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Default Feb 22, 2020 at 09:21 AM
  #1
Does anyone have success stories about autism or conditions similar to autism such as nonverbal learning disorder or PDD (pervasive development disorder), sensory processing disorder, synesthesia, misphonia, etc. What are your coping skills and have you made progress in your life.
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Default Feb 25, 2020 at 05:13 PM
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I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS under the old DSM; now they call it autism spectrum disorder. I also have PTSD, which is unrelated, so this has made my life more difficult. However, I did manage to get a Bachelor's Degree and graduate with honors with the help of some disability accommodations provided through my college. I'm 26, and nowadays, I do volunteer work from home. I have trouble being out in public because PTSD makes me very hypervigilant, but as I said, this is unrelated to my autism. I'm hoping to work from home for pay eventually. It's just hard to get hired as an autistic person. For me, medications and cognitive behavioral therapy have helped me manage some of my autism symptoms. I also have a mentor through my state's disability services, which has been helpful. My family has also always believed in me, so having good social support was a plus. I also have a decent amount of friends now, which is great since a lot of autistic people have trouble in social situations. Some people may consider me a failure since I'm not employed for pay, but I am happy more and more often, so I consider it a success. Success looks different for different people anyway.
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Default Feb 28, 2020 at 12:40 AM
  #3
@88Butterfly88 that is great you have persevered and have completed your Bachelors degree with honors. Glad you have been able to make friends and volunteer. Hope you can eventually find a job that suits your needs and that you enjoy.

Maybe try part time employment to start out.

Keep trying to persevere and find what makes you happy.

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Default Feb 28, 2020 at 03:49 AM
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@88Butterfly88 that is great you have persevered and have completed your Bachelors degree with honors. Glad you have been able to make friends and volunteer. Hope you can eventually find a job that suits your needs and that you enjoy.

Maybe try part time employment to start out.

Keep trying to persevere and find what makes you happy.

Thank you! Part time employment is a good idea. I'll keep trying.
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Default Jun 14, 2020 at 05:35 PM
  #5
I have SPD (sensory perception disorder) for me most of my triggers are auditory although when I was a kid it was also kinaesthetic. My mom made some homemade therapies for me. Working with animals, art programs, etc for the kinaesthetic. The auditory was a lot harder. Loud sounds like a car backfire, balloon popping, electric lawn mower, or vacuum could leave me hysterical. Other sounds that bothered me were echoes, or the same noise overlapping a bunch of times (discovered after enrolling me in tap class).

For me dealing with it involved repetition with expectation. By that I mean that if someone was vacuuming or mowing the lawn that I was told. I went to a summer camp that used a firework display as an intro. First time I was hysterical, second time I refused to enter. Third time I covered my ears. By my sixth year at that summer camp I was fine as long as I was braced properly for it. I guess I learned to expect it as well as deal with it so I could be ‘normal’

But some sounds still get me, a balloon popping or car backfire can still leave me in states of high anxiety (I actually get nervous if there are even balloons in the room)
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Default Jun 19, 2020 at 01:20 AM
  #6
@Cookiecrush sounds as if you have adapted by learning ways to cope with being notified ahead of time about certain sounds. For me some sounds cause stress while some are annoying to me (maybe it’s misphonia). Examples include a leaf blower outside my windows causes stress while repetitive noises such as typing or constant cough or someone constantly clearing their throat is very annoying to me.
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Default Aug 05, 2020 at 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88 View Post
I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS under the old DSM; now they call it autism spectrum disorder. I also have PTSD, which is unrelated, so this has made my life more difficult. However, I did manage to get a Bachelor's Degree and graduate with honors with the help of some disability accommodations provided through my college. I'm 26, and nowadays, I do volunteer work from home. I have trouble being out in public because PTSD makes me very hypervigilant, but as I said, this is unrelated to my autism. I'm hoping to work from home for pay eventually. It's just hard to get hired as an autistic person. For me, medications and cognitive behavioral therapy have helped me manage some of my autism symptoms. I also have a mentor through my state's disability services, which has been helpful. My family has also always believed in me, so having good social support was a plus. I also have a decent amount of friends now, which is great since a lot of autistic people have trouble in social situations. Some people may consider me a failure since I'm not employed for pay, but I am happy more and more often, so I consider it a success. Success looks different for different people anyway.
88Butterfly88,
My 30 year old son was recently (2 weeks ago) diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (among other things). One of the recommendations of the neuropsychologist was to apply for state disability services. I was curious about the "mentor" you mentioned. That sounds like something that would benefit my son. But I am not even sure he will be accepted for disability services. The reason is that he already applied for SSI and was rejected, because he has a large bank account. Due to his autism, he never spent even 1 penny his entire life, and saved all birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, etc. and of course interest. Any thoughts?
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Default Aug 27, 2021 at 02:16 AM
  #8
I have an auditory processing disorder due to autism.


