Soraya - Living Independently on the Autism Spectrum: What You Need to Know to Move into a Place of Your Own, Succeed at Work, Start a Relationship, Stay Safe, and Enjoy Life as an Adult on the Autism Spectrum

Going out on your own can be an exciting challenge for anyone. It can be scary, but it can also be wonderful.

For those of us on the autism spectrum, it can be even more daunting. We can face difficulties that others dont even think about. The stress of change and transition can be particularly acute. But, like anyone else, we have our strengths. Its just a question of finding and harnessing them.

Like many who grew up undiagnosed, I struggled through those times alone, without an understanding of why I encountered so many issues. I made plenty of mistakes. If youre reading this book, youve got something going for you: Youre arming yourself with knowledge. That is a great start.

In this book, youll expand your knowledge and draw on the collective experiences of people on the spectrum whove found their way through this transition. This book will help you to learn what you need to know in order to survive and thrive on the autism spectrum.

Read on for some of the important topics we will cover.

We will talk about soft skills, like understanding yourself. What are your skills and abilities? How can you best tap them? Then we will move on to understanding others. Why do people do what they do? What are the differences in communication that can lead to challenges in connecting? What are the best ways to address these challenges?

Once you have identified some of your strengths and challenges, we will also look at building some key strategies for growth. In what areas do you want to improve your skills? What skills are required to achieve what you want in life? Out in the world, theres a lot of pressure to conform. Youll need to know how to manage your differences, and balance those pressures with your personal needs.

The world can be overwhelming to many of us. Inevitably, you will run into some stress. What are some ways to deal with those stresses? This stress may be increased by the differences in how people on the autism spectrum experience the world. We will discuss how to translate your experience of the world to others, to clearly communicate your wants and needs.

Many aspects of living on the spectrum can make us extra vulnerable to danger. Well talk about what some of those things are, and how to best keep yourself safe. This will include choosing where to live, the right kind of living situation, and building a support system. In a home and work environment, some routine skills may be more difficult for us, such as time management, organization, and getting around. Well talk about each of these areas, and talk about how to overcome some of these challenge areas.

The employment world can be a particularly difficult one for those on the spectrum. Well discuss the many different aspects of finding the kind of work that will work for you. Well talk about setting career goals, identifying job opportunities, handling the unique challenges of the job interview, and the complex challenges of handling the social aspects of the workplace.

Going out on your own brings new challenges in terms of developing new relationships, and managing changes in existing ones. Well talk about how your family relationships may change, and how they should change. Well discuss when you should ask for support, and when it will be necessary to set boundaries.

Making friends is a common challenge experienced by many on the spectrum. Once the structure of school is over, making friends can be even more difficult. Well cover changes in your social circle, ways to make friends, and how to keep them. Most of all, well talk about dating and romantic relationships. What are the ins and outs of dating? And what about that all important wordsex?

Some of the best teachers Ive met in life are the diverse members of the autism community: other adults on the autism spectrum, families of those on the spectrum, and experts who have made autism their lifes work. In this book, youll meet a number of these people. They will share with you their insights on how a person on the spectrum can learn to tackle the challenges of his condition and how to live a successful, happy life on the spectrum.

To start us off, I asked them a question: If you had the opportunity to speak to a person on the spectrum whos just starting out in life, what one thing would you want to say to this person?

Here are some of their responses:

Success has little to do with your circumstances and everything to do with your strategies. Brian R. King, Adult on the Autism Spectrum, parent, licensed clinical social worker, author of Strategies for Building Successful Relationships with People on the Autism Spectrum

Take lots of long walks by yourself. What [a diagnosis] means to you is something only you will know, so you need the guts to face things honestly. And never process all this at anyone elses speed (or wishes) other than your own. Michael John Carley, Adult on the Autism Spectrum, parent, executive director of the Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, and author of Aspergers from the Inside Out

Its a label, not a limitationyou can be anything you want to be because youll always be an individual. Gavin Bollard, Adult on the Autism Spectrum, parent, and blogger at