What do i do now?

[Judge]

It's so refreshing to be in the company of "my kind of people" who actually understand me as a person, people who don't judge me or think I'm odd because I'm not like them

Indeed. It's just comforting to know my thought processes aren't as unique as the NT world makes me think at times. But outside this domain, yeah....I remain pretty "guarded" about it all.

Though equally it's important to emphasize our differences as well in terms of a wide variety of traits and behaviors and their amplitude. And sensory issues too. Where the saying, "If you know one Aspie then you know one Aspie" still very much applies as well.

 

[Juliettaa]

If I'd broken my leg I'd have a cast on my leg, crutches and a ton of leaflets on how to manage my injury etc..But following diagnosis it just seems like that's it now, just get out and deal with it no "aftercare" as such, no cure, no support or anything

If you feel that you'd benefit from aftercare and/or support, perhaps you could speak to your GP with a view to being referred on the NHS.

Now you have a diagnosis, it might be a game changer after being told there's no benefit in a diagnosis for you?

No harm in asking

Alternatively, you could seek out aftercare via the private route. Assuming you're in the UK, a good starting point would be Action for Aspergers - AFA - Home

 

[Gritches]

It is so refreshing to be in the company of "my kind of people" who actually understand me as a person, not judging me or thinking I'm strange

One of us! One of us!

But seriously, welcome. Just because it's such a big deal, I would second the notion to keep it on a need-to-know basis; socially, the Risk:Reward ratio just isn't where it ought to be.

As for what to do: be happy for yourself. Self-diagnosis is fine due to the tendency to under-diagnose adults, but the NHS was wrong, there is a benefit to being diagnosed: it's official now - nobody can take that from you

 

[Sherlock77]

Hi guys, recently diagnosed Aspergers, age 46. I'm a HGV Driver. High functioning autism /Aspergers.

What am I supposed to do after diagnosis? I'm not looking for any benefits or anything like that.. Just wondered what I'm supposed to do now.

Paid a fortune for private diagnosis cos NHS told me that I would not benefit from being diagnosed. Any help advice or suggestions greatly appreciated

I'm the same age, I only self diagnosed on the internet as I have always had a job, at this point don't feel a need to "officially" find out, I'm 99% certain I'm an Aspie (see my signature), and just for the record I've been known to wear a cowboy hat anytime of the year, and I'm not a cowboy or a long haul trucker...

 

[Gracey]

Welcome to your tribe @Highway Cowboy

 

[SusanLR]

Welcome @Highway Cowboy,
I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my late 50's.
It didn't change me at that late age, but it was comfortingfor me to understand my life and why I was different.
I was going through the process of transitioning from the life I had always lived with my parents to a life with no family after my Mom died.
It was rough since I had never lived any other way.
I was getting grief counseling from a social worker
who must have known a lot about the signs of Aspergers
since she was the one who first mentioned it and suggested I get diagnosed as it might help me understand why my loss seemed unbearable and I just couldn't move on or adjust.
It does help to know, but, it didn't change who I was and am.

 

[Streetwise]

Thank you, the only person I have told is my missus. I have not told anyone in my family or anyone at work. It isn't really something you can just drop into a conversation is it. I think people would laugh at me or take the pee if I told them...

they didn't laugh at me !but I think it's because I put up boundaries ! and they could probably see it anyway !unless you hide it very well !
i'm also very nervous people pick up on that .

 

[Thinx]

Welcome Highway Cowboy I hope you enjoy it here, there's a lot of useful and interesting threads to read and respond to that will offer plenty of opportunities for learning and reflection about what being your aspie self is about. I don't have a diagnosis as I didn't think it was necessary for me given the lack of help available for people who cope well in terms of earning a living etc. But I wish there was stuff for us like maybe ways to be social as ourselves whatever that would look like - discussions? Watching films? But with Aspies. Would it be hard to set up and facilitate I wonder? I like doing things like arranging stones I collect. And collage. Opportunities to do that with others who are asp sometimes? These kind of things probably would have to be set up by people who want to do them. Hope you get ideas and feel supported here.

 

[Streetwise]

@Highway Cowboy

 

[Highway Cowboy]

One of us! One of us!

But seriously, welcome. Just because it's such a big deal, I would second the notion to keep it on a need-to-know basis; socially, the Risk:Reward ratio just isn't where it ought to be.

As for what to do: be happy for yourself. Self-diagnosis is fine due to the tendency to under-diagnose adults, but the NHS was wrong, there is a benefit to being diagnosed: it's official now - nobody can take that from you

To be honest with you I actually feel that having Aspergers is more of an ability than a disability .For example I think it makes me a much better driver as I pay considerably more attention to my driving and what's going on around me, I notice things others don't and have a better memory. I am the only driver in our company to be accident and incident free for the past 5 years. I also think that I'm in the ideal profession. Aswell as being passionate and obsessed with trucks since childhood (trucks are my thing) , I'm sat on my own all day so don't have to bother taking to anyone, I have set prescribed routes with regular drops so plenty of routine and I generally know what I'm doing the following day so im prepared for it when I go in the next morning..
I've always been obsessed with trucks and anything to do with trucking. When I was a kid I could name any exact make and model of truck from the rear just by looking at its rear view mirror on the side of the cab or even the rear light lens. I remember being on the motorway behind a truck saying "that's an Iveco 75E15 and that's a Scania P94DB220. Everyone laughed at me calling me a weirdo and a sad anorak but it's my passion and obsession. I get all the truck magazines and never throw them away once I've read them so have huge piles of old magazines in the house now .Even though I'll probably never read that issue again they are "mine" and I might need to look at it again one day even though I buy the new edition every month ! I also regularly attend events such as Truckfest and all the big Trucking Shows, I've met and got photos of myself with the Ice Road Truckers aswell ... Makes me happy. Drives my wife crazy but she "gets me" and loves me regardless .

