Struggling with new diagnosis.

I hope this is the right place to post this.

I was diagnosed with Autism in the summer. After years of seeing a psychiatrist t and being various mental health diagnosis that just didn't quite fit me (bipolar & a personality disorder) my psychiatrist finally referred me for an assessment for autism. I passed that one with flying colours and was told there and then that I was autistic. I was then also told that there wasn't any real help my local authority could offer me as I was an adult. They gave me a bunch of leaflets and I was told that's all they could do to me after the initial assessment. 

I have to admit a lot of things made sense and felt like they 'fitted me' that we hadn't really thought about before but when they were brought up mainly in the session that my Mum had where she was asked a lot of questions I originally felt help with the diagnosis for once I was being told I had something wrong with me that actually felt quite right. 

Fast Forward a couple of months. I'm 37 and I still live at home with my parents. I depend HEAVILY on my Mum who helps me with most things in life (she's now realised she doesn't have to tell me to put a coat on when it's cold outside and can accept i'm warm enough in a t-shirt!)  A few months down the line from my diagnosis I just feel completely lost. If I search anything online to see if my autism could be at the bottom of it it's all about young children. I've been diagnosed late on in life. I'm female, part of the forgotten group apparently but as I said I just feel so lost. My family/friends have embraced how I am and my older sister especially now has more time I feel for my 'quirky' ways. I just wish I could get some help for me and for my Mum. I feel like i've been thrown into some water and its sink or swim time. And right now I'm struggling to stay afloat. 

I have obsessions and they feel so intense at the moment and I don't know if that's my autism or just part of my mental health. I do suffer from obsessions new and old. And when I have a new one they can feel so so intense they actually make me feel quite unwell because I feel really anxious with them. I don't know if that's the same for anyone else, My head is constantly on the go I feel I get no peace. The only time I can completely shut off is when I go and play football (on my own) that's the only time where nothing else enters my head and I feel truly relaxed and happy. 

I don't sleep well at all - I've been put on Melatonin which is starting to work. I just feel like I'm existing at the moment and not living. 

I'm just looking for some advice really. I hope this makes sense to some of you because it doesn't always make sense to me!

Thanks!

  • Hello! yes I think maybe that’s true about sport. I love swimming and for me it does what it sounds like football and Jiu-Jitsu do for you both. It’s one of the only times I shut off too. Plus the water feels really nice - but that’s probably just me and my weird wierd sensory system!

    im in a similar situation to you in that I’m female, 40s and only just diagnosed. I’ve found a couple of books really helpful. Where I got my diagnosis they gave me a leaflet with suggestions on it. I found women and girls on the autism spectrum by Sarah hendrikx (posdibly spelt like that!) really really good for background info. I’d actually read that before I was diagnosed. The other one that seems like it’ll be useful in terms of dealing with life is living well on the spectrum by Valerie gaus. That ones more of a workbook.

    hope that’s useful :o). Have to say I haven’t yet managed to work out quite what a diagnosis actually means for me yet. Sometimes it feels like a massive relief, other times it’s messing with my head! For me it’s only a month ago so I guess that’s to be expected!

    Hope the melatonin works for you. I’ve been taking it for a while. Makes a massive difference to me 

  • Hi NAS39426, just a note about the sport. You said that you only shut off when you play football. In my case is brazilian jiu-jitsu. I practice every day and it helps me a lot. My psychiatrist said that we need sports with a level of individual focus.

  • hello and welcome. I am 40s, female, recently diagnosed and live with parents. Have great trouble turning my head off...wish I could invent an off button!