For those aren't familiar with me, I typically go by the name Creative Karma here on the internet. I've reviewed books, YouTube videos, shared my drawings, writings and ramblings.
However, there is one thing that most people who read my blogs don't know.
I have Asperger's Syndrome which is a high functioning form of Autism.
About five years ago, right after I graduated college, with a B.A. in English, I started up with a battery of various testings for possible ADD or Asperger's like issues that might be preventing me from obtaining and maintaining a job.
It was determined that I did have Asperger's Syndrome.
Now, most people don't know what that is. Most people see the word Autism and think of someone so handicapped that they can't function in a normal society. And some others might see Asperger's and think back to the young man that shot up a school of his peers and had people later claiming he had Asperger's Syndrome.
While it is possible to have both of those situations occur with someone who has a form of Autism, those people are only part of a much larger scale of people.
There a people right in the middle of everything that, at first glance, appear to be just like everyone else. They dress nice, they walk around, they drive themselves, they have friends and cell phones and bank accounts. However, once someone digs deep enough, little quirks begin to pop up.
Maybe they said something random that wasn't part of the conversation and it wasn't a joke. Maybe they squint when under bright fluorescent lights. They might comment they don't like the texture of some food or the feel of a type of clothing. Maybe they are the type you forget they are there because they hang back and are completely quiet when they aren't being spoken to.
These types of things are signs of their Asperger's. These can range from completely obvious and debilitating to unnoticeable except in situations of extreme stress.
As for me, I land in the middle of that scale. Most of the time, people can't tell that anything is going on with me. For the most part, that is simply because I have spent my 27 years slowly working with it unconsciously to combat my social awkwardness.
The main times I tend to show my AS side is when unexpected change occurs. It could be as something simple as I'm all ready out of the house with a family member and they suddenly add another stop on our trip that I wasn't expecting. Suddenly, my internal sensors start making me panic. While there is no logical reason for me to be upset about staying out longer but it simply happens and requires me to stop, take deep breaths, and refocus to calm myself back down.
There are a few other times when things spiral out of my control but that is the one that would be the most noticeable to others especially in a workplace environment.
Unfortunately, like with most Autism type syndromes, there is little to nothing that can be done. There are medications that can lower the intensity of certain issues but nothing that will cover the gambit of issues that plagues the daily living besides the constant "internal checking".
What I mean by that is that before speaking, I have to think about the words coming out of my mouth and if they are relevant to the conversation or not. I have to keep a sharp eye for non-verbal cues that let me know if I'm rambling. And, when it's necessary, I have to remove myself from a situation, go to a quiet place, and allow my sensors to cool off before going back to rejoin whatever it was that I left.
Lately, things like that have become easier to handle because I had my prescription lenses tinted a color especially for me. In effect, those medications that people who have ADD or ADHD use to calm their minds down so they can focus, the glasses do the very same thing. While it's a pricey option, some people never have to take medication ever again because the glasses take care of the bulk of the problems.
Now that the techno babble is out of the way, time for the reason I decided to create this blog.
I can't count the number of times during the day that I had to explain to people what Asperger's Syndrome was when I was first diagnosed with it.
There were a surprising amount of people who had no idea it existed yet there were numerous groups dedicated to helping those people deal with everyday life.
Then, when I went to a Vocational Rehabilitation Center that is supposed to help people with disabilities gain the skills they need to gain employment and help them get a job, they had little knowledge in how to deal with someone who has the intelligence to work but lacks certain social skills that become so important during an interview or while they are on the job.
In essence, part of this blog is going to be teaching about Asperger's Syndrome but it's also going to show that, despite having what is considered a "mental disability", that I can function in everyday life, maintain friendships, and have fun all while doing the typical menial tasks like balancing a checkbook, cleaning up around the house, and deal with emotional issues.
I may not be on the rough end of the scale and by no means do I think my words should be taken as the typical life of someone with Asperger's. This is merely the way me, as a person with Asperger's Syndrome, manages to live her life despite the setbacks that come along with it.
