Not sure what to do

The best way to describe how my life feels at the moment is overwhelming.  

My health and ability to cope with things has been deteriorating slowly over time and this is nothing unusual; I go through these phases and have done throughout my life.

What is different now is that everything seems so much more intense and the standard I have to work to are much higher.  I can't get away with having a bad day or even bad month as nothing slows or stops to accommodate it.  I am now a mature woman and as such, people expect me to tolerate and cope with the toils of life, but in fact I still struggle as I did back in my teens, just I hide it better.

As described in other posts, I have been back to my GP as a result of sensory issues and having shutdowns at work and I was told I would be referred to a specialist and would hear within 7 days etc.  That was over a month ago...

My referral has been rejected twice already due to the facilities it has been referred to not being capable of dealing with 'my type of case'.  Meanwhile it has now been referred to somewhere else and I am told to give it more time and be patient.  That's all well and great when you are in a fit state to deal with everything.  Why is it medical experts don't seem to realise time is not on your side in these situations as you are sliding faster down a slippery slope that becomes much harder to climb back up again.  Also, instead of being referred for sensory issues, I have been referred for a mental health assessment.  I am confused and flabbergasted by the whole thing.

As a result I am left feeling like I am trying to drastically hold onto sand that is slowly slipping through my fingers.

There are other personal factors that have probably contributed to how I am feeling and reacting as well, but the main issue is that I am now just functioning as in getting up and going to work and that has been hit and miss on occasions.  My routines that I so strongly rely on to make sure I eat and eat healthy as well as keep my house clean and tidy, I can no longer achieve or even comprehend, which is only heightening my stress levels - I must follow these routines in order to feel calm and in control.  My self-care has also lapsed and everything seems a massive chore.  Even my special interests just seem too much to even think about or get actively involved in.  To make matters worse, my partner is also going through a bad time, so he has his own battles to fight without having to deal with mine.

I am aware I am having an intense period of emotions and that they are bad, but I cannot differentiate what they are or even as to why I am feeling them or what lead me to this point.  Not seeing the wood for the trees could be a possible issue.

Either way, I now don't know what to do.  

I have no one to turn to and even if I did, I don't know what I would say or do as I cannot express myself verbally in these situations.

To summarise, I am tired and I know it is only a matter of time before I roll over and give in because I can't battle on any more.  This is why I get so frustrated that everything surrounding mental health is based on time and the infinite amount of it apparently.

I am normally a good problem solver, but I can't see a way out of this one and that is what troubles me the most.

Parents
  • Hello Starbuck,

    I was diagnosed as autistic in my late twenties and have just joined the forum so this is my first post! I felt compelled to comment as I too feel like everything is overwhelming. Due to my perceived 'intelligence' people ascribe an enormous amount of expectation to me and somehow imagin that because I am reasonably eloquent, I must be capable of incredible things. I find also the weight of expectation appears to be drastically increased by my being (as you are) a woman. 

    Often I have these periods of melancholy & the subsequent fatigue. This is when I force myself to do the opposite of what my mind is telling me to do. Where I feel a wave of sinking negativity and wish to seek reassurance instead I commit to paper a list of things I have achieved. This may sound a trivial solution and unlikely to address the underlying cause but it will alleviate it. I promise. Moreover, I often find that ASD individuals forget the previous reassurances they have had from people and cannot bring them to the fore when they are feeling anxious. This is why you need to write them down and defer to them in a time of crisis. 

    Also remember that the time of year is partially culpable due to lack of sunlight etc. I expect that even neuro typical people without our issues suffer lack of motivation. 

    Anyway; I do hope that you will be feeling better soon, always remember that it passes even though it doesn't seem like it now. 

Reply
  • Hello Starbuck,

    I was diagnosed as autistic in my late twenties and have just joined the forum so this is my first post! I felt compelled to comment as I too feel like everything is overwhelming. Due to my perceived 'intelligence' people ascribe an enormous amount of expectation to me and somehow imagin that because I am reasonably eloquent, I must be capable of incredible things. I find also the weight of expectation appears to be drastically increased by my being (as you are) a woman. 

    Often I have these periods of melancholy & the subsequent fatigue. This is when I force myself to do the opposite of what my mind is telling me to do. Where I feel a wave of sinking negativity and wish to seek reassurance instead I commit to paper a list of things I have achieved. This may sound a trivial solution and unlikely to address the underlying cause but it will alleviate it. I promise. Moreover, I often find that ASD individuals forget the previous reassurances they have had from people and cannot bring them to the fore when they are feeling anxious. This is why you need to write them down and defer to them in a time of crisis. 

    Also remember that the time of year is partially culpable due to lack of sunlight etc. I expect that even neuro typical people without our issues suffer lack of motivation. 

    Anyway; I do hope that you will be feeling better soon, always remember that it passes even though it doesn't seem like it now. 

Children
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