Hi,
    I just discovered this website. I have a 30 year old son with Aspergers, and he has worked since he was sent home from college in 98'
He has experienced about 98% of everything that you all have. He was not fired from his last job, but was left hanging in limbo...not fired, not laid off, but banned from the workplace he had worked at for 10 years by a third party. The only way to resolve the issue was to follow some free lawyer advice and let the Dept of Labor decide. They found in my son's favor...so far so good (still some anxiety as one never knows how a former employer will decide how to behave).
   My son has major ups and downs. When he is less burdened with anxiety and stress he does really well, but when his thought-life starts to spiral down, he has a hard time pulling himself back out. I have learned to mention funny things (my son has difficulty recalling funny memories)such as funny memories and funny movies (comedies, silly veggie tales songs and such) in order to get him to laugh, and then the brain-lock and total shut-down starts to melt off and within a few minutes to a half-hour my son resurfaces out of himself. I don't understand why his therapist hasn't figured out the humor-angle yet.
    I am exasperated with most of the medical staff and the amount of times they have changed his meds (and without oversight to the side-effects). Paxil really messed him up. Wellbutrin seems to have quieted down his OCD a lot, but anxiety now has replaced the OCD.
   I am so glad I found this site. Wow, thank you whoever posted this website.