I struggled as a child (sounds would make me have complete meltdown) but then also due to thyroid issues from birth and them changing my medication I experienced an hearing loss.

As they had never dx the auditory processing issue back then the differences between my hearing was never explained to me properly.


The actual conductive loss did recover in time but because I had an underlying APD that had been missed and was also unable to explain things to Dr's properly due to Autism and Selective Mutism I was thought to be 'severely deaf' for years.

I was given hearing aids but more often used them to block sounds outside as I struggled to work out where sounds were coming from and sudden noises still startled me.


I used them only to access radio hearing aids at college (cut out background noise and only be able to hear teachers voice) and to listen to a walkman. (80's version of an iPod!) with a special neck loop and hearing aids on T. (loop setting).

It is confusing as all the things I most struggled with ...seperating sound and working out speech of course people with a conductive (volume) hearing loss also struggled with.


I struggled with them regardless of whether I was wearing hearing aids but could hear other noises without any in. Some household noises I grew to recognise and tolerate, others I've never been able to.


I can follow the TV and music when there's no other noises but can't when others are about making noises and talking over multiple sounds. I go into sensory overload very quickly so have to put the hearing aids in but switched off to tolerate sitting in that environment Sometimes as things quieten down I will put them on to focus on one person talking or just pop the mould out a little to let more sound in and work out one person's voice without amplifying it.

I have developed frequency loss again in older age and my right ear can't hear as many higher frequencies as the left and has constant tinnitus in it.


Newer digital hearing aids have helped with separating sounds without amplifying everything too much and having a tinnitus program on them and are more useful than the old analogue ones which just made everything unbearably loud.

Despite this I managed to get a degree and worked in a school for the deaf briefly. This led to my own diagnosis as they had a unit for hearing children with language disorders where I met a mini me! - an autistic child with auditory processing disorder which led to my own dx in adulthood.
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Default Nov 09, 2021 at 02:15 AM
  #9
Quote:
Originally Posted by InkyTinks View Post
I have an auditory processing disorder due to autism.


I struggled as a child (sounds would make me have complete meltdown) but then also due to thyroid issues from birth and them changing my medication I experienced an hearing loss.

As they had never dx the auditory processing issue back then the differences between my hearing was never explained to me properly.


The actual conductive loss did recover in time but because I had an underlying APD that had been missed and was also unable to explain things to Dr's properly due to Autism and Selective Mutism I was thought to be 'severely deaf' for years.

I was given hearing aids but more often used them to block sounds outside as I struggled to work out where sounds were coming from and sudden noises still startled me.


I used them only to access radio hearing aids at college (cut out background noise and only be able to hear teachers voice) and to listen to a walkman. (80's version of an iPod!) with a special neck loop and hearing aids on T. (loop setting).

It is confusing as all the things I most struggled with ...seperating sound and working out speech of course people with a conductive (volume) hearing loss also struggled with.


I struggled with them regardless of whether I was wearing hearing aids but could hear other noises without any in. Some household noises I grew to recognise and tolerate, others I've never been able to.


I can follow the TV and music when there's no other noises but can't when others are about making noises and talking over multiple sounds. I go into sensory overload very quickly so have to put the hearing aids in but switched off to tolerate sitting in that environment Sometimes as things quieten down I will put them on to focus on one person talking or just pop the mould out a little to let more sound in and work out one person's voice without amplifying it.
VB

I have developed frequency loss again in older age and my right ear can't hear as many higher frequencies as the left and has constant tinnitus in it.


Newer digital hearing aids have helped with separating sounds without amplifying everything too much and having a tinnitus program on them and are more useful than the old analogue ones which just made everything unbearably loud.

Despite this I managed to get a degree and worked in a school for the deaf briefly. This led to my own diagnosis as they had a unit for hearing children with language disorders where I met a mini me! - an autistic child with auditory processing disorder which led to my own dx in adulthood.
Inky Tinks, that’s an awesome accomplishment. Hearing aids seem like they are improving all the time.
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