What Is Asperger’s
Asperger’s is a form of Autism and is part of the autistic spectrum table. There are many different types of Asperger’s which affects people in different ways. There are several characteristics of sufferers with Asperger’s:
➢ Superior Memory
➢ Must follow daily routines
➢ Fascination with specific subjects
➢ Speech and language impaired
➢ Difficulty of understanding other feelings
➢ Marked impairment, Body posture, facial expressions, gestures
➢ Difficulty judging personal space, clumsiness
Famous People With Asperger’s
Some of the greatest people in world suffer from Asperger’s – Bill Gates the creator of Microsoft has Asperger’s and has built a massive empire. He has learnt like others on ways to control the disability. Albert Einstein is another famous person who had Asperger’s, the condition made him excellent with numbers and gave him an ability to follow his daily routines with his high IQ. Dan Aykroyd the actor also has Asperger’s and is also a very talented writer and director. With his great writing skills and high IQ he wrote the scripts for the films, Blues Brothers & Ghostbusters franchise. This was combined with acting in both films as well as directing which is a skill in itself!
How It Affects People On Daily Basis
I was diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2011 when I was 34 years old, this was a little late but I knew when I was young I was different from others around me. Back then in the 1980s people did not know much about Asperger’s and children like me were just sent to a boarding school in Margate for children with learning difficulties.
The main thing that affects people with Asperger’s on a daily basis is anxiety which can escalate on an low to high range depending on the individual. In social situations like a crowded room full of people anxiety can run high for the person with Asperger’s – with them unable to keep eye contact or engage in a conversation with other people. I used to find this difficult when I was younger and used to shut off and go into a world of my own.
Emotions are another problem a person with Asperger’s has, we find it hard to express our feelings and show no remorse in situations that arise. An example of this is when my daughter accidentally hurts herself or is feeling unwell. I find it hard to show emotions towards her, it’s not that I don’t care it just difficult to show them.
In a working environment, if the employer does not understand the condition this can affect the person with Asperger’s. The employer could think the person with Asperger’s is a trouble maker due to their different interaction and communication with others around them. I had this problem when I was employed, I was not much of a talker, all I wanted to do was do my job but this was not good enough for my employer.
How I Overcame My Condition
Once I diagnosed with Asperger’s I wanted to learn how I could deal with the problem at hand. For two years I went to a psychologist who taught me ways on how I could live with my condition. Mindfulness is excellent form of meditation which involves breathing techniques with helps the person with Asperger’s reduce their anxiety issues.
Once I mastered that I decided I need to overcome my issues with being in crowded places with other people. So I decided to join a breakfast networking group which met up on a weekly basis. Doing a 60 seconds pitch help me build my confidence talking to other people. It also help the way the meetings were run, meeting with other like minded business people who wanted to build relationships with other businesses. It’s the know like trust scenario, which made it easier for me to adjust with my condition.
The 10 minute presentations also helped as they push me that bit further, something I would have not done 10 years ago.
I am now in my fifth year of business more confident than ever and living every day to the full not letting my Asperger’s affect me in anyway.
My Advice To Others
Never give up on your dreams, having Asperger’s makes you special and unique. If people treat you different it is their problem not yours. Meet up with others with the same condition as you, you can build friendship and share your experiences. Push yourselves and do something completely out of the box. Maybe a presentation to a group of people or going to a seminar. Don’t worry if you feel it’s not going to plan, remember Mindfulness and the breathing techniques. People will never judge, they be proud that you have given it a go and that you done something different.
If you want to find out more about my journey with Aspergers and how I can help others please contact me at ben@bl-it-solutions.co.uk
Ben Leach Owner, Director BL IT SOLUTIONS LTD
My son is 34 and has Aspergers, late diagnosed at the age of 14. He met his partner on the internet and now has two children. He would love to work in a gym and does workouts at home every day. He would have to have support and to know how to apply. Can you give us any ideas on what to do. Social services haven’t got the funds to help and would like to withdraw their help.
Thankyou, Daphne. PS my son lives in Dover Kent