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Getting help at work without an official diagnosis

cloudfire
over 3 years ago

Hello,

This is my first post as recent - Covid 19 catalysed - issues have caused me a few problems that have led me to the waiting list for an adult assessment for autism.

Long and the short of it is that I have a job I love but that requires a lot of interaction with a small group off colleagues.  The dynamic worked well in the office and as an information provider I managed quite well.

Move it to remote (thanks to Covid) and I am working with messages (no inflection to help me understand if people are annoyed, dissatisfied or happy with my work) or worse Zoom meetings (how does anyone cope with a series of faces on the screen that randomly freeze and voices that sound like they're underwater?) So three weeks ago I fell apart.

It was my standard meltdown I suppose.  A body that wouldn't move and a brain that was just a cascade of a million fragmented thoughts. ...but because I couldn't see a cause, I knew it wasn't anxiety or depression (my previous diagnoses when this has occured).

A brief chat with my GP after realising this happens repeatedly, and that there are a lot of telltales throughout my life that indicate potential ASD traits, and she has referred me for assessment.  Probably, realistically, in 6 months time.

So does anyone have advice about how to survive in work in the period between meltdown and diagnosis.  I was signed off for two weeks and spent the first one resting and just letting my mind spin away...but I get destructive if I don't work, so even though I'm not coping, I'd rather be doing my job.

How would I go about asking for adjustments without medical backup?

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this makes no sense.

Parents
  • over 3 years ago

    you dont actually need to have a diagnosis to have protection under the law you just need to Believe/think you are autistic. So you can ask for adjustmets now. eg headphone in the office to cut out noise. A place you can go when you have shutdowns/meltdowns etc. Talk it over with HR if u have one. But dont expect too much from your empoyer they will only do so much. Have a wish list ready.  Working From Home once a week ?

Reply
  • over 3 years ago

    you dont actually need to have a diagnosis to have protection under the law you just need to Believe/think you are autistic. So you can ask for adjustmets now. eg headphone in the office to cut out noise. A place you can go when you have shutdowns/meltdowns etc. Talk it over with HR if u have one. But dont expect too much from your empoyer they will only do so much. Have a wish list ready.  Working From Home once a week ?

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