Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
i waited 2 years to be assessed on the NHS. I wanted to know how I might process / differ from others, as I was tired of always having issues with work. I got diagnosed as high functioning autistic and that was it. I just have a label. It now means that if I disclose, people say “how can we help?” and I have nothin to tell them. What an utter waste of time a diagnosis was. Is this normal? I mean, I had an expectation of something like: “yes, you have autism and here is how you differ from neurotypical people” so I had some understanding of why I’d been struggling and a way forward.
did I just get a terrible service, or is this normal? Just slapped with a label and that’s it?
any guidance, gratefully received.
The real help comes from doing your own research about what autism actually is (not the pathological model) and gradually understanding yourself more. Only then can you work out what your own specific needs are.
When I was first diagnosed I found it helpful to watch a lot of the videos on Aucademy.
https://aucademy.co.uk/starting-your-autistic-discovery-journey/
Another good site is Neuroclastic.
https://neuroclastic.com/autism/what-is-autism/
In some areas there might be a very limited number of post diagnostic support sessions available but other areas have nothing. If you weren't informed about them at diagnosis it probably means your area is the latter.
Blue_Panda said:I got diagnosed as high functioning autistic
I seem to be reading this quite a lot on the forum lately and it is concerning. Functioning labels are not an official diagnostic term and never have been. That suggests whoever performed your diagnostic assessment was not following current NHS guidelines, which make it clear "Do not use functioning level descriptors, such as, high-functioning, or low-functioning autism. These are not and never were diagnoses."
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/a-national-framework-to-deliver-improved-outcomes-in-all-age-autism-assessment-pathways-guidance-for-integrated-care-boards/#respectful
Functioning labels are considered unhelpful and disrespectful by large parts of the autistic community.
Autonomistic said:The real help comes from doing your own research about what autism actually is (not the pathological model) and gradually understanding yourself more.
This is absolutely the key.....in my opinion.