Published on 12, July, 2020
It’s four days since I got diagnosed, in this time things have been hard. What with the virus and the autism diagnosis, my head has been spinning. To be honest I’m struggling, mainly due family not being supportive. My work colleagues and supervisor have been awesome an my friends are happy for me.
It’s my family that have hurt me, by being dismissive.
We are in a similar boat. I too was diagnosed this week. My husband and kids are like whatever - we've known this was likely for a while - my wider family are also dismissive. My in-laws don't get it at all. Perhaps they don't need to. I was diagnosed so I could confirm what I already knew - there was something different about me and it's not my fault. I got my daughter diagnosed because I didn't want her to go through life wondering why she was different - I wanted her to know and celebrate it.
We are inside our body - we over time understand our differences - family members can only guess. Some of them are in denial about potential diagnoses for themselves and feel threatened by ours and what it could mean for them. Give them time to adjust. Suggest 1 or 2 things they could do to support you an take it from there.