I think I have Autism... Should I get an assessment,

After doing a lot of reading for over a year I would like to get an assessment but would like others opinions incase I waste the dr's time. Here is some of my background.

From the age of 2 plus:
I was a late talker and could not talk to extended family, only my parents.
I would only talk when spoken to and would not start a conversation.
I was unable to do any imaginative play or use my imagination for drawings or making anything.
Loud sirens used to make me panic.
I only ever had one friend at a time.
Used to have a big interest in birds and bird watching, making notes etc.
Struggle to imagine what someone looks like when reading a book for example
Was told by others I was rude and I couldn't say certain things.

As I have got older 20 plus I have noticed:
I still cannot initiate a conversation.
I hide behind my partner a lot and will avoid situations in which I would have to talk to someone.
Change of routine bothers me and if my partner dosn't do things how I would do them stresses me out.
I have meltdowns when over stressed, routine changes and I need a lot of alone time to calm down.
I have listened to the same track of music for the last 6 months plus.
Too much noise stresses me out and I need to leave the room.
I cannot concentrate on a conversation if given too much info at once, I almost just switch off.
I always needs to make notes/lists to manage a lot of info.
I cannot answer the phone when it rings however I have learnt to book appointments.
Any social situation makes me so anxious.
I am the last to understand a joke and most of the time will need it explained.
I can be very blunt and don't always take into consideration how someone else feels.
I struggle to understand if someone is trying to give me helpful advice, being sarcastic or snapping at me.
Depending on my mood I cannot stand being touched and need my space.
A day out has to be planned to the T and weekends when partner is home has to be planned as it is out of my usual routine.
I never talk about my emotions.

Any advice would be welcome!!

Parents
  • Hi ,

    Thank you for sharing this with the community. You may like to look at our information about autism spectrum disorders:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism

     If you were interested in finding out if you are on the autism spectrum, you would need to have a formal diagnostic assessment. You may find it useful to have a look at the following link for further information about diagnosis and the benefits of getting one:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis

     Furthermore, it is important the professional you see has experience of autism spectrum disorders. You can find details of diagnostic services on our Autism Services Directory in the Assessment and diagnosis section: http://www.autism.org.uk/directory.aspx

     If you have further questions, you may like to contact our Autism Helpline team. They can provide you with information and advice about getting a diagnosis. You can call them on 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.Please note that the Helpline is experiencing a high volume of calls and it may take a couple of attempts before you get through to speak to an adviser.

    I hope this helps,

    ChloeMod

Reply
  • Hi ,

    Thank you for sharing this with the community. You may like to look at our information about autism spectrum disorders:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism

     If you were interested in finding out if you are on the autism spectrum, you would need to have a formal diagnostic assessment. You may find it useful to have a look at the following link for further information about diagnosis and the benefits of getting one:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis

     Furthermore, it is important the professional you see has experience of autism spectrum disorders. You can find details of diagnostic services on our Autism Services Directory in the Assessment and diagnosis section: http://www.autism.org.uk/directory.aspx

     If you have further questions, you may like to contact our Autism Helpline team. They can provide you with information and advice about getting a diagnosis. You can call them on 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.Please note that the Helpline is experiencing a high volume of calls and it may take a couple of attempts before you get through to speak to an adviser.

    I hope this helps,

    ChloeMod

Children
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