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Coming Out to the World

texkag

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
Hi Everyone

I hope 2017 is treating you all well. I've been wrestling with an issue since I was diagnosed with Asperger's a couple of months ago. I have only disclosed the diagnosis to my wife and children but I now realize that if I am to achieve my goal of making a difference within the AS community itself I will need to be able to identify myself as autistic more publicly. The problem is that my situation is more complex than most.

Both of my children are on the Autistic Spectrum and are suffering from depression and/or self-harm too. My wife is disabled and I am her full-time carer and am therefore unable to work. I used to volunteer with the CAB here in the UK but have recently had to give this up due to my caring commitments. Since the diagnosis I have wanted to contribute in some way to the AS community but my spare time is limited as is my ability to be out of the house for too long.

I considered writing or starting up a group for adults but I quickly realised that i don't have the time. The only thing I can come up with is to make some videos for YouTube but this inevitably requires me to disclose my Asperger's in the most public of ways. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this or any advice they care to offer.

My self-esteem takes a constant beating because I am not able to work. Maybe making videos can go some way to alleviating that while making some sort of contribution to our community. What do you think?
 
Very much welcome to the best forum in the world! Oh and LOVE your choice of avatar reminds me of how I feel having social anxiety. Dress well and yet, feel worse than what one does not want to stand on outside, if you get my meaning?

I think, personally youtube is an excellent choice. I got obsessed with aspergers and used to watch tons of videos from those who have aspergers. Plus many get recognised and get to go to events and the such like, which could well help your situtation at home.
 
Hi Everyone

I hope 2017 is treating you all well. I've been wrestling with an issue since I was diagnosed with Asperger's a couple of months ago. I have only disclosed the diagnosis to my wife and children but I now realize that if I am to achieve my goal of making a difference within the AS community itself I will need to be able to identify myself as autistic more publicly. The problem is that my situation is more complex than most.

Both of my children are on the Autistic Spectrum and are suffering from depression and/or self-harm too. My wife is disabled and I am her full-time carer and am therefore unable to work. I used to volunteer with the CAB here in the UK but have recently had to give this up due to my caring commitments. Since the diagnosis I have wanted to contribute in some way to the AS community but my spare time is limited as is my ability to be out of the house for too long.

I considered writing or starting up a group for adults but I quickly realised that i don't have the time. The only thing I can come up with is to make some videos for YouTube but this inevitably requires me to disclose my Asperger's in the most public of ways. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this or any advice they care to offer.

My self-esteem takes a constant beating because I am not able to work. Maybe making videos can go some way to alleviating that while making some sort of contribution to our community. What do you think?
hi texkag,welcome fellow brit/UKer.
i think making videos [or starting a blog] is a great idea,i make videos about my experiences with my disabilities and i have had a lot of support from the autistic community,there arent many LFA autists advocating for us so there is a niche available there for me.

i think the community is crying out for autists all over the spectrum to record their own stories,its the only way society will learn about the vast land that is autism rather than looking at textbooks or being brainwashed on the social networks by the stereotypes that view us as tragedies and burdens on the state;written by pessamistic parents who were never properly supported or educated on autism.

if you made videos about how your life has been,speak about how the assessment is and what it was like getting your diagnosis, to how it is post diagnosis-this would be extremely helpful for people who arent diagnosed yet and i think you would be a major help to the autistic community,you would effectively be an activist,theres lots you can do.
if you would like any support,just give me a post,im not very good with pm.
 
Hi Everyone

I hope 2017 is treating you all well. I've been wrestling with an issue since I was diagnosed with Asperger's a couple of months ago. I have only disclosed the diagnosis to my wife and children but I now realize that if I am to achieve my goal of making a difference within the AS community itself I will need to be able to identify myself as autistic more publicly. The problem is that my situation is more complex than most.

Both of my children are on the Autistic Spectrum and are suffering from depression and/or self-harm too. My wife is disabled and I am her full-time carer and am therefore unable to work. I used to volunteer with the CAB here in the UK but have recently had to give this up due to my caring commitments. Since the diagnosis I have wanted to contribute in some way to the AS community but my spare time is limited as is my ability to be out of the house for too long.

I considered writing or starting up a group for adults but I quickly realised that i don't have the time. The only thing I can come up with is to make some videos for YouTube but this inevitably requires me to disclose my Asperger's in the most public of ways. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this or any advice they care to offer.

