http://www.thewesternstar.com/Wellbeing/2007-10-20/article-1465785/Living-in-a-concrete-world/1
Rituals and routines take over life for man with Aspergers syndrome
Tom Jackman lives in a concrete world.
It's a world with walls no one else can see.
The tall 30-year-old is soft-spoken, but articulate; both shy and gregarious. His personality often leaves people who meet him finding it hard to believe he has a form of autism.
Jackman wants to develop a network of peers, but as someone who's dealing with Asperger's syndrome, it's been hard at times to make friends.
It's a world with walls no one else can see.
The tall 30-year-old is soft-spoken, but articulate; both shy and gregarious. His personality often leaves people who meet him finding it hard to believe he has a form of autism.
Jackman wants to develop a network of peers, but as someone who's dealing with Asperger's syndrome, it's been hard at times to make friends.
Tom Jackman lives in a concrete world.
It's a world with walls no one else can see.
The tall 30-year-old is soft-spoken, but articulate; both shy and gregarious. His personality often leaves people who meet him finding it hard to believe he has a form of autism.
Jackman wants to develop a network of peers, but as someone who's dealing with Asperger's syndrome, it's been hard at times to make friends.
Like other people with Asperger's, Jackman has a daily routine that, in his mind, must be strictly followed - that's his concrete world. Unfortunately, that trait can make it difficult for people with Asperger's to find work.
"People with Asperger's are obsessed with routines and rituals," Jackman explained.
"I almost see that in places I go to - I'm almost going to the same places every night. You would think you would go to different restaurants or try something different (but) you don't like change.
"I was living in a certain place and moved out. Even though I kind of hated living there, my mom literally had to drag me out of it."
Jackman is one of about 20 people with Asperger's - also known as high-functioning autism - who uses the services of the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and its facilities, including the Elaine Dobbin Centre for Autism and Shamrock Farm, both located on Clinch Crescent behind the Janeway Children's Hospital in St. John's.
Heather Bartlett, the program manager at the facility, said they don't know how many people in the province have Asperger's. It often goes undiagnosed, more so than other forms of autism, because people with Asperger's have high levels of communication.
Bartlett said students who have it can find it difficult to shift their focus and attention from one concept to another. Such behaviour can be mistaken for defiance. It can lead to a lack of social interaction, and can be misdiagnosed as a learning disability or a form of mental illness.
"It was difficult fitting in with a group," Jackman acknowledges.
"It was hard making friends. You get a lot of acquaintances, but it's hard to make friendships."
Jackman was diagnosed two years ago and said he's only now beginning to realize that many problems he had when he was younger stemmed from Asperger's, which is considered a developmental disorder.
People with Asperger's can have trouble with the subtleties of communication. They can have difficulty maintaining eye contact, for example. And while they may possess a great command of language, they often don't understand nuance, taking sarcasm and metaphors literally.
Those with Asperger's can also find it hard to express emotions. Another common trait, according to Bartlett, is that they find it extremely difficult to be untruthful, even in terms of polite white lies.
People with Asperger's are also often loyal, dedicated, knowledgeable people with good memories.
"Kids in school (with Asperger's), cognitively, they are on par with their peers. … when young, they might be a little shy or awkward," Bartlett says.
"Unless they're disruptive, there's really no red flags."
Jackman is enrolled in vocational programs and supported-living arrangements, with the help of the Autism Society. His goal is to find full-time employment, and a level of independent living. He said he simply needs someone to check in with him periodically to make sure he's keeping his life on track.
The autism centre, meanwhile, is pushing for funding so it can offer its services right across the province. Shamrock Farm is intended to eventually be a fully functioning agricultural operation, providing employment to those with autism.
