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What changed for you after assessment?

Autumn

Hi al, 

My therapist has suggested I might be autistic, and having done some reading it sounds like I may be able to ask my GP for referral for an assessment.

On the one hand, I'd quite like to be diagnosed - I felt a huge sense of relief just when he even suggested it; it felt like it would explain me to myself. But on the other hand, if they told me that I'm not ASD then I'd be back to having no explanation for being the way I am. 

Maybe it's best to leave the question unanswered?

My best guess (admittedly based on google research) is that I have some form of ASD, but not severe.

I don't need support with general day to day living - I'm talking to the therapist due to difficulty making friends, finding relationships, and frustration with work. 

Would a mild ASD diagnosis change the way I approach these things? What changed for you after you were diagnosed? What additional support was available?

Any thoughts appreciated!

Thanks

-A

Parents

  • Everything - but then I like clarity about these things, and I even considered the possibility after I was diagnosed that I was mis-diagnosed. After some thought I'm confident they've got it right Wink

    It's allowed me to access additional support at work, even just to reassure folk that if they think I'm being "off" with them, it isn't intentional (it settled a huge misunderstanding between myself and a work colleague, and gave me an insight into just how differently I see things).

    I'm stepping back in meetings, instead of getting frustrated, and taking time to understand how people work together a lot more. I can understand the dynamics as an observer, even if I struggle as a participant.

    My personal history made sense - for the first time everything slotted into place. That was the most valuable thing - I know what I'm working with, and I've started to accept myself and be a lot kinder to myself because of it. 

    It gave me access to some self-management strategies and insight which initially I wasn't aware of. Using a mood chart or making gaps between tasks or asking people to explain things in a different way no longer seemed trivial ideas any more. They're actually essential to maintaining my well-being. 

    I'd spend some time doing a hypothetical. What would it mean for you if you had a positive diagnosis? What would it mean for you if you were assessed and you had a negative diagnosis?

    When I was weighing it up, I decided I had nothing to lose. Plus, getting some time with a psychologist when up to now trying to figure out what was going on with me had been sheer guesswork was an opportunity (yes! I saw it as that) I couldn't pass up.

Reply

  • Everything - but then I like clarity about these things, and I even considered the possibility after I was diagnosed that I was mis-diagnosed. After some thought I'm confident they've got it right Wink

    It's allowed me to access additional support at work, even just to reassure folk that if they think I'm being "off" with them, it isn't intentional (it settled a huge misunderstanding between myself and a work colleague, and gave me an insight into just how differently I see things).

    I'm stepping back in meetings, instead of getting frustrated, and taking time to understand how people work together a lot more. I can understand the dynamics as an observer, even if I struggle as a participant.

    My personal history made sense - for the first time everything slotted into place. That was the most valuable thing - I know what I'm working with, and I've started to accept myself and be a lot kinder to myself because of it. 

    It gave me access to some self-management strategies and insight which initially I wasn't aware of. Using a mood chart or making gaps between tasks or asking people to explain things in a different way no longer seemed trivial ideas any more. They're actually essential to maintaining my well-being. 

    I'd spend some time doing a hypothetical. What would it mean for you if you had a positive diagnosis? What would it mean for you if you were assessed and you had a negative diagnosis?

    When I was weighing it up, I decided I had nothing to lose. Plus, getting some time with a psychologist when up to now trying to figure out what was going on with me had been sheer guesswork was an opportunity (yes! I saw it as that) I couldn't pass up.

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