If nothing else comes out of this blog than I'm more easily able to reconcile the issues I face and make life a little bit easier to handle, then I will count this blog as a complete success.
However, there is one thing that most people who read my blogs don't know.
I have Asperger's Syndrome which is a high functioning form of Autism.
About five years ago, right after I graduated college, with a B.A. in English, I started up with a battery of various testings for possible ADD or Asperger's like issues that might be preventing me from obtaining and maintaining a job.
It was determined that I did have Asperger's Syndrome.
Now, most people don't know what that is. Most people see the word Autism and think of someone so handicapped that they can't function in a normal society. And some others might see Asperger's and think back to the young man that shot up a school of his peers and had people later claiming he had Asperger's Syndrome.
While it is possible to have both of those situations occur with someone who has a form of Autism, those people are only part of a much larger scale of people.
There a people right in the middle of everything that, at first glance, appear to be just like everyone else. They dress nice, they walk around, they drive themselves, they have friends and cell phones and bank accounts. However, once someone digs deep enough, little quirks begin to pop up.
Maybe they said something random that wasn't part of the conversation and it wasn't a joke. Maybe they squint when under bright fluorescent lights. They might comment they don't like the texture of some food or the feel of a type of clothing. Maybe they are the type you forget they are there because they hang back and are completely quiet when they aren't being spoken to.
These types of things are signs of their Asperger's. These can range from completely obvious and debilitating to unnoticeable except in situations of extreme stress.
As for me, I land in the middle of that scale. Most of the time, people can't tell that anything is going on with me. For the most part, that is simply because I have spent my 27 years slowly working with it unconsciously to combat my social awkwardness.
The main times I tend to show my AS side is when unexpected change occurs. It could be as something simple as I'm all ready out of the house with a family member and they suddenly add another stop on our trip that I wasn't expecting. Suddenly, my internal sensors start making me panic. While there is no logical reason for me to be upset about staying out longer but it simply happens and requires me to stop, take deep breaths, and refocus to calm myself back down.
There are a few other times when things spiral out of my control but that is the one that would be the most noticeable to others especially in a workplace environment.
Unfortunately, like with most Autism type syndromes, there is little to nothing that can be done. There are medications that can lower the intensity of certain issues but nothing that will cover the gambit of issues that plagues the daily living besides the constant "internal checking".
What I mean by that is that before speaking, I have to think about the words coming out of my mouth and if they are relevant to the conversation or not. I have to keep a sharp eye for non-verbal cues that let me know if I'm rambling. And, when it's necessary, I have to remove myself from a situation, go to a quiet place, and allow my sensors to cool off before going back to rejoin whatever it was that I left.
Lately, things like that have become easier to handle because I had my prescription lenses tinted a color especially for me. In effect, those medications that people who have ADD or ADHD use to calm their minds down so they can focus, the glasses do the very same thing. While it's a pricey option, some people never have to take medication ever again because the glasses take care of the bulk of the problems.
Now that the techno babble is out of the way, time for the reason I decided to create this blog.
I can't count the number of times during the day that I had to explain to people what Asperger's Syndrome was when I was first diagnosed with it.
There were a surprising amount of people who had no idea it existed yet there were numerous groups dedicated to helping those people deal with everyday life.
Then, when I went to a Vocational Rehabilitation Center that is supposed to help people with disabilities gain the skills they need to gain employment and help them get a job, they had little knowledge in how to deal with someone who has the intelligence to work but lacks certain social skills that become so important during an interview or while they are on the job.
In essence, part of this blog is going to be teaching about Asperger's Syndrome but it's also going to show that, despite having what is considered a "mental disability", that I can function in everyday life, maintain friendships, and have fun all while doing the typical menial tasks like balancing a checkbook, cleaning up around the house, and deal with emotional issues.
I may not be on the rough end of the scale and by no means do I think my words should be taken as the typical life of someone with Asperger's. This is merely the way me, as a person with Asperger's Syndrome, manages to live her life despite the setbacks that come along with it.
If nothing else comes out of this blog than I'm more easily able to reconcile the issues I face and make life a little bit easier to handle, then I will count this blog as a complete success.
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