Anyone with disabilities?

[AutisticAlice]

I didn't see a topic about this so...

Does anyone have a disability? It can be anything from mental health to physical. Anything that disables you in some way would fit here. :3

For me, as you know. I have autism. I'm on the high-functioning end. I can function normally, but it also depends on my anxiety. Since I hate noises, being touched or long lines and crowds. That kind of stuff and I'll tell you a little more about me.

I use my iPad for expression. Now, I can speak normally. I have no issues with communication, unless you count how I say words, my loud voice or how fast I talk. I do have trouble explaining my needs verbally. It's like, I want to explain it but as soon as I try to do that my brain shuts down.

I do have fairly good social skills but I get highly anxious in social situations. I can be quiet one minute than be talking your ear off the next. XD I do struggle with communicating on a social basis. I get nervous around strangers.

I also have delays as well. I'm 24 but I have the mind of an eight to fourteen year old. I'm obsessed with Disney, especially fairies and princesses. I also love miyazaki's films which I know are registered under Disney.

I have narrow interests with writing, anime and Alice in Wonderland. That movie is my most number one favorite. Oh and I love Tim Burton as well! Most of the time, I'll obsess over so etching for days on end. Right now it's Vidia and Tiana.

But that could change in days to something else. Music is therapy for me. It calms me emotions and anxiety, evn saved my life (Let's not ask for details, okay? It's best not to).

Oh and as a child I had problems with speech. I was a late talker and didn't speak until I was four, thanks to therapy.

That's about all I can say for now.

What about you?

 

[bookwormde]

Almost everyone here either has a child with a disabiity or has one themselves (or both).

For me I am an aspie, and never considered my Autism a disability, even though there are lots of things that are challenging to me. I grew up in a family of aspies, before the time where people figured it out so I was lucky. Have a son who is formally diagnoses as aspergers, and he is working through all the issues that goes aloong with that, but has a very large supportive extended family so that makes it much easier.

 

[AutisticAlice]

lol I figured that. I was just curious since well... I'm new here and haven't exactly met a lot of people who are like me or at least can relate to, you know? That's why I asked to make a few friends and what not. ^^

I consider mine as being a disability yet not... if that makes sense. It really depends on the mood of things or what I'm dealing with. Like, if I'm melting down or something, I usually find it disabling because it's something I'm not able to control. Believe me, if I could control it... I would. ><

 

[bookwormde]

There are lots of Aspies on this site, although outside these thread it is not often acknowledged. Yes I know what you mean about sometimes feeling variably about our disabilities. Then I remember that NT individuals have just as many, and it is just because they are the majority and the world had adapted (or more accurately been constructed) to accommodate them.
You do know lot of people who have Autism genetics at some level you just do not realize it, current thinking is that somewhere around 40% of the population does, but because they only have a piece it is much easy to adapt for it. For those of us who have the majority of the genetics it is much more complicated because we are managing the sensory, social and executive function differences all at once, and the demands pile up and create anxiety, which can eventually spiral out of control to a meltdown for a short period of time, Good news is that we are amazing resilient.
And what makes it worthwhile is the amazing gifts that come along with the genetics, Particularly our ability for hyper-focus on specific topics and to apply our non-linear process abilities to it. Lots of other gift to by NT society does not always value them.
A couple of suggestion is to read the progressive current literature to become more self aware of our genetics and it history. Also when I was younger some eastern studies (yoga, meditation etc) which is great for training the mind to be able to go "elsewhere" yet still be aware of the world to a necessary extent.

 

[AutisticAlice]

You'd be surprised. My dad has aspie traits and my mom has traits of regular autism. My dad is very anti-social most of the time. He's social with me and my mom, but others he tends to have trouble socializing. He's obsessed with very little such as reading, history and politics. He tends to become obsessed with one subject or object. For example, at one point he used to be obsessed with eating corn dogs. He would eat them all the time and not get sick of them... until one day he did. XD My dad is also hard of hearing (lol it comes with age. He's over 60, I believe), yet he'll yell at me and my mom for being too loud, even with his special tv headphones to hear better.

My mom on the other hand is very childish. She doesn't act her age. It's to the point where sometimes, if I get something at wal-mart, she has to get something too. (and vice versa lol). We're more like sisters than mother and daughter because the amount of times we have fought. She's not big on noises nor does she handle jokes or sarcasm well either. Then again... it depends with her. She's very social BUT she's a little socially-awkward.

I've always thought my autism was genetic, same with having ADHD. Both of my parents are undiagnosed, unlike me who has the professional diagnosis for what's been called autistic disorder. I'm more mild to moderate, depending on my mood. Most days I'm pretty high functioning. I have narrow interests with anime, music, pokemon and Alice in Wonderland (plus Disney fairies and princesses; I love Tiana and Vidia).

I can be social, but not always. It takes effort and brain power for me to be social enough to talk to people I don't really know. Online, I'm different though. I talk differently too. I also don't do well with noises and touch nor am I good with crowds.

I don't want to make this thread about me though. lol

 

[50surgeries2012]

I was born with a bone disorder that required 50 surgeries throughout my 32 years of life. I wish the surgeries would stop, or slow down. But, because my bones resemble the person who has osteogenesis imperfecta because they deteriorate more rapidly than a normal person. I know that the surgeries are never going to stop, or slow down.

 

[bocaj1431]

Hi. I am a parent of a child with high functioning autism. My son is 12. He is my everything. He has so many wonderful strengths and is such a caring person.

Life is so challenging for him. It breaks my heart to see him struggle with bullying, anxiety, fears, sensory issues, sleep and social situations. He just wants it all to go away.

For those of you who have autism, do you have any advice on how to help support him when he feels overwhelmed with the challenges? Did things become less intense after puberty? As soon as my son hit 12, the challenging behaviors resulting from his autism, in his words, became to much for him to bare.

Thank you to the original poster for bringing this topic up in the forums.

 

[FortForever]

I have a 23 year old son with Asperger's.

Both my DH and I each have a few traits common to people with AS, but neither of us have enough characteristics to claim it. I do believe, however, that we both carry enough of the genetics to have passed it on to our son.

We also have an older son who is a paraplegic from a motorcycle accident about eight years ago.

As for myself, I have arthritis and both my knees need replaced. I'm trying to hold off doing that for as long as possible since the surgery needs to be repeated every so many years. Arthritis is rampant in my family. Many family members are completely disabled from it.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

I'm a mom to two girls with sensory processing disorder, and low vision. The two of them and their youngest sister have albinism.

I have chronic late stage Lyme disease and am attached to an IV 10 hours a day. I'm in constant pain and their are days I physically can't get out of bed :-(

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