My self-esteem takes a constant beating because I am not able to work. Maybe making videos can go some way to alleviating that while making some sort of contribution to our community. What do you think?

Wow! I had the same desires. I did do a lot of Vids and then took them down. I don't know why. I am not ashamed of it, but it's just too complicated. TOo much complexities...........and so many others are making a difference. I felt I had nothing to add. I did, though, because there are not a lot of vids on aging with autism and that was the topic I used on all my vids. I was just chicken.
But I hope you are braver :)
 
I know bloggers who record themselves speaking and then get it transcribed. Maybe that would work for you.

You can get transcriber services very cheap from upwork.com
 
Very much welcome to the best forum in the world! Oh and LOVE your choice of avatar reminds me of how I feel having social anxiety. Dress well and yet, feel worse than what one does not want to stand on outside, if you get my meaning?

I think, personally youtube is an excellent choice. I got obsessed with aspergers and used to watch tons of videos from those who have aspergers. Plus many get recognised and get to go to events and the such like, which could well help your situtation at home.
Thanks Suzanne, I'm beginning to think that YouTube would be the best option for my particular situation. Like you, those who post videos about Asperger's were a great help to me, both during the diagnostic process and beyond it. Perhaps it's my turn to be brave and give back.
 
hi texkag,welcome fellow brit/UKer.
i think making videos [or starting a blog] is a great idea,i make videos about my experiences with my disabilities and i have had a lot of support from the autistic community,there arent many LFA autists advocating for us so there is a niche available there for me.

i think the community is crying out for autists all over the spectrum to record their own stories,its the only way society will learn about the vast land that is autism rather than looking at textbooks or being brainwashed on the social networks by the stereotypes that view us as tragedies and burdens on the state;written by pessamistic parents who were never properly supported or educated on autism.

if you made videos about how your life has been,speak about how the assessment is and what it was like getting your diagnosis, to how it is post diagnosis-this would be extremely helpful for people who arent diagnosed yet and i think you would be a major help to the autistic community,you would effectively be an activist,theres lots you can do.
if you would like any support,just give me a post,im not very good with pm.
HI Toothless and thanks for the support. I think that it's fantastic that you've found a way to advocate for LFA part of our community. You have echoed something important that Suzanne said which struck a chord with me. Like her, I have benefited from watching autistic YouTubers so maybe it's time that I do my bit to help. I just need to get over my fear of doing it; and do it.
 
Wow! I had the same desires. I did do a lot of Vids and then took them down. I don't know why. I am not ashamed of it, but it's just too complicated. TOo much complexities...........and so many others are making a difference. I felt I had nothing to add. I did, though, because there are not a lot of vids on aging with autism and that was the topic I used on all my vids. I was just chicken.
But I hope you are braver :)
Thanks for the support. You are right that the issues of growing old with Autism have hardly been explored. I think it's a shame that you're perspective is no longer available on YouTube as it's sorely needed but I understand the fear. I think for me is was the fear of identifying myself fully as an autistic individual, especially since it has only been a few months since I have had the official designation. But, it's not as if it will harm my careers prospects, I don't have any! I certainly fear being judged but, as my wife has just pointed out, people are going to judge you for all sorts of arbitrary things, so I may as well be judged for something significant.

Bye the way, i suspect you weren't chicken or that there was anything particularly wrong with your videos. I wonder if perfectionism didn't have a part to play. I knew that it's held me back for years. Although I fight it hard now, it is a constant battle.
 
I know bloggers who record themselves speaking and then get it transcribed. Maybe that would work for you.

You can get transcriber services very cheap from upwork.com
Thanks for that. I didn't know that doing both at the same time was even possible. I don't know very much about YouTube so I will have to so some research. Of course I am going to have to be careful not to get bogged down with watching so many videos about how to create YouTube videos that I get caught in a loop and never actually make one.
 
You can actually blend blogging and YouTube very well.

Create a simple WordPress blog, create a YouTube channel, and make a video.

Get the video transcribed and embed the video in a blog with all the transcribed text. Then people can watch, listen or read, and you get great SEO benefits from all the high quality text, so over time you'll show up more and more in Google searches.
 
You can actually blend blogging and YouTube very well.

Create a simple WordPress blog, create a YouTube channel, and make a video.

Get the video transcribed and embed the video in a blog with all the transcribed text. Then people can watch, listen or read, and you get great SEO benefits from all the high quality text, so over time you'll show up more and more in Google searches.
Thanks for that. It just shows how much I have to learn.
 

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