Positive Aspects of Receiving the Diagnosis

Initially I struggled emotionally when receiving the Aspergers diagnosis.  I was 36 years old when I received it and had already failed in numerous professions as a result of being an undiagnosed Aspie.  But I have found the following positive results of discovering I am an Aspie. 

Understanding why I can’t function in an office

After losing my last job in 2008, I realized I could not cope in the office world anymore.  I stopped trying to function in an office setting.  I did not know why I had this problem but I understood that office jobs were not for me.  Now that I have the Asperger diagnosis, I have a viable and reasonable explanation for the fact that I cannot work in an office.  I know that I have a severe social skills deficit which renders working in an office very difficult if not impossible for me.  I stopped blaming myself for the fact that I often failed in the interview process and had a great deal of difficulty both getting and keeping a job.  I felt an enormous amount of relief from the diagnosis.  I felt that I understood a great deal more about myself since receiving the diagnosis.   

Discovering new talents and skills I didn’t know that I have

Photography – I never would have taken up photography as a hobby and tried to turn it into a career choice – if I had not known I have Aspergers.

Re-orienting my career in a more positive direction

I am choosing a new career path in writing and photography which is far better for me than the office jobs that I tried to pursue in the past.  I gave up on trying to pursue office jobs which play to my weaknesses in social skills instead of my intellectual strengths.  Working on a freelance basis in writing and photography is a much better match for my skills and abilities than trying to function in an office.