Advice with diagnosis

Hi! I'm recently diagnosed and at the same point in my PGCE and it is VERY overwhelming. I love teaching and being in the classroom but I struggle with getting my lesson plans in on time and organising and prioritising. And then having neurotypical people give me organisation advice which I know won't work for me is very irritating. If you get a diagnosis (which your uni might be able to help with!) you can get a school access plan in place which is a bit like and academic access plan and should help you out a bit! 

As for the assessment/diagnosis it was exhausting and very emotional but ultimately felt very worth it. Receiving my diagnosis was such a relief, but has also left me feeling confused, frustrated and just sad for myself and all the things I put myself through when I thought I was just being lazy, fussy or rude. For me, the diagnostic process was about a 5/6 hour process spread out over a few weeks. I asked my GP for help accessing a diagnosis in March/April 2021, had my first appointment mid August and last appointment late September and my diagnosis earlier this month, which isn't too long of a process compared to many others.

Hi Adam, 

I was at Uni when I realised that I actually might be Autistic. I read a few books that confirmed it for me. 

I had a diagnosis through the NHS so will explain my experience. Private may be different. 

Luckily where I live you can self refer which is what I did as my GP told me that there is no way I'm Autistic. 

Once reffered they told me that it would be around 18 months waiting time but quicker if you can attend a cancellation. They asked for my parents details as the assessment relies on evidence of someone who knew you as a child, it is still heavily based on childhood traits. 

At my first appointment they asked me why I thought I was Autistic, what I was like as a child at school and home, sensory issues, friendships, food, behaviours etc. Also asked about my life now, why I think I am Autistic, what are my issues etc. I was told it helps to make a list of all the points that you want to raise which point to you being Autistic, make a case for yourself. It lasted about 2 hours. They then spoke to my Mum about my childhood. 

Second appointment was in two parts. Questions again about my life, my relationships, sensory issues, behaviours, going over my childhood again and my reasons for wanting a diagnosis. Then I had to look at pictures and tell a story, read between the lines of a storybook, discuss some more pictures and describe what I see (I found all this weird but again, it is heavily based on a children's assessment). It lasted about an hour/hour and half. 

I tried really hard not to mask as I was afraid they wouldn't see the 'real' me as I have built up some very good social skills over 46 years on this Earth. But they did see me, and I received my diagnosis on the day verbally, and in the post a few weeks later. 

I had burnout at Uni and had decided to take a year out to explore my diagnosis but Disability Services were very helpful at the time and continue to be now. I have study support and a specialist mentor to offload on. 

Best thing I ever did for myself was getting diagnosed. I am now thinking of exploring an ADHD diagnosis as I think I have that too! 

GIod luck Adam. 

heres the overall plan of what u do

Make a list of reasons why u think u are autistic.

include a list of blood relatives in your family who are autistic or adhd or called weird/different

and a list of occasions when u have been called weird, autistic, different

the list should be electronic ie so you can email it to anyone who wants it.

Print out a copy and hand it to your doctor

Yep, absolutely. It's pretty unfortunate though

Most GPs, unless they are autistic or have relatives who are, know nothing. They just hand out the AQ10 and act as gate keeper to services. 

wow that's great actually and it makes perfect sense. the more information the better and a lot of autistic people can write essays and as you mentioned we do love detail. it was kind of strange and shocking that my GP reacted that way but as you mentioned NHS GPs can be hit or miss sometimes 

Bebe's words are wise, but on the essay stuff depends who you go with. We're autistic, we DO detail and how. I went with NAS Lorna Wing Centre who appreciated that level of detail. NHS might be different.

If you are at University, you might have another option worth checking out. I have a friend diagnosed at university by their resident team of clinical psychologists there to support with all sorts of stuff including autism. Worth talking to student support about.

Burn out is hard, bless you. Hit that a few times.

All the best

Good luck Adam. I started my journey in a similar way to you - a post in this forum, just over a year ago. I finally have my diagnosis now. good luck, stay strong. time flies by quickly. if you need anything we're here for you. look up the symptoms of autism and write down the traits and quirks that apply to you. write it in list form, completely avoid essay form - writing an essay is what delayed my referral. they agreed i'm likely autistic but because i was able to write an essay about what i was going through they decided it wasn't impacting me bad enough to need a diagnosis (because i can write essays). i got a referral eventually but this delayed the process. what aspects of the assessment are you particularly curious about?

It’s usual for you to tell them why you think you should be assessed. They should ask a few probing questions, but if they dismiss you for any reason, feel free to ask for a second opinion.

Just be aware that in the UK, the wait for adult assessment is quite long. A year or more right now, unless you decide to go private.