A new Neurodiversity support thread for those with suspected or diagnosed ASD, ADHD and other NDs

[PigPigTrotters]

Yet another thread for neurodivergent mumsnetters.

Lots of links in old threads.

Anyone is welcome, it's not just about autism.

I know someone who uses well instead of while. That really bugs me.

I think I could learn from a grammar coach. I've asked DH to correct me when I get a sentence wrong, but he never does. It's the commas that get me. Where the hell do they go? I just wing it. And use a lot of these.

These are full stops, not winking smileys.

"these" are full stops, not "these are full stops". argghhhhhhhhhh

Personally, I love these little guys ----> ;

I remember being told to put a comma where there is a natural pause. I pause more than most people, so I think I use more commas.
There are some like an Oxford comma, which iirc is the difference between "let's eat Grandma" and "let's eat, Grandma". I might have got that completely wrong though!

Ooh me too pig. Then I got told off for using too many commas! I'm conscious I use a lot of brackets (to clarify things).

Jen welcome :)
I didn't realise I have ASD until 2 years ago but once I'd let it become a specialist subject read up on it, I felt I needed a diagnosis for peace of mind. I'm glad I did. It's helped me understand myself, stop judging myself so harshly and most importantly, helped with the difficulties I've been having at work. I don't see it as a label - maybe because I had to work through similar stuff when I was diagnosed as dyslexic in my 20s - just as an explanation for why I am as I am. Some people are happy enough with self-diagnosis though.

I may have just started going off on a tangent on a other thread about a particular anime I watch. Now I'm worried I've bored everyone or they'll all think I'm strange

I get the "eats shoots and leaves" stuff, although I'm sure I misplace the odd one now and again. But I know it's more complex than that. I can hear some of the pauses but I definitely have to wing it too.

Right, I'm off to bed. Anyone staying up for The Debate? DH is tempted.

I'd like to know if anyone besides me has trouble finding silent spaces when out. Everywhere seems to feel the need to blast some kind of noise. And the library is no longer quiet. Plus I was in a museum the other day and the exhibit I was looking at had ambient music. It was a fucking archaeology exhibit. It didn't need music!

And I found it really distracting. Am just hoping I am not alone hence posting on this thread.

ISay, I tend to have earplugs with me, or earbuds so I can listen to my own music, which makes it much easier.

Did anyone see the social experiment that was floating around recently?
It showed a waiting room full of people, a lady walked in and sat down. Every so often there was a beep and everyone stood up, then sat down, for no reason at all. The lady copied straight away. Gradually, the waiting room emptied and the lady was the only person left there, she carried on standing up at the beep, then others came into the waiting room and copied what she was doing, even though no-one knew why they were doing it, and there was no purpose to it.

I watched it thinking that I wouldn't do it, but I've just been to a maths session at school (didn't hear a word of what was said - echoey hall, piano lesson going on somewhere, noisy infant class adjoining - at the end, everyone sat still and chatted, so I sat still wondering if I'd missed something, I hadn't, they were just being friendly, and I was the Billy no-mates wally sitting there until someone else made a move after a few minutes, so now I think I would stand up with everyone else, because I would think I'd missed some instruction somehow.

Tha k you for the new thread. I am still waiting to see if the mental health unit will accept the GP referral for Aspergers diagnosis. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Steady, much like Polter I don't tend to go out much if I can help it.

I'm obsessed with a song at the moment. Someone mentioned it on a MN thread and I vaguely knew it but hadn't heard it in years so found it on YouTube and now I keep listening to it over and over.

I forgot to phone up and book DS2's toddler group this week (I hate the fact I have to phone every week). It was so tempting to use that as an excuse not to go but DS2 loves it (even though he refuses to interact with any of the other children and seems to get very overloaded by the whole thing) so I made myself go into the children's centre on my way past this morning (even with the intercom system I hate) and asked if I could still book even though the group is today.

I really wish I could just read my Kindle at the group but I know that wouldn't be socially acceptable.

Ah, but see I normally do my 'I'm friendly and bubbly and supremely confident' act at this group. I feel I've backed myself into a role and I can't change it now.

I know it's stupid and I know I'm torturing myself and should just read quietly in a corner whilst DS2 plays the same game over and over and we both ignore everyone else but I can't help worrying about what everyone else would think.

Oh, I think you should be brave and get the kindle out if that's what you really feel like doing. As long as you acknowledge them and tell them you're going to go and sit in the corner and read, what could possibly be the problem? It would make you totally cool in my eyes and I would bring my book with me the following week and join you (in the opposite corner of the room). Small talk is dull, dull, dull.

Polter, I think you're right. We tend to follow because we assume that everyone else is doing something for a reason that we've missed. I don't think it's sheeplike, it's quite normal and logical behaviour and makes sense for the survival of a species. If we're in a position to question, most people would.

Oxford comma is something to do with lists. Not edible grandmas :)

I'd like to think in that social experiment I would at least ask whoever was next to me why we're all standing up. I would probably still stand up with them though. I'm a questioning sheep.

ISay I find that if I can't have silence then the "right" sort of noise works. I like taking my laptop and working in Pret because the noise in there is like white noise, whereas working in the office is great if nobody else is in, and I can have silence, but as soon as someone else is there and tapping their keyboard and sniffing and offering cups of tea and wanting to talk like some sort of weirdo then I escape off. Costa is too musical, Starbucks is okay if it's downstairs but I hate their coffee, Neros is too clanky.

I thought I had the Oxford comma wrong. Is there a name for eating grandma one, or is it just a bog standard comma?

Phew, glad I found you all again.

I'm ok with coffee shops but only for short periods. Again I wonder about DD. She hates Costa and chooses Dunelm milk coffee shop instead! I keep reminding myself she's a threenager.

My anxiety is awful today. Waiting for final job offer to come through, obsessively checking emails. Also I had problems with my informal childcare plan for half term so have had to put DD in holiday club, not sure how she'll find it because she usually goes to pre-school and there will be lots of much older children there