Hello all,
Just signed up to the community as a sort of first step. I've been suffering with (seemingly untreatable) GAD for the last few years. It's been a family joke (not in an unpleasant way) for many years, that I behave in a very Aspergic way, which I hadn't taken seriously until this weekend, when someone described Autistic burnout to me. It sounded very familiar, as did masking (another term I'd never heard before). So I did the AQ10 and AQ50 self tests, which turned out to be a bit of an eye-opener. I'd expect gold stars for those kind of scores!
Other than offering a reason for the anxiety problems, as well as a more likely reason for why they're happening, I'm not sure what to do with this self-diagnosis. I'm in my 50s, and not really in need of much of the support an official diagnosis would provide, I'm also a bit loathe to be a strain on limited NHS resources, when there's others that need it more. Simply (based on the high scores in the self-tests) knowing it myself, and acting accordingly might be enough.
Unless my mental state continues to decline, is there a pressing need for me to seek an official diagnosis? Also, is doing this privately of any value? I'm serious about not wanting to take a place in the NHS service that someone younger and more in need could use.
Thanks all!
R
