Published on 12, July, 2020
Apologies this is going to be very long.
In a nutshell, I'm 24 and last year I was diagnosed with Level 2 Autism and ADHD Combined Type, both of which are things I'd thought I had for the 3 years prior (but COVID hit and that meant getting diagnosed took much longer). For all of my conscious life I've always thought I was different and it wasn't until after being forced to leave College just 4 months in, did I really let those thoughts become something I should pursue and eventually I stumbled across autism & ADHD.
That aside, I've always struggled to survive and my parents always knew as well, I was different and they tried to meet as much of my needs as possible but given I have issues reciprocating and conveying my struggles, I've to this day, struggled in silence. But now things have taken a massive turn because since diagnosis, I've regressed massively because I've despite knowing for all my life, I was different, its taken a big shock to the system and I've become extremely introverted and much more socially inept.
In this past year a lot has changed in very drastic ways so I was diagnosed with pancreatitis which has meant a huge change in diet, my siblings having mental health crises throughout 2023 meaning I witnessed some horrible things and police intervention, my brother having a newborn baby who stays here 4-5 days a week which makes things even more hectic then finally my mum being diagnosed with a brain tumour (Vestibular Schwannoma) which requires surgery within the next month and that will render her incapable of caring for me and my dad will need to effectively be her full time carer for at least a year (depending on the success of surgery & tumour removal). So with all these ingredients, I have picked up a drug addiction to my prescribed opioids to cope with all this and desperately need to be put into care (most likely) as it becomes a safeguarding issue as my needs would be inadvertently neglected and I have mental health problems of my own which have since worsened. For context, I am getting help for my drug addiction via a local group and my GP, but its really deep as to where I can't just quit and not have any issues, physically & mentally.
I really cannot see a way out of this despite numerous conversations with my local council getting nowhere because I would need a care for needs assessment to get the appropriate help & housing, but that could take a year or more. Both myself and my local drug addiction support worker have been in contact with the council to no avail and they really didn't seem to care for my diagnoses and the endless documents we sent over. Furthermore, getting into contact with adult social care to move along the care for needs assessment has been a struggle too as resources to help me are extremely limited despite the desperate situation(s) I find myself in. I have money saved up but that's pointless if there's no safe accomodation to house me and my next alternative is private sector renting which is practically a death sentence given I cannot live independently nor despite having some savings, be able to sustainably afford rent, bills as well as, because I'd be in a private housing sector, pay for social care since the wait is so long.
TL;DR: I have experienced major changes in the last 18 months and I'm in a really dark place, my support system has collapsed since my mum's diagnosis with a non-cancerous brain tumour requires major immediate surgery and will need care for herself. I am in desperate need for housing and social care seeing as my mum previously housed me and was my only carer. Also given my siblings respective mental crises and a baby in the mix living with us 4-5 days a week, I don't feel I'd be appropriately cared for and inadvertently neglected by parents who need to prioritise my mum given the massive change in her own life. I'm really looking for any kind of help if anyone has remotely faced a similar situation or just some encouragement in a very daunting time. I've been given extremely long waiting times by my local council and adult social care that I really don't have a year to wait because this has very much become a matter of my own survival and my parents are equally fearful too and I completely understand my mum's needs will supersede my own as I don't require help moving around like she will but I struggle with feeding myself, getting myself to appointments, dressing myself, washing myself etc.
I'm sorry to read that you're having such a tough time, Harry. I hope you can find support though the contacts that Sharon has listed.