The Feeling's Unmutual : Growing Up With Asperger Syndrome (Undiagnosed)

Recently the phrase "Asperger Syndrome" became part of my vocabulary. It explains all the things my psychologist could not.' - Will Hadcroft What makes the Asperger child immerse himself in such things as Doctor Who and The Incredible Hulk? In this honest and entertaining autobiographical account, Will Hadcroft links his obsessive TV series fixations to eventually being diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. He describes drawing comfort from identifying with heroic individuals or fictional characters, and the liberating effect of an accurate diagnosis for someone who felt 'out of place' and didn't know why. This original and highly readable book offers a fresh insight into the experience of feeling 'unmutual', or misunderstood, and how this can result in bullying at school and in the workplace, escalating into social phobia, paranoia and obsessive behaviour. It amply illustrates some of the more subtle expressions of the Asperger condition and provides an accessible introduction to those new to AS. Cover......Page 1 The Feeling’s Unmutual: Growing Up with Asperger Syndrome (Undiagnosed)......Page 5 Contents......Page 9 A Dayatthe Office (with Asperger Syndrome)......Page 11 A Slight Cerebral Pause, 1970–74......Page 21 Steve Austin, Jaime Sommers, David Banner, Blake’s Seven, the Doctor and Me (Oh, and Primary School), 1974–80......Page 27 Birth of an Obsession, 1980–81......Page 49 “I Hope It’s Not Like Grange Hill”, 1981–82......Page 55 “William’s a Bit Slow”, 1982–83......Page 69 “Why are you Weird?”, 1983–86......Page 90 The Real World, 1986–87......Page 122 The Vomit of a Tormented Soul, 1988–90......Page 132 Simple Babylon, 1991–92......Page 155 Carol Catherine – The Making of Me, 1993–95......Page 173 Introducing Will Hadcroft, 1995–97......Page 190 Pursuing the Dream, 1997–2002......Page 204 Anne Droyd and Century Lodge: The Dream Come True......Page 225 The Pieces Fall into Place, 2003......Page 228 Diagnostic Criteria for Hadcroft Syndrome......Page 234 Websites Devoted to My “Specialist Subjects”......Page 236 What makes the Asperger child immerse himself in such things as Doctor Who and The Incredible Hulk? In this honest and entertaining autobiographical account, Will Hadcroft links his obsessive TV series fixations to the eventual realization that he has Asperger Syndrome. He describes drawing comfort from identifying with heroic individuals and fictional characters, and the liberating effect of an accurate diagnosis for someone who felt 'out of place' and didn't know why. This original and highly readable book offers a fresh insight into the experience of feeling 'unmutual' - misunderstanding and being misunderstood - and how this can result in bullying at school and in the workplace, escalating into social phobia, paranoia and obsessive behaviour. It amply illustrates some of the more subtle expressions of the Asperger condition and provides an accessible introduction to those new to AS. Annotation What makes the Asperger child immerse himself in such things as Doctor Who and The Incredible Hulk? In this honest and entertaining autobiographical account, Will Hadcroft links his obsessive TV series fixations to eventually being diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. He describes drawing comfort from identifying himself with heroic individuals or fictional characters, and the liberating effect of an accurate diagnosis for someone who felt 'out of place' and didn't know why. This original and highly readable book offers a fresh insight into the experience of feeling 'unmutual', or misunderstood and how this can result in bullying at school and in the workplace, escalating into social phobia, paranoia and obsessive behaviour. It amply illustrates some of the more subtle expressions of the Asperger condition and provides an accessible introduction to those new to AS A day at the office (with Asperger Syndrome) A slight cerebral pause 1970-74 Steve Austin, Jamie Sommers, David Banner, Blake's seven, the doctor, and me (oh, and primary school) 1974-80 Birth of an obsession 1980-81 "I hope it's not like Grange hill", 1981-82 "William's a bit slow" 1982-83 "Why are you weird?" 1983-86 The real world, 1986-87 The vomit of a tormented soul, 1988-90 Simple Babylon 1991-92 Carol Catherine : the making of me 1993-95 Introducing Will Hadcroft 1995-97 Pursuing the dream, 1997-2002 Anne Droyd and Century lodge: the dream come true The pieces fall into place 2003 Diagnostic criteria for Hadcroft syndrome Websites devoted to my "specialist subjects." 'With disarming honesty, Will Hadcroft takes us on an often painful journey through a life made tolerable by intermittent escape from the confusing world around him into the alternative worlds offered by fantasy and science fiction on television. I feel humbled and proud to have been there for Will with my TARDIS, albeit on a television screen, when he needed an anchor. Any actor who needs to justify his trade should read this book, as should anyone who simply wants to experience a fine writer telling his own moving and honest story.'. - Colin Baker, the Sixth Doctor Who. 'Will Hadcroft's fasc AS SOON AS THE ALARM clock goes off I feel it, running deep, like tremors before an earthquake, waiting to spark something bigger.