Routine got me again and I used

I used to have to drink and do drugs to function before the ride the last few years have taken me on. Everyday. I was using lots of benzodiazapines, and usually vodka, even at work for nearly 20 years. Used to smoke a lot of weed. Other stuff at times too.

Getting diagnosed made me realise that a lot of the factors that contributed to it were due to sensory discomfort and anxiety as parts of my autism. I had no clue of such things in relation to autism. I just thought I had psychological problems that were nothing to do with autism. One day I was taking the AQ test under suggestion of my GP. Three months later I was told I had autism, which I knew little about, then learned as I went from there.

I've found that occasionally I will get drunk to cope with such things since, which can lead to me using drugs while drunk. Going to noisy or unknown places being something. I don't get frustrated when I do, or even think "I've fell off the wagon". Seems a bit of a dangerous line of thinking, for me anyway. I just think "I drank that day, I'm not going to today. It's another day". It's worked for me.

The hangover or downer the next day can be a thing that causes introspection. I now know that it's just a part of the hangover or downer, not a real tangible part of my regular train of thought.

Don't get frustrated, it's not worth the stress!

I used to have to drink and do drugs to function before the ride the last few years have taken me on. Everyday. I was using lots of benzodiazapines, and usually vodka, even at work for nearly 20 years. Used to smoke a lot of weed. Other stuff at times too.

Getting diagnosed made me realise that a lot of the factors that contributed to it were due to sensory discomfort and anxiety as parts of my autism. I had no clue of such things in relation to autism. I just thought I had psychological problems that were nothing to do with autism. One day I was taking the AQ test under suggestion of my GP. Three months later I was told I had autism, which I knew little about, then learned as I went from there.

I've found that occasionally I will get drunk to cope with such things since, which can lead to me using drugs while drunk. Going to noisy or unknown places being something. I don't get frustrated when I do, or even think "I've fell off the wagon". Seems a bit of a dangerous line of thinking, for me anyway. I just think "I drank that day, I'm not going to today. It's another day". It's worked for me.

The hangover or downer the next day can be a thing that causes introspection. I now know that it's just a part of the hangover or downer, not a real tangible part of my regular train of thought.

Don't get frustrated, it's not worth the stress!

It seems to be ‘really’ common for autistic adults, especially those without diagnosis, to use alcohol or drugs to self medicate their autism symptoms. Not always ‘knowing’ when we are stressed doesn’t help either!