Does this ring any bells or sound familiar? Maybe not with trucks perhaps but I'm just using my own particular example of single minded obsession and fixation, noticing small details others would never look twice at. I think I knew from being in my late teens /early twenties that I was "different" and didn't conform to any stereotype. Took me until being in my 40's to explore it and do something about it and now I eventually have a label and fit in with a group of people.

 

[Streetwise]

i did it talking about animals ,you know when they Roll their eyes.
my mothers youngest brothers special-interest is steam trains , I lose the will to live just thinking about it .

 

[Highway Cowboy]

I'm the same age, I only self diagnosed on the internet as I have always had a job, at this point don't feel a need to "officially" find out, I'm 99% certain I'm an Aspie (see my signature), and just for the record I've been known to wear a cowboy hat anytime of the year, and I'm not a cowboy or a long haul trucker...

Well Howdy Cowboy

 

[Highway Cowboy]

Welcome Highway Cowboy I hope you enjoy it here, there's a lot of useful and interesting threads to read and respond to that will offer plenty of opportunities for learning and reflection about what being your aspie self is about. I don't have a diagnosis as I didn't think it was necessary for me given the lack of help available for people who cope well in terms of earning a living etc. But I wish there was stuff for us like maybe ways to be social as ourselves whatever that would look like - discussions? Watching films? But with Aspies. Would it be hard to set up and facilitate I wonder? I like doing things like arranging stones I collect. And collage. Opportunities to do that with others who are asp sometimes? These kind of things probably would have to be set up by people who want to do them. Hope you get ideas and feel supported here.

Reading all the posts on here has really lifted me. Up until getting the courage to come onto this amazing forum, I literally thought I was the only person in the world who was like this and that there was something wrong with me but now I see I am surrounded by friends who are just like I am.

Thank you so much for your support

 

[Highway Cowboy]

View attachment 43390 @Highway Cowboy

Loving the truck pic

 

[Gritches]

To be honest with you I actually feel that having Aspergers is more of an ability than a disability .For example I think it makes me a much better driver as I pay considerably more attention to my driving and what's going on around me, I notice things others don't and have a better memory. I am the only driver in our company to be accident and incident free for the past 5 years. I also think that I'm in the ideal profession. Aswell as being passionate and obsessed with trucks since childhood (trucks are my thing) , I'm sat on my own all day so don't have to bother taking to anyone, I have set prescribed routes with regular drops so plenty of routine and I generally know what I'm doing the following day so im prepared for it when I go in the next morning..
I've always been obsessed with trucks and anything to do with trucking. When I was a kid I could name any exact make and model of truck from the rear just by looking at its rear view mirror on the side of the cab or even the rear light lens. I remember being on the motorway behind a truck saying "that's an Iveco 75E15 and that's a Scania P94DB220. Everyone laughed at me calling me a weirdo and a sad anorak but it's my passion and obsession. I get all the truck magazines and never throw them away once I've read them so have huge piles of old magazines in the house now .Even though I'll probably never read that issue again they are "mine" and I might need to look at it again one day even though I buy the new edition every month ! I also regularly attend events such as Truckfest and all the big Trucking Shows, I've met and got photos of myself with the Ice Road Truckers aswell ... Makes me happy. Drives my wife crazy but she "gets me" and loves me regardless .

Does this ring any bells or sound familiar? Maybe not with trucks perhaps but I'm just using my own particular example of single minded obsession and fixation, noticing small details others would never look twice at. I think I knew from being in my late teens /early twenties that I was "different" and didn't conform to any stereotype. Took me until being in my 40's to explore it and do something about it and now I eventually have a label and fit in with a group of people.

I've spent a whole lot of time on the highway, both as a kid and as an adult, because I've always lived in a place where to get to the nearest metro area is at least four hours on the highway. Even today, I commute over an hour on the highway one-way. There's something so soothing about being in a moving vehicle.

For that reason, plus the solitude, I wanted to be a trucker from my teens onward. Things ended up not working out that way, since "trucker" wasn't doctor or lawyer, but I'm just saying that it's appealing to me as well. Life is long, so who knows, maybe it'll happen someday.

I do understand what you mean about Asperger's being an ability rather than a disability. I think that's true if you can find a life and career that plays to the strengths of the "disorder". Sounds like you've done that with trucking, and I've done it with systems design. I don't think I'd be as good at what I do without AS, for sure.

 

[SusanLR]

noticing small details others would never look twice at.

That is a true trait.
I get remarks on this all the time.
"How did you see that? I would never have seen it.."
etc etc.
I feel a real connection to nature, animals and especially birds.
I also collect rocks, gemstone and mineral specimans.

 

[Mia]

Welcome, Highway Cowboy. ^‿^

 

[Highway Cowboy]

View attachment 43385​

Thank you

 

[Highway Cowboy]

That is a true trait.
I get remarks on this all the time.
"How did you see that? I would never have seen it.."
etc etc.
I feel a real connection to nature, animals and especially birds.
I also collect rocks, gemstone and mineral specimans.

Seems we all have our own "thing". I used to notice patterns in the brick walls when I was at school. We'd all be sat in class and I'd just be sat looking at the wall making patterns with the brickwork

 

[Highway Cowboy]

Welcome, Highway Cowboy. ^‿^

Thank you it's great being a member of this group, I feel at last that I can actually "be myself" on here which I've never really been able to do because I've always had to fit in with other people and force myself to be someone I'm not