| I don’t have Autism, but I’ve struggled with PTSD/depression for most of my life and have pretty debilitating shyness (so much so that people have asked if I’m autistic). It looks like ThrowawayP has really good suggestions, but I thought I’d throw in a couple resources you may find helpful. 1) I know a huge barrier to getting counseling is the cost. Before you find a stable job you could try online counseling. I found a couple sites that seem pretty affordable (Both options start out free and have comparatively low monthly fees after the initial consultation). I think both have chat options, which is great for people like me who are really shy :) You mentioned that you may be homeless soon. Definitely talk with a counselor about that; they may be able to point you to helpful resources.
- https://www.betterhelp.com/
- http://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/?ob=1 (This site has licensed therapists and “listeners”. This link should take you to the licensed therapist option, which should be more useful.) 2) A few tech companies are starting Autism hiring programs. Here’s a general article about it: http://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/autism-hiring-i...
- Here’s microsoft’s program: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/inside-microsoft/c... 3) I’ve been trying to find ways that I can work on my interviewing skills and am considering using https://interviewing.io/. It allows you to do anonymous technical interviews for practice where you can get feedback on your communication skills. (If your interview goes well, it can even lead to real job opportunities) You mentioned that people hate people with depression, and I just wanted to add that this isn’t necessarily true. There are people who don’t understand it because they haven’t experienced it, but there are a lot of people who will relate to what you’re going through. When you have depression, it feels like everyone dislikes you. I’m not trying to put a bandaid on the issue, and I know there are people who can be cruel and unempathetic. I just want you to know that there are a lot of people out there who do care and will relate (and they’re the ones worth knowing). |
2. Ah, that's cool. I'll look into it although I'm not sure I would personally classify as disabled, or even want to. I certainly don't see myself as disabled in anyway.
3. That's a really cool service. I wish I could sign up, apparently it's in private beta and I can't see an email form anywhere. =(
And yeah, some people relate of course. But in my experience it's probably around 1 in 25 who relate, with probably around 5 out of every 25 who strongly dislike people who are depressed. And I'm not hating on these people, I almost hate people who are unrealistically optimistic all the time, but society often tells us that kind of disorder is good. Which is crazy to me.