Got my assessment next week...why on earth am I doing this

Just checked in on this thread. So pleased things have gone well for you. I was really disorientated after my assessment (couldn't quite grasp doing tasks and mixing in social exchanges as well - think I was expecting something a little more formal). The sessions I had with my psychologist were really helpful too, just because of the insight they gave - things started to become a little more manageable.  Great you're feeling supported *virtual hug* 

Glad you’re assessment went well.

Never mind, we can get round it I expect

u're correct  @out_of_step doesnt work. They dont always work. i know aidie works. There are characters it cant handle.  

Thanks very much OOS  I'll look into it  how do I put a reply button on my message?

Oh thanks for replying. I can't get the hang of this site.

yes aren't assessments tiring. Any social situation is tiring isn't it.

I am the same as you, join the club: I'm hopeless with inference. I need things to be spelled out nice and clearly so I understand them. I also try really hard in social situations but they don't go very well, usually.

My diagnosis booklet said that I don't have social understanding so I try to learn what to do cognitively, which is very tiring and I need lots of rest. Probably the same for you? Your report will help a lot.

I'm glad you feel you did the right thing, I think it sets our minds at rest.

NAS71069 there's no reply button to your comment so replying here. I've been told it's called acceptance and compassion. It's not about changing your thoughts, but learning to tolerate uncertainty and anxiety.

KikiCat. ..I've tried to tag you in but it didn't find you. I've also tried to reply to your comment but the reply buttons disappeared half way down the thread even though I'd refreshed several times.

Thank you for asking. The assessment was a positive experience but also tiring. I'm really glad I did it. The informal feedback was good and from this and my own "analysis", has given me insight into some things which I hadn't considered before. Such as I don't think I'm very good at all with inference amd I've realised how much I TRY in social situations. No wonder I'm always so tired. The professionals I dealt with were fantastic and positive, I could be very open and honest which I think we all appreciated. I am waiting for a formal report. 

what type of CBT is working for you? I didn't know there were different types!

Thanks

@out_of_step Hmph. @out_of_step. Doesn't work. I dunno.

KikiCat 

use this type of reply to be direct  aidie

How did it go? I can't keep track of this website and who replied to who. It's not very clearly set out.

nice account

I can relate to quite a lot of what you say.

I totally get what you mean by defining yourself by other things. Its not going to define me. I have been told my brain works differently and the name for that is autism. Now it's time to get on with my life. 

Yes, I have had my mental health stretched. Yes I work in a job which non AS people also find difficult.

I'm so glad I did the assessment. I've had CBT before which made me worse.  I tried counselling but the unstructured nature was difficult. I'm currently having CBT which is working really well. The psychologist told me there were different kinds...it sounds like the CBT I'm doing is one of the suitable ones for those on the spectrum.  I was on an SSRI for over a year but didn't feel much different.

I'm hoping it'll be useful to inform my mental health. That's the main thing.  I don't actually want to change my life. I enjoy socialising but now I know just how much my brain has to work for it, I can be kinder to myself.  I think it's this which will take time to adjust. 

The buffering is important!

I recently was diagnosed with ASD - after decades of trying to figure out why life was so damned difficult. I found it helpful as it the shared experiences and struggles of other people really opened things up. I also found some ASD strategies in managing mood and  general day to day things really useful.

TBH I found that accepting that although there is shared experiences amongst ASD, I'm still figuring what that means in my own experience. I keep my reading to life stories, testimonies and strategies - somehow I found the more psychology-orientated literature off putting. I've learned to define myself by other things than my diagnosis. I have pushed myself in the past, also stretching my mental health, unfortunately I came to a situation - a different job role - where I just couldn't push through it because I needed things a certain way that just weren't there (I spoke to other NT's who'd had similar experiences, and they were able to manage it which gave me a clue something was amiss). I decided then if there was something going on then it was better to know - I could decide afterwards who to tell, whether to accept/reject the diagnosis (that's been a fun one!) and whether to ask my employer for adjustments to make things easier. Before the assessment I had loads of doubts - I got ok with it when I decided to trust the process.  

I found the assessment was worth it. Up to now I've been on this endless treadmill of bouts of CBT, 6 session counselling and varying levels of anti-depressants. Now I've got something which actually makes sense (ah! That's why I find people exhausting, conversations in social groups a complete trauma, why certain lighting makes me want to vomit, why I prefer routine over novelty etc.. etc...). On an average day the diagnosis is useful information to make sense of my personal history. On days when I put the effort in and practice strategies to manage general living - like disengaging from activities before I get overtired, checking in on what mood I'm feeling (using a chart for this, because my emotional literacy is virtually non-existent), "buffering" in-between different tasks, life is much, much more pleasant to live.

I'm eager to know how it went...

nice,,,,,, deep statement,,,,, from your inner self

In response to the title of my thread. ...

I am doing this because I know deep down I am. I'm doing this because I know it'll help me with my life..to be kinder to myself and to know there's nothing wrong with me. I just see the world differently to most people.

I don't like using the word autistic. It's too strong for me. Also, I am who I am which is an individual person on this earth. The sun shines on everybody.

I'm glad I've had it confirmed

it'll be fine

i chickened out,,,  it is a bit rude     your version is so posh 

it will be fine