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Communicating with health professionals

Deleted User

I have a professional job where i explain things every day to people yet I can't explain myself to the doctors. I don't know if it's just the people I encounter in the health service but I mostly feel fobbed off. I have difficulty explaining the extent of something so people don't think it's as bad as it actually is. Then on top of that, there's a sense I'm being a drama queen and "things aren't that bad". That hasn't explicitly been said but it's just the feeling I get. I would actually say, it's often when things are at their worst do I only get the help I need. And then it's like "well why didn't you see us sooner".

You can't win.

Parents

  • I get it and I've been there. It doesn't matter how hard I try to explain how I'm not coping they don't understand. I just get fobbed off or they suggest things which are totally unsuitable. They judge on how I present right then and don't see me in the middle of a meltdown. That usually happens later, once my mind starts to process what has been said to me during the encounter. 

    The thing I hate most is being told I just need to 'push myself' to deal with my anxiety. I have spent a lifetime pushing myself and that's what got me into the state of severe autistic burnout Anguished

    I think it's partly a lack of understanding of autism and partly a reflection of the dire state of our health service. Things have to reach crisis point before they even start to listen. The 'why didn't you see us sooner' is just to try and cover their own failure to listen earlier.

  • in reply to Autonomistic

    I can relate to what you say. I think because i don't overegg things like other pepole do, I just state the facts, it can be misinterpreted. And probably after years of masking, I'm used to being able to hold it together and appear fine on the outside when i'm really not. I totally understand about the pushing yourself and leading to burnout. I'm sure many people can. It's not just about explaining "autistic" stuff but other things which are physical which I find difficult. I think they help as much as they can. There's so much pressure and so many people to get through, I know it's not just autistic people who have problems in this sense. But it's when I feel like I cannot get my point across or that I'm not being listened to. It's frustrating. I have to remember though I have had some good experiences. But on the whole I just feel really cynical everytime I have to speak to someone.

  • in reply to Deleted User

    I think to some extent the judgement starts before I walk through the door and say anything. Once you're labelled as an 'anxious' patient it sticks. Any physical symptoms are usually put down to anxiety. Sometimes I think I could walk into the surgery with a severed arm and get told it was just anxiety!

    I am hypersensitive to internal bodily sensations and usually have a good sense of what is anxiety and what isn't. There have been instances in the past where the GP has reluctantly referred me for more tests, making it clear what a waste of time they thought it would be. I was proved right and the tests confirmed something which the GP had dismissed as extremely unlikely.

    I find the best experience is when I get a locum GP who I haven't seen before and they do seem much more willing to listen.

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  • in reply to Deleted User

    I think to some extent the judgement starts before I walk through the door and say anything. Once you're labelled as an 'anxious' patient it sticks. Any physical symptoms are usually put down to anxiety. Sometimes I think I could walk into the surgery with a severed arm and get told it was just anxiety!

    I am hypersensitive to internal bodily sensations and usually have a good sense of what is anxiety and what isn't. There have been instances in the past where the GP has reluctantly referred me for more tests, making it clear what a waste of time they thought it would be. I was proved right and the tests confirmed something which the GP had dismissed as extremely unlikely.

    I find the best experience is when I get a locum GP who I haven't seen before and they do seem much more willing to listen.

Children
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