what can I do??

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Hey everyone! I am wondering, for those of you are older and have careers (or know of autistic adults with careers), if you have an advice. I am wondering what I can do with my life. I am not talking about adults who have mild Aspergers. I have severe high-functioning autism (that is not an oxymoron to me...I am considered high-functioning, but my symptoms are far from mild).

Anyway, I have had about 40 jobs in my life and I am only 27. I went back to school as a mature student and will be beginning my senior year in September. I am doing well, have a 3.8 gpa with little effort, and am working at a job I've kept all school year, about 10 hours a week. Everyone I went to school with seems so put together: married, kids, great careers, masters degrees, their own homes or apartments. I have none of those things, and I still live with my parents. I talk about going away for my Masters, but I honestly don't know if I will succeed. Even if I do move, I don't know if it will last. I feel like I am never going to be able to leave my parents, but I really do want a life and a meaningful career.

I am not into science or technology....do you know of anyone with severe HFA who actually has a job out there in the real world that involves education or the social sciences or anything like that. It just seems so unrealistic FOR ME right now....Part of me even would like to become an autism specialist in a school....but that seems kind of far-fetched doesn't it? Is that unheard of-- Would that be like the blind leading the blind?

you are way ahead of me- i was totally lost in school.

I was in the social aspects of school, but not the academics. That is why I dropped out of high school and ended up hibernating in my house for close to ten years. I didn't know how to be in society. Most of my jobs I quit in less than a week because I can't handle them. I also had undiagnosed autism my entire life, so if they would have known, perhaps I would have had some support systems in place. Early intervention might have made all the difference, and if I had it, maybe my symptoms would be a lot milder now. Even at university, I can handle the academics, but I am a loner and the social aspects are as difficult as ever. I can't really work much more than I am now (I only work about 10 hours or less a week), and that leaves me to think that there is a huge chance I can't have the kind of success in life I want. My Mom even suggested just going on disability. I might have to anyway for now, but I really want to be able to do SOMETHING. Especially since I grew up my entire life without knowing I was autistic, and everyone always had such HIGH expectations for me (because I was so smart in school). I feel like I let everyone in my life down, including myself. Anyway, hopefully I can get a job, but it is going to be hard work.

Whether or not it's unheardof is irrelevant - the question is whether you could do the job.

Take care not to assume that your desired position requires a competence that you do not fully comprehend. Supercompetence is largely a myth. A few people are supercompetent, but most job positions are lucky to be filled with regular old competence.

Unless you have an irrational fear of crowds or people you don't know, chances are you can do that job.

i hope you can find some job where you can work alone, that pays well. i believe that if you are with-it enough to do well academically, that there is a substantial [and suitable] job out there waiting for you, somewhere. i know you might consider it "slumming" but when i was a [hospital] coder, i was in a closed room with no intrusions, in front of a pc screen. i liked that job but alas, it was not to last. i just mentioned that because that job pays a living wage and has very little in the way of social expectations. just a thought.

Here's another way to look at this: Set aside what everyone else has: the marriage, the kids, the masters, the career. Ask what YOU want. Instead of looking at it as "what job could I do?" look at it as "what job would I like?" You mentioned being interested in being an Autism specialist in a school. Blind leading the blind? Hardly. I'd say more a case of an expert with first-hand experience. What other careers appeal?