Any advice on being assessed for autism?

Hi everyone. I am just here looking for a bit of help. I am 24 years old and have struggled mentally and socially for as long as I can remember. It started with being obsessive as a child. I struggled with s chool and to this day I still struggle to make friends. I find myself not understanding other people and how they feel and just things that other people find easy are hard for me. Things like having a conversation. I hide it really well, but I feel as if I have been hiding it for a long time and it is exhausting. I have outbursts caused by frustration and becoming too overwhelmed. These outbursts have involved anything from head butting or punching things to throwing myself down the stairs. I don't understand why I do this I just feel like I am so overwhelmed by situations and I don't know what to do with the emotions and information I am dealing with. I have now booked a doctors appointment for next week but I was just wondering if anyone is in a similar situation and how others have coped. Particularly with the social side, outbursts and sensory problems. Thank you so much in advance. 

Parents
  • I had my son referred by gp and the waiting was about 6-8weeks.  I got s call and completed a questionnaire that only need a tick for the statements.  He was seen and they just asked questions from both of us.  Then told me he was on the spectrum and will be diagnosed by the specialist and 6 months wait.  Give gp as much details as you can and they will be able to advise you and refer.  No one at my son's school believed my son had a sen but the gp was very understanding and said the referral wont hurt anyone at least it will put mind to rest.  The assessment helped me understand my son better as I feel I was making his life harder when I couldn't understand why he couldn't follow or understand instruction.  GP would be the best place to start at.  

  • Thank you. I think I am going to write a list for my doctor and take it with me. Hopefully they will take what I am saying seriously. I am glad you have been able to better understand your son :) 

Reply Children
  • That would be good.  Going to the gp was the best thing I did.  It sounds like you have coped well by coming up with strategies to get by. There are many signs of being autistic my son was so good at coming up with strategies that no one thinks he is autistic.  Socialising, making friends, sense of direction, and memory are some of the things he struggles with but would never admit. He doesn't even remember the names of the group of children he befriended at the start of the yr and just waits for their names to come in a conversation or not use the name.