08-13-2007, 07:33 AM
I just thought I would let you know that these forums inspired another person to get a diagnosis. 
I have to admit that I knew nothing more about autism than they show in the media before I came here, so when my mum told me she thought I was autistic, I was offended because I was happy the way I was and didn't think there was anything wrong with me (she agreed) or anything I should have to change. But I got curious, and I ended up here and found appreciation for autism and way too similarities to ignore.
I guess I'll just tell a bit about myself then.
My mum has told me that I started talking early and was very vocal about my interests: dinosaurs and tigers. Although I had other kids my age I was friendly with, I prefered to play by myself where I could control the play.
I was lucky to grow up in a very small town. Everybody knew everybody else and were a lot more accepting of people than I have found they are in the city I now live in. Because of this, I went through school mostly unscathed. I was bullied somewhat in elementary, but not too badly, and by the time I was in ninth grade, everybody was happy to let me be the way I was. Although, admittedly, they would still sometimes ask me why I never talked or looked at anyone. I would usually not answer them. The only reason I could give at that time was I didn't want to talk to anybody, and, well, I didn't want to talk to them to tell them so. I would talk with people if necessary for school or at home or whatever, but I didn't like small talk, and would only talk with people about my interests, and by now I had learned that not everybody wanted to hear every detail about my interests. So I didn't really talk if I had nothing relevant to say to anyone.
I spent my time at home researching my interests, which by the time I entered junior high had changed from dinosaurs to movies. I was interested in everything about making films, but I was especially interested in animation and editing the film together. I would spend hours and hours making music videos with Windows Movie Maker (not a particularly good program, I know, but it was all I had).
I did have a few friends in high school. They were all eccentric people too, so we got along pretty well.
I am ADHD, so I had a lot of difficulty paying attention in the classes I had no interest in, but somehow I managed to graduate 4th in my class at a competetive high school. This was good news because I was able to get enough scholarships to pay for the tuition and living expenses for my first year of university.
So it wasn't until I graduated from high school that I really had trouble. I have had great difficulty keeping down a job. Although my employers have always liked me and wanted me to stay, I have always been unable to maintain a job for more than three months if the job doesn't hold my interest. If I am "forced" into working for long hours every day for an undecided amount of time doing something I don't appreciate, I end up getting very upset after a while. I'm working hard on finding a way around this now.
I am still going to university though, and I love it. I am majoring in Fine Arts: New Media, so I get to spend much of my time at school making movies, which keeps me happy.
I got my diagnosis this year at age 21. The psychologist said she was sitting on the fence as to whether I had Asperger's or PDD-NOS. Her main reason for not automatically diagnosing me with Asperger's was that she did not think I was that clumsy. It is interesting to note, though, that on my way home the very same day I got my diagnosis, I tripped on my stairs and was face-planted into the front door. This happens more frequently than I would like.
I am also hypersensitive to some things. The sun is the worst thing for me. I have always preferred dark corners and I love the night (my brother nicknamed me "child of darkness"). I always wear long sleeved clothes to keep the sunlight off my skin. I would never get a sunburn, but my skin would go very red in the sun and would take hours to go away when I was finally inside. I hate the way the sun feels.
I'm a very picky eater too. It's usually not because I don't like the taste of food though. I just hate certain textures. And I hate it when the textures are mixed.
So I guess I'm kind of quirky, but I like myself that way! And luckily, my parents and friends feel that way too, so nobody has tried too hard to change me.
I have to admit that I knew nothing more about autism than they show in the media before I came here, so when my mum told me she thought I was autistic, I was offended because I was happy the way I was and didn't think there was anything wrong with me (she agreed) or anything I should have to change. But I got curious, and I ended up here and found appreciation for autism and way too similarities to ignore.
I guess I'll just tell a bit about myself then.
My mum has told me that I started talking early and was very vocal about my interests: dinosaurs and tigers. Although I had other kids my age I was friendly with, I prefered to play by myself where I could control the play.
I was lucky to grow up in a very small town. Everybody knew everybody else and were a lot more accepting of people than I have found they are in the city I now live in. Because of this, I went through school mostly unscathed. I was bullied somewhat in elementary, but not too badly, and by the time I was in ninth grade, everybody was happy to let me be the way I was. Although, admittedly, they would still sometimes ask me why I never talked or looked at anyone. I would usually not answer them. The only reason I could give at that time was I didn't want to talk to anybody, and, well, I didn't want to talk to them to tell them so. I would talk with people if necessary for school or at home or whatever, but I didn't like small talk, and would only talk with people about my interests, and by now I had learned that not everybody wanted to hear every detail about my interests. So I didn't really talk if I had nothing relevant to say to anyone.
I spent my time at home researching my interests, which by the time I entered junior high had changed from dinosaurs to movies. I was interested in everything about making films, but I was especially interested in animation and editing the film together. I would spend hours and hours making music videos with Windows Movie Maker (not a particularly good program, I know, but it was all I had).
I did have a few friends in high school. They were all eccentric people too, so we got along pretty well.
I am ADHD, so I had a lot of difficulty paying attention in the classes I had no interest in, but somehow I managed to graduate 4th in my class at a competetive high school. This was good news because I was able to get enough scholarships to pay for the tuition and living expenses for my first year of university.
So it wasn't until I graduated from high school that I really had trouble. I have had great difficulty keeping down a job. Although my employers have always liked me and wanted me to stay, I have always been unable to maintain a job for more than three months if the job doesn't hold my interest. If I am "forced" into working for long hours every day for an undecided amount of time doing something I don't appreciate, I end up getting very upset after a while. I'm working hard on finding a way around this now.
I am still going to university though, and I love it. I am majoring in Fine Arts: New Media, so I get to spend much of my time at school making movies, which keeps me happy.
I got my diagnosis this year at age 21. The psychologist said she was sitting on the fence as to whether I had Asperger's or PDD-NOS. Her main reason for not automatically diagnosing me with Asperger's was that she did not think I was that clumsy. It is interesting to note, though, that on my way home the very same day I got my diagnosis, I tripped on my stairs and was face-planted into the front door. This happens more frequently than I would like.
I am also hypersensitive to some things. The sun is the worst thing for me. I have always preferred dark corners and I love the night (my brother nicknamed me "child of darkness"). I always wear long sleeved clothes to keep the sunlight off my skin. I would never get a sunburn, but my skin would go very red in the sun and would take hours to go away when I was finally inside. I hate the way the sun feels.
I'm a very picky eater too. It's usually not because I don't like the taste of food though. I just hate certain textures. And I hate it when the textures are mixed.
So I guess I'm kind of quirky, but I like myself that way! And luckily, my parents and friends feel that way too, so nobody has tried too hard to change me.
