Welcome to A.S.S.G.O

Hi, I'm John Wiley, new to the group, 49.
I have been diagnosed and treated as bipolar for a long time.
A recent re-assessment showed that I'm really high-functioning
Aspergers Syndrome with depression and anxiety explains much about my life.
 
 My restricted area of interest was pipe organs from a young age. Organ music was
important because it related to pipe organs. I was stuck with other things like school,
simple jobs, but nothing mattered but pipe organs. I was apprenticed in building
pipe organs. When that fell through, at my next two jobs, the people that I worked with
heard about how everything related to pipe organs for years.

Eventually, after years and with much effort, I completed a four year college degree
in business. My project was a feasibility study of hybrid automobiles. People heard
all about that for years. Computers started to be an obsession are the current
intrest that I have, although now that I am treated, it is not an obsession.

Then I moved back close to family. I soon fell into major depression because of
constant spine pain. I was treated for the depression, then re-diagnosed as bipolar
disorder. I even became president of the local
chapter of the Depression and Support Alliance for years, an all volunteer, unpaid job.  That helped me to be more social.  With a re-assessment recently,at my insistance, correctly diagnosed with  Asperger's Disorder, well, with bipolar of course.

I have had a complex clerical/mailroom job for 12 years now.

I usually walk with my head down, by habit, so I do not make eye contact. When I do
talk to someone I rarely make eye contact. Clothing for me must be soft. I have really sensitive hearing. I do not make friends easily as I often say the socially wrong things.
I am very absent minded and even forget where I am going at work sometimes.
I am a real "homebody" and isolate by nature.

I communicate much better in writing than in person since I can
go back and edit, spell check, re-word, take what I said back, etc.
Often I write my emails  in a word processor and just copy and paste them
into the email. It's easier.

I grew up in a small town in the USA in the 60's and 70's, so I was never diagnosed
with anything, but often teased and bullied. I was often teased and bullied about being
“antisocial” and “retarded”all through high school. Now I know why.