LIVING WITH AUTISM AS AN ADULT Ing. Henry Curmi Dimech
Introduction – who’s talking? Late Tell
Did
diagnosis (Age 26)
tale signs: odd behaviours for my age
not reach certain levels of social development
Reaction to diagnosis Diagnosis
of Asperger Syndrome was not a shock or a trauma, but a justification to me being ‘different’
Early Education Schooling Focus
with NT children, no distinction
on academic matters
Evidence
of struggle with languages
Student-teacher
relationship: formal
Middle Education Bullying
– a common problem
Needed
some intervention from certain members of staff
Basic
methods worked: assertiveness, attitude
Noticeably
different from classmates
Middle Education ď ľ More
evidence of better grasp of fields involving logic and/or memory work
ď ľ Struggle
logic)
with languages much clearer (no
Middle Education ď ľ Some
however excel at visual arts
Artist: Candy Waters, UK Source: Facebook
Higher Education ď ľ Almost
exclusively focus on academic matters at the expense of socialising
ď ľ Stick
to logical fields of study for best results
The Job Hunt
Lots
Best
of marketing involved – a difficult area
bet: jobs involving analysis and attention to detail, or solitary jobs
At the Workplace ď ľ Not
capable of adapting to any workplace
ď ľ Needs
environment governed by rules, clear specifications and defined roles & responsibilities
At the Workplace - Pitfalls Avoid
office politics!!
Exercise
caution when joking/making remarks – look before you leap
Mind-reading Confirm
understanding, ideally in writing
A Member of Society Likely
to be lonely with no contacts outside work or family
Friend-seeking
is a conscious process: involves making enquiries
Greater
success with people in same situation
A Member of Society Important
to have an easy-going attitude in
public Is
something worth fighting for?
Feelings
and empathy – a difficult area
A Member of Society – Pitfalls/Dangers
Personal Life Loneliness Mitigated
becomes a problem later in life
by being used to solitude, keep
busy An
ongoing challenge
Personal
development takes place but on a different time scale
Interacting with others Hit-or-miss Best
Eye
conversation has a specific purpose
contact is possible but requires conscious effort
Interacting with others OPEN-MINDEDNESS PURPOSEFUL, SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS
TOXIC PEOPLE MANIPULATION
Facebook We
use Facebook for communication and to find out what’s going on.
No
selfies
group
“Asperger meeting group – Malta”
Routine ď ľA
common symptom which diminishes with time
ď ľ Non-sensical
routines can be overcome with logical explanations and real examples
Sensory Overload ď ľ In
confusing situations, it is helpful to split the scenario into smaller, manageable pieces, or modules.
Conclusion People
with Autism or Asperger Syndrome are just as capable as anyone else to contribute to society.
We
simply request acceptance that we learn, think and have fun differently.
Many
of us have trouble conforming to society’s trends and pressure to ‘fit in’.
Recommendations We
also need to be independent, like everyone else.
Ideal
careers: involving numbers, logic, detail, working alone. E.g. IT, Mathematics & Sciences, Engineering
OR:
Visual arts, for those who express themselves more freely with images.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
Any questions?