Should I continue with the formal autistic identification process?

Billy87 said:

This is so true! My first thought when I found out I was autistic was "now my whole life makes sense!" Its nice to know you had the same experience 

Exactly! This feeling is very common in our community!

Billy87 said:

Hearing that I come across that confident is a real comfort and boost to me. I often feel so awkward talking about my autistic identity outside of this forum so hearing that I can be that confident about it is a real confidence boost to me if that makes sense

I am glad my comment is comforting to you, I understand what you mean about feeling awkward its only natural for us to feel more confident when surrounded by our neurokin. We all deserve to be confident in our identities regardless of neurotype, I know it's not easy when in predominantly non autistic spaces but be autistic and proud!

Billy87 said:

That means a lot to me what you said, I am here for you too and I am sure you will figure out what is best for you. Trust in yourself and what your heart says

You are very welcome, thanks so much for your brilliant advice.

I am glad it's mutual!

I so do know that feeling !  

Thanks for your reply. I can’t find the words/‘spoons’ (energy) right now to articulate exactly what I want to say, so I will write a more in depth reply later.

Inclusion is very important to me.  If your job provides support for children, then they should understand that adults need support too.  You are protected under the equality act and they should make provisions if you need them.  Texting to call in sick won't stop you from doing your job and if they think it will then they don't sound like the right people to be supporting children with extra access needs!

Ausomely Autistic said:

It’s brilliant that you are so confident in your autistic identity

Hearing that I come across that confident is a real comfort and boost to me. I often feel so awkward talking about my autistic identity outside of this forum so hearing that I can be that confident about it is a real confidence boost to me if that makes sense

Ausomely Autistic said:

You reflect on life through a newly discovered autistic lens and revaluate various situations in your life.

This is so true! My first thought when I found out I was autistic was "now my whole life makes sense!" Its nice to know you had the same experience 

I sometimes think that if the envelope came through my door now with the assesment date I dont know whether I would go through with it. 

That means a lot to me what you said, I am here for you too and I am sure you will figure out what is best for you. Trust in yourself and what your heart says

Im the same, I get them in a way the other staff dont cos they are like me. So many teachers just dismiss autistic kids as "annoying or attention seeking" and it really upsets me

Interesting to know that your employers were willing to make those adjustments for you, gives me hope that my next job might too

One is an interview about autistic pregnancy and birth experiences which I'm signed up for already.  The other is looking at the effect of a particular medication on autistic people and whether it helps with anxiety.  This needs more consideration as there may be side effects that impact on my family, but it does sound like a good area of investigation that could help people in their lives.

Having had moments of being on hospital and getting overwhelmed and not being able to articulate what happened, I think if the doctors or nurses could see that I was autistic then they might try a different approach. I think there's also a summary sheet that has your allergies and stuff on for quick reference so I'm making enquiries about getting a simple note in there, something like give me a calm apace and time to process.

I also work with special needs kids.  It's actually been said by a couple of colleagues that I have an unusual level of connection with them.  I think it's because I just "speak their language."

Billy87 said:

At the end of the day, I have no doubts at all that I am autistic. Being part of this community has saved my life and I am amongst peopel like me. As soon as I started reading up on autism 3 years ago my whole life made sense, it was like finally reading about me rather than a foreign species which was nothing like me, which is how I had always felt mixing with and reading about NT people. My doctor believed I was autistic and every diagnositc test I have done I am off the scale 

You are so welcome. I am so glad this community is so meaningful for you, your comment is a testament to the power of autistic community and human connection. This is one of the reasons why I think connection with our autistic community is the best source of mental health support there is.

Your reply is powerful, it makes me feel emotional. It’s brilliant that you are so confident in your autistic identity, I can also definitely testify that identification is life changing. You reflect on life through a newly discovered autistic lens and revaluate various situations in your life.

You have just shown the importance of autistic identification, every deserves to know who they are.

Billy87 said:

Going through what for me will be an incredibly stressful and traumatic process that I am terrifeid of to potentially confirm something I already know may or may not be worth it, Im not sure 

It’s seems like you have already made a decision in your paragraph above. You are the expert on your autistic experience, a piece of paper is almost insignificant in comparison to lived experience. Do what is right for you and what will make you happy.

