my illness.
Penn