Published on 12, July, 2020
I received an email today from Psychiatry UK following my referral from my GP, it's taken just less than 6 weeks from the referral being sent, they've got me set up on their portal, I have to upload some ID and proof of address then complete a self reporting form and my husband complete a slightly different one. My form is 25 pages long and has 73 questions, and his is 16 pages and has 48 questions. Once we upload the completed forms they'll then arrange my assessment appointment which is via video call.
So far I've spent since about 11am this morning going through the questions and I think I'm nearly done, but it's an exhausting process. It feels like I'm doing a character assassination of myself at times but I'm being honest and truthful, even when it isn't positive. Oddly enough, I find the questions relating to what I struggle with easier to answer than some of the more subjective questions, like what are my aspirations? Or, what are my strengths? I really struggle to answer those types of questions.
Anyway, I just wanted to say what the process is like in case anyone else is going through it at the moment. And to just generally acknowledge that things are happening because writing about it helps me process it.
Well done for completing the paperwork. I have just been through the PUK process for ASD.
The forms were hard for me too. I still think about them a few months after I filler them in. For me it made me realise just how isolated I was as a child, how I never hand any friends and how 'different' I was. Don't get me wrong, it was a hard to process but it was also good as at the same time I realised (for the first time ever) that it wasn't just me being odd but there was a reason why. If that makes sense?
When it comes to the harder questions please try not to stress, just be simple with the answers. Sometimes when I am stuck I look up the word in an online dictionary to help me get my head around what it means and write down the first thing that comes into my head.
I know that answering the 73 questions is a lot, but I saw it as them giving me the opportunity to shorten the time needed for the assessment appointment by allowing me to give them as much background as possible in my own time and at my own pace. Just remember the form is not a test.
The Doctor who did my assessment was genuinely really lovely and put me at ease. The assessment was not rushed at all.
If there is one piece of advice I would give it would be to try to prepare yourself for the diagnosis and make sure you have people around you after you receive it. After I was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism I went through a MASSIVE range of emotions which totally overwhelmed me. I felt happy, sad and very angry. It made me re-process every interaction I had ever had. If you can try to read up on Autism as much as possible and share the information with those around you.
I was really helped by my local mental health crisis team, they have 24 hour phone number and have helped me several time when I was in a really bad place.
Please remember that things will get better, you are amazing and you are still you at the end of the day.
At 51 I'm very late in potentially finding out why I have felt so different for all of these years. I too felt the upset/sadness for the child growing up without knowing why life was such a struggle compared to his peers. It has affected my life really severely and I developed a severe maladaptive behavioural addiction which numbed me out from the anxiety and burn out. I'm hoping my assessment next Thursday finally draws the lines between the dots and the full picture begins to appear. Good luck to you all.
Thank you for such a well thought out and helpful response. I have my husband who has been a great support for me through all of my issues, and I regularly go to counselling so I'll be able to talk it through with my counsellor as well.
I have the numbers for the crisis team, and other support numbers. I've had issues with my depression in the past that has meant I've accessed those services before.