We are here for you.

Thanks for sharing. This is very helpful. I am glad finding an autistic therapist was so beneficial for you.

Billy87 said:

Thank you Ausomely Autistic   I have found this discussion so interesting.

I would like to add my voice to that please.  Thank you - not just Ausome for starting this, but everyone who has written here.

Billy87 said:

I am in a similar boat myself

I certainly feel that I need to do SOMETHING.....unless I initiate some form of definitive and overt changes, I fear that I will simply carry on, carrying on - but its masking and I'm not happy with that, now I know what it is, plus more worryingly, I'm only committing 75% effort into it now, so I really do look frigging unhinged and dangerously unpredictable and "loose."  It is increasingly being pointed out to me.  Like Pikl, I feel the need to dance on some chairs from time to time and be more Dr Doolittle for real - Yes, I talk to the animals, walk with the animals etc!!

I searched on BACP and filtered results.  I found someone who is autistic themselves.  It wasn't cheap but it's some of the best money I've ever spent. 

Thank you Ausomely Autistic   I have found this discussion so interesting. I dont have answers for you but I am in a similar boat myself. I was put forward for my official diagnosis in September 2021 and have heard nothing since. At the time I thought it was something I wanted to do but now Im not so sure.

At the end of the day, I have no doubts at all that I am autistic. Being part of this community has saved my life and I am amongst peopel like me. As soon as I started reading up on autism 3 years ago my whole life made sense, it was like finally reading about me rather than a foreign species which was nothing like me, which is how I had always felt mixing with and reading about NT people. My doctor believed I was autistic and every diagnositc test I have done I am off the scale 

Going through what for me will be an incredibly stressful and traumatic process that I am terrifeid of to potentially confirm something I already know may or may not be worth it, Im not sure 

Sorry Peter, your response had escaped my notice and you do make a very valid point for which I am very grateful.  Thus far, in this exceptionally fast changing world of what is, and is not, acceptable, I seem to have navigated reasonably successfully - but quite frankly, God knows how?  Given my general propensity to cause unintended upset and offence (often) I suppose it is only a matter of time until I drop myself in it somehow.

Thank you for pointing this benefit out to me.  Appreciated.

Glitter said:

being allowed to text instead of phone in when I'm ill

I need to try to get this adjustment at work! Calling up sick on the phone terrifies me, so many times I have forced myself to go into work even when I am really really ill cos I am too scared to call on the phone

Would be tough for me to get adjustments at work though as I work with Special Needs kids and I feel like the bosses would turn round and say "if you need all this help then maybe your not stable enough to help them" Maybe thats all just in my head though I dont know

Unknown said:

alking therapies with people who "get it"

Unknown said:

Talking therapies with people who "get it" have helped massively. More so than a diagnosis in fact.

How did you find Talking Therapies for autistic people?

Unknown said:

not a broken neurotypical but a neurodivergent person trying to get by

I really like this 

That is a very good point. I find it so hard to know what is and isnt innapropriate to say these day, it seems to change from day to day

I often still talk the way I did as a teenager but that doesnt seem ok anymore

Thanks for your reply, some very useful points here that I hadn’t thought of.

Glitter said:

So in summary, it's about more than just me, it's about how having that label enables me to achieve more for my community.  Hopefully. ;)

Love this, absolutely! I admire your sense of commitment and responsibility for our community, I would love to be an autistic advocate too!

Glitter said:

These are someone else's observations which give me a helpful understanding of what ithers might see in me, but they are not who I am.  I am still in charge of my own identity.

Very helpful, a piece of paper is not comparable to lived autistic experience. You are the expert on your own autistic experience.

Glitter said:

I can have something in my medical records.  Usually I manage life fairly well at my own pace, but there are a couple of times when I've been in hospital and become overwhelmed and non-verbal or slow to process information.  As I get older and may find myself in that position more often, I hope that having my needs in my medical notes may help facilitate things.

A formal identification is proof of your autistic needs if you can’t articulate them?

Glitter said:

I can be included in acadenic research projects that will benefit other autistic people who come after me.  I've already volunteered for one such project and am considering a second.

What projects are you considering?