Newly Diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 34.....

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Hello.
I am a 34-year woman who has FINALLY been offically diagnosed a few weeks ago. I suspected I had this disorder for many years, especially when my nephew, now almost 9, was diagnosed with the same condition a couple years back. My brother came to me as suggested that since his symptoms were similar to mine, that I should find out myself.

After reading books, such as "Pretending to be Normal" and "Living and Loving with Asperger's" Late last year I decided to find out once and for all. I went though a series of tests at MCV in Richmond, including and MRI/MRA, pysological tests and cognitive tests, and after they ruled out other disorders schitzoid, epilepsy and other brain dysfuntions, the final diagnosis was Asperger's.

All my life I've been treated for Major Severe Deppression and have gone from doctor to doctor since i was three, I was actually relived. But I was also angry.

Here I was struggling though life, being bullied and teased in school and unstable employment, trying to fit in, trying to be "Normal", when in fact I never was.

Now I an on short-term disability from my place of employment. It lasts six months with 100% of my pay. After that, I may go into Long Term which lasts up to 2 years. I investigating whether I can qulify for Disability or at least Supplemental SSI.

In the meantime, I am going over what options are available to me. I have a BFA in Fine Arts and good with computers. I also have a web cetificate. I still want to work, but not the way I've been working.

Also, I'm finding a lack of resources for me because I am an adult and female (which is rare according to the studies and info I've been looking at.)

Now, I live with my parents and helping taking care of my elderly grandmother, but I want to get a place of my own eventually. I know that there are apartment complexes in various areas of Virginia, So maybe that would be an option.

I'm also trying to find support groups that are for adults with Asperger's or, If that's not possible, at least with parents with autistic children.

Can Anyone give some advice or refernces to resources that I can take advantage of?

Kera in Virginia

What can I say? I have autism, an I myself live
in San Francisco, or all places and low-and-behold
there is no support groups. This is why I am
WrongPlanet. The phrase "Doctor Heal Thyself"
is the tactic that I have used most of my life.

I am 39. I will assume that you are close to
your grandparents, so am I. I came from a
broken family scenerio, and that is so archtypical
american in stories of the American caucasian
families.

I assume your siblings just ignore them? Are you
the ghost of your family? I am to mine and it is
because of my Grandmother that I even know
how many nieces and nephews I actually have.
When she dies so will my contact, since I too can
heal myself, but there will always be a ghost in
others I can't erase(regarding relatives, sisters,
ect...)

Just for the record I am usually helpful, but today
I am full of mixed emotions, and this is what comes
to mind when I read your statements. I appologize
if I assume wrongly, and now getting to the positive.

Yes, there are support groups for autism, yet
they are far and few inbetween, based on a
online keyword search. Usually they are NEVER
in your area you are living and that even includes
San Francisco. Hmmm? You would think otherwise.
God Bless you for showing love and devotion to
your grandparents. They deserve it, and most
family members don't show they care. Of course
this doesn't solve your problem for support groups
and I really don't have a answer except welcome
to wrongplanet.

Unhappily Yours and myself,
Ghosthunter

P.S....To some of you on WrongPlanet, I DO BLEED-
emotionally it just takes more than it use to get me there.

P.S....To some on WrongPlanet I come off like Dr.Phil on
TV, and it may seem I talk at you, and act like I know
everything, and still I DO BLEED-emotionally.

P.S...To you on WrongPlanet I haven't scared off or were
immune to the curse of being Ghosthunter, Thanks.

I will see another day and my fountain of wisdom will
continue to flow, but for now I BLEED!

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE, fellow WrongPlanet folks.

and good luck, Klovett!

Hope tomorrow is better Ghosthunter


Hi Kera, welcome to the forum. I'm female too, wasn't dxed until 42 years, now I'm 47. I can't help you with local resources but like Ghosthunter says, there's often not much around, which is why we're all here.

I gave up work at about 40 because of stress/health and I take the disability pension now. Perhaps you could contact the public housing authority in your state about getting your own place. Your brother sounds quite helpful, perhaps he has some ideas about your future directions.

'I was actually relived. But I was also angry.'

ohhh yeah! it's a shock too. It takes quite a while to adjust after a dx, took me about 3 years. Again, welcome to the group.

Now that I have bled myself, and I am
back to my normal being I hope to say
good luck in finding your support group
like the rest of us. For the time being
the only one is WrongPlanet that I have
been finding effective.

How does your family feel about helping
this grandparent?

Where do you stand socially in this family
tree?

What do you hope to gain from this
diagnoses?

Hmmm?

Just probing!.....

Sincerely,
Ghosthunter

I have a similar history to yours - I have major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder (no one can seem to make up their mind) and AS - though I wonder if the major depressive disorder thing isn't more a result of the AS . . .

Anyway, I find Edgar Schneider's and Temple Grandin's books to be the best out there . . . in all fairness, I have Donna William's books in my pile to read next, and a lot of people really like them . . .

As for support groups, I like stuff online the best - but then I don't much like to talk to people in person, so I haven't looked into in person stuff much . . .

Thank You.

It's a relief to know that I'm not the only one.

Postperson:

how long did it take you to get SS Disability? Some of the people I've talked to says it takes months or even years.

mmmyeah, it took 6 months or so, but as you can see from the info about me under my icon, I'm in Australia, so I don't know about the US of A. It was certainly an EXCRUTIATINGLY unpleasant process.

Maybe you could start a thread about it, if you feel so inclined. I don't think there's been one yet.

I was in a support group for Aspies for a while, as long as it was funded by the council. When I had to pay for it myself at $100 a pop, I stopped immediately. I've got the lit on Asperger's and now I've got WrongPlanet for free! Who needs a hundred dollar support group anyway!