"Thomas Olrich, 35, was diagnosed with Asperger’s four years ago. He says he always knew he was different. “I knew something was up. I was always upset, always scared. Something was not clicking.”
The project was made possible in partnership with Street Roots and the Regional Arts & Culture Council in an effort to chronicle the diversity of this complex diagnosis of autism, illustrating the challenges and beauty of an unconventional life.
"Thomas poses outside his apartment in the Pearl District with (right to left) his older sister Candice Kramer, her husband Jason Kramer, and their mother Cindy Taylor."
In his own words: Thomas Olrich
Living with Asperger’s is challenging. I have problems talking to people sometimes. Like when I’m trying to express myself it comes out wrong. I don’t understand what people say to me. Like I don’t pick up on verbal cues sometimes. I can’t pick up on people’s gestures. Like when I talk to people that are not paying attention to me. I talk to them anyways. When people are working hard, I don’t understand that they can’t give me full attention. Having Asperger’s effects my social habits. My mood changes when I talk in social gatherings and I talk less. Having Asperger’s, I feel very alone sometimes and always feel vulnerable. I also feel ripped off. Asperger’s throws me curve balls. It makes everyday normal tasks like speaking,learning, and understanding harder.
Asperger’s upsets me, but I go a different route. I learn in steps and need structure to succeed. My family circle helps me find structure. My sister and brother-in-law helped me to become the successful man I am today. Having a job at Goodwill gives me structure, too. I also have really good medical care. My sweet pad in the Pearl is good for me, too! I’m bettering myself every day.
"Thomas lives alone in low-income housing in the Pearl District in Northwest Portland. He pays $562 a month in rent."
"Thomas says he has daily, “fits,” which is when his anxiety flares up and, as he puts it, “My Asperger’s runs away with me a bit.” The fits make him feel anxious, needy and vulnerable and can be caused by anything stress-related, from a school paper, to an over-crowded ride on the MAX or even messing up at karaoke. But Thomas is learning to control his anxiety and knows that the feeling is fleeting, “Those things suck, I try to check them at an hour because I don’t want to mess up my whole day.”
About this series:
Autism is the fastest growing disability in the U.S. with an economic impact of more than $90 billion. The Center for Disease Control reports that now one in 110 children are being classified with autism spectrum disorders, compared to one in 10,000 in the 1970s, and according to the Autism Society of Oregon, our state has one of the highest rates of autistic diagnosis in the country.
First documented in 1944, many with Asperger´s Syndrome can be quite gifted, but are often socially awkward and unable to make friends. Frequently misunderstood, those affected live in a world of missed social cues and difficult exchanges. Called “little professors” by their namesake, Hans Asperger, who noted their talent of acquiring expertise in specific topics. Those with the syndrome usually want to fit in and have interactions; they simply don’t know how.
The objective of this series is to explore the diversity and complexity that exists across this spectrum, for it is often said that people with autism are like snowflakes — no two alike. This work is especially relevant given controversial revisions proposing to do away with the Asperger’s diagnosis altogether in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the diagnostic encyclopedia of American psychiatry.
As history changes, a record must be kept, these stories must be told. Through the support of Street Roots and the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the goal of this series is to encourage viewers to question their perceptions of both Asperger´s and autism and challenge themselves to gain a deeper understanding of the people behind the label.
Please join us as we give a voice to those that often have none.
Leah Nash is a documentary photographer based in Portland. More of her work can be found at www.LeahNash.com.
The project was made possible in partnership with the Regional Arts & Culture Council in an effort to chronicle the diversity of this complex diagnosis of autism, illustrating the challenges and beauty of an unconventional life.