Do what we love unemployed VS Employed doing what we loathe?

lol... it sounds rather familiar.

Income aside; I'm always posing this question to therapists and people from employment agencies.

"How do you expect me to fit in work in between all my daily activities?" that's what generates an awkward silence and usually results in "well.. I don't know, maybe you should do less things in your spare time?". In order for me to get employed I'm actually required to care less about learning skills which I like. I once retorted with "if that's so... then I deem my life worthless". Yes, that's quite a Nietzschean stance I guess. That's where they figure I'm not fit to get employed and I might consider finding a therapist.

For me personally; I know that I can't deal with anything "not fun"... I'm trying hard enough to keep my moods stable and not sink into depression. That'll usually make me drop out of a job within a week as well. So either way "I win"... well, win... I kinda get to keep my fun stuff going on.

Alternatively, you could say "but you're having social security, what if they take that away?"... well, seeing that I'm a steady customer at therapists office over the past few years, I've showed rather severe results in the sociopathic and psychopathic scales... I could obviously pose "then, what's keeping me in line to not act like a madman?"

Less things in spare time??? - This reduces the me-time for me to recover from the stresses of the workplace, which many of us reall can't take it.

Doing things that are not fun in work? - Well, this is work for me, too. If I start to find work 'not fun', then depression may sink in any time, too. Also, I was a madman.

Looks that I should head towards a life of collecting disability checks all life, or something like that. I wish I can. Some societies allow some of their people to do nothing and collect welfare, like maybe Britain, but some don't, like the one I live in currently.

No matter what, though, I will do my best to work a life of financial responsibility.

Geordie;bt1294 said:

Less things in spare time??? - This reduces the me-time for me to recover from the stresses of the workplace, which many of us reall can't take it.

Doing things that are not fun in work? - Well, this is work for me, too. If I start to find work 'not fun', then depression may sink in any time, too. Also, I was a madman.

Looks that I should head towards a life of collecting disability checks all life, or something like that. I wish I can. Some societies allow some of their people to do nothing and collect welfare, like maybe Britain, but some don't, like the one I live in currently.

No matter what, though, I will do my best to work a life of financial responsibility.

Click to expand...

Well, if you don't have a job you have more spare time than average. I have 24 hours a day of "me-time". The problem however is that on the moments I'm driven and hooked to something this is not enough. If I have my down days... yes, I might have time with no allocation and I could do a job, which requires me to have a double dose of "me time" pretty fast since I need to de-stress.

The thing is, with any of my hobbies I can easily spend 20+ hours in one go and still feel I'm not spending enough time "getting into it". Most things I do aren't "small activities". I can't paint for 2 hours, stop and go at it the next day. I must finish it in one go. Similarly, I can't record music over weeks... that's something I do in one session, otherwise I'm not doing it. This is the same reason why I haven't done a lot, since appointments keep interrupting my personal flow.

The problem with your situation is, that if you feel you don't belong there, you need to move to another country, but all to often other countries ask what your business is there. If you can't add to their economy with a job, they wont let you stay... unless you could plea for a good case of disability... perhaps that's a different case.

Agree with you, 24 hours of me time may not be enough.

I find it enjoyable to read and research on minute subject interests, and feel 'high' about it. Recently, I'm hooked to commercials and commercial jingles, but I understand it's a personal interest, so I take some time off to engage in my interests. I agree, there are hobbies where we feel 20+ hours are not enough. They're so great to engage in. I must finish watching all the advertisements in one industry, for example, before I feel like stopping.

I certainly do not belong to Singapore. Even more so, when I realise I have an autism identity. Autism, to me, is not just a diagnosis. It's a way of life. It's not that Singapore is that politically restrictive or authoritarian or even closed to others' opinions. However, despite my best efforts to contribute to Singaporean society in a way they find it socially acceptable, I'm still not accepted as a native Singaporean. I am born here, I am raised here, and I even work hard to work for my country. But those leaders (especially autism societies in Singapore) have other plans, they just seem too quick to dismiss me from entering their world - so much for involvement For Auties, By Auties - and too slow to gather the strengths of the masses' wisdom to be publicly known, especially so when Auties all have so much talent everywhere. I call this 'small-mindedness'.

