• Replies 11 replies
  • Subscribers 83 subscribers
  • Views 4530 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Permission to be Autistic

Atypical

For those diagnosed in adulthood, it can be daunting to accept what a diagnosis means. It may:

  • Provide much needed answers and come as a relief;
  • Provide as many questions as answers;
  • Give permission or start the journey to allow yourself to be autistic (accepting yourself). This may mean that pretending to act in a ‘neurotypical‘ way is no longer needed.

If you were diagnosed as adult, did this lead to acceptance? Did acceptance give you an improved outlook? Autistic people face enormous challenges daily however, I wanted to start a discussion around how acceptable can be empowering amongst these struggles.

Parents

  • I think that in the right circumstances acceptance is very much key, and in the wrong circumstances will destroy you. Currently we are in the wrong circumstances.

    I am diagnosed, and i am also one of those diagnosed with Aspergers (DSM pah). 

    I've always known i was different, you don't get abused in primary school (lates 70s/early 80s) the way i did and not know somethings not right. I always got THE top marks, i did very little at school, but i was extremely studious at home, voracious reader and avid knowledge seeker.

    No matter how abusive they got, i would not go into their box. I was beaten. Tortured (locked in stationary cupboard with the light off REGULARLY, i am still scared of the dark, claustrophobic and there are NO doors except the bathroom hung in the house), excluded, ridiculed and generally destroyed.

    I do not know who my 2nd and 3rd year teachers were as i spent most of my time in the corridors or in this weird play area, i did have 1 to 1 teaching for a while, after which i was put with the final year at 7/8. The 1 to 1 teacher left teaching because of the way i was treated, and if needs be i hope will provide a statement about that treatment.

    I wasn't a bad kid, i was super smart and wanted to answer everything, i wanted to understand everything. They were teaching to the wrong level. I was bored.

    So that bit of background is just to indicate that a lot of us have always known, it wasnt until 2001 that it had a name for me, not an official diagnosis but a deep conversation with a forensic psychologist acquaintance who suggested it was what was going on.

    2001 i just cracked on with life doing my best to get on my feet (homeless) 03 got settled 05 the flat was broke in whilst i was asleep  i caught them and was stabbed and beaten, 30 stitches to my head and the stabs were glued (screwdriver).

    The deep conversation with the forensic psychologist in 01 had a large element about official diagnosis and labels etc but it was made absolutely clear that if it got too much to seek diagnosis and help so in 05 i started the process, the PCT for my area went bankrupt, the homeless service forced me out of the area and it has taken till last year to get to see a psychiatrist and a diagnosis.

    The diagnosis wasn't a relief just a confirmation, and i thought i might be able to finally access the correct help. You can't.

    And there is the problem. It can be empowering, to finally understand who you are and in many cases know how to deal with it, you are then beaten down when you try to access services.

    This is why. 54. Suicide.

    I know who i am and i accept it, society doesnt and will not accept us.

Reply Children