Published on 12, July, 2020
I don't know who will see this, but if anybody has any tips on how to have the conversation with my (dismissive) doctors about having my assessment put forward, I would be very very appreciative! 4 days left till the appointment and I still dont have a clue how to have the conversation
I keep thinking and writing lists on what I need to get dine but find myself wasting hours and having nothing to show from it because I have awful environmental anxiety based around doctors and clinical settings! I've had almost 2 months to get everything planned and sorted but the overwhelm has ended up taking over and it's now that the appointment is 4 days away I can feel the anxiety creeping in.
If I can't get a plan of conversation organised I know for a fact the appointment will go to poop.
I've reached a point of being dismissed and invalidated by my local doctors surgery that I feel " Do Not Listen To Her" is written in bold letters above my name. It sucks because all I want is to improve my quality of life which I deserve as much as anybody else deserves.
If anybody has a sort of script or sources I could read to better prepare myself that really would be helpful and a massive thank you in advance.
My plan has been to head to the library and print out (an official pre- assessment not just any random one) and other sources i have found where I write notes along side the information to make points for how it relates to me, as I know I just can't rely on my speak and words to come out properly, I figured having printed information may be able to help me get my points across. However, my anxiety has grabbed a hold of this and is telling me they'll take me less seriously if I have printed information I am going by.
My head hurts!
Jojoba98 said:any tips on how to have the conversation with my (dismissive) doctors about having my assessment put forward
Just type it up as you would an email to them, start by saying you have trouble explaining this face to face because of what you understand to be an autistic trait of anxiety and confrontation avoidance.
Say you have looked up the list of autistic symptoms and made notes on which affect you significantly. A good list to start from is here (just list the ones that affect you):
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352928
With a paragraph for each trait that affects you and the printed results of an online test you have done all the research he would have done and then some.
Then make sure you ask for the "right to choose" path for assessment to speed things up. This should get you a private assessent paid for by the NHS.
That would be my approach.
Thank you, I had actually started thinking the other day to write myself a letter, to block out the fact its for the doctor and write it to myself in a formal way(I somewhat enjoy writing like in that style) and then hopefully it pushes the anxiety to bay and its how I want it to be. I felt this over complicated things but I will re think this idea.
Also, I'm relieved that you suggested "right to choose" path as that is what I've found within my research and the only reason why I feel confident enough to ask for an assessment to be put forward, I've done the pre-assesment on the their website which I need to print out