How can I not feel disappointed? I work hard, but things do not work as well, even as I did all I can. Either I give up my dream and live in a quiet corner, and be cut off from other people's worlds, since this is the way leaders in my community envision; or, I keep up hope, and work towards an autism community of progress in any form I and other people I know can think of.

I really hope to move to another country, she could be far less aware of autism, and may be much poorer than Singapore; however, she could be much more accepting of ideas than mine, and allow me to either work with the autism community with hope, vision and progress and strengthen together, or, simply giving me opportunity to settle in another country, with a job that involves some of the things I like, e.g. helping to create new local commercial spots for their orange juice company? Being in a new culture, coupled with an accepting environment that opens up minds, could bring changes.

Thanks for really opening up new possibilities, King_Oni

I've edited this post off the thread myself. I'm too mixed up to give a balanced opinion on this. sorry.

Hi Tarragon

Such is the reasons that I do my best to make my interests, well, employable skills.

I do my best to try working. Even with a past record of psychiatric records that people with my conditions do not work, I still keep on trying.

Even if I failed, I see others with my conditions breaking down and since unable to work, I'd tried, with no regrets. But I'll try - no, I'll do anything I can. I'll be myself, since autism is, indeed, a sort of a difference.

With awareness of my own limitations, I'll move forward. I'll be better able to avoid some pitfalls, but not all. I'll move forward.

I also think for any person, who really has the ability to work but can't work, and plays video games every day, is simply wasting potentials. This is definitely something we need to stop see happening. For me, as I have mostly recovered from my conditions, I feel confident that I can perform a job well that got to do with my interests. I really hope more people will feel able enough to find a job, that is, if they have the ability to keep up with a job. I know I can, because I am on track to graduate on time, in 3 years, in my 3 year course, with no special provisions (when I do actually need them). And I'm still sane, I'm still good!

Not too sure for some less unfortunate ones, though, and there are many of them out there.

Having interacted with more than 230+ people with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, psychosis, in both Singapore and overseas, I think there are really a few of us who really has to 'not do anything'. And disability insurance is not an insulting idea to them. It even supports them.

I'm not having a go at anyone, honest. I think I might be struggling to come to terms with my own realisation that I'm an Aspie.mperhaps it would be best to delete that post of mine.

I mean, there's a huge contradiction between my pushing myself out there in the nt world, and my own history, which is for all to see in that post!

I'm tempted to give up on working myself - having been told I was not fit medically and the fact I've actually PASSED the ATOS test twice!

To be honest, even though I'm trying to work towards working, the result might be disastrous anyway!

I'm not angry at people here, I think id like to retract that last post of mine. I'm too unstable about this issue. sorry. :unsure:

It's alright, Tarragon. We are all Aspies. We all need hugs, or other acts/words of encouragement and affirmation. We in AC will support each other, and will continue to do so in the future. And indeed, you'd came a loooong way.

I've edited my posts too.

Feel free to comment.

thanks

I have to admit, I have had jobs I hated. They never lasted long (my personal best was 5 days - I left before the end of the "training period". And yep, the other people who were training with me carried on and got well paid jobs...)

In fact, I've bounced around so many places not fitting in, despite my abilities to do the specific job usually being vastly superior (or at the very least, equal!!) to those around me!

I always fancied being a light house keeper. it's a job that I'd love to do!!

I've spent the last two and a half years out of work. Have I noticed? barely! Too much to do!

And, like you, I think Im seeing just what I could be doing to help others like ourselves. Maybe that's our calling? Do we owe it to other aspies to help right the wrongs that society hands out to us?

why should we do a job that isn't "us"? Why can't there. be jobs where we can all add to society? instead of benefits, why not pay us to help society grow with arts and interests? Even on minimum wages, I'd rather do something I'm happy doing...

Guess its up to us to create this world then?

Most Aspies I know have the desire to help others. We all can add to societal worth, in our on way, with or without employment. It'd be slightly better with employment, and all the recognition employment gives us.

Perhaps the Training Periods are there to really confirm our suitability for certain jobs. It's ok to leave before the periods if the jobs do not turn out suiting us. We really have other talents, anyway.

Yep, even if I'm busy, I'll do something. And no, it's not video games I'll read, read and read, and talk, write and feel excited over what I read.

Maybe we'll all do well with arts and other interests, so long as we're happy.