Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
I was diagnosed with ASD earlier in the year. Even though it is something I have thought and believed my whole life, I feel like the diagnosis has turned me upside down and I feel like I don't understand myself anymore. It felt like the assessor saw things in me that I don't see myself, but in the report she wrote, nothing of the sort was described. I received a post-diagnosis email but there wasn't much on there either. I just want someone to talk to who knows Autism well and I can organise my thoughts and learn more about myself. I have tried reading things online but it just doesn't seem to be helping. I want somebody to talk to about it all that knows what they are talking about. I just don't know where to turn.. I feel so isolated and alienated from myself, did anybody else have this experience? I'm from the East Midlands, can anybody signpost me to something that may help? I tried a peer mentoring-type service, but once I signed up I heard nothing more from them, I have sent follow up emails with no response also.. I have joined local groups on Facebook but it all seems to be child-centred and parents looking for school placements.
Any feedback would be greatly received, I don't want to keep feeling this way.
I see a person-centred therapist who is also autistic.
Because of my low income it's only £20 a session.
I'd like to see a therapist, but I don't technically have low income, but bills and everything combined still leaves me short at the end of the month and I wouldn't be able to afford therapy on top of everything else unfortunately.
But I also worry that a therapist is not the answer and I'd be wasting their time because I just feel lost and confused, I wouldn't know where to start. But I get through life fairly okay I just want to understand myself more and me more in touch with myself.
Hi BumbleBee, If in the future you find you have money to put aside for speaking to someone, I have found talking to someone who has experience working with ND folk really helpful (the person I was seeing also had a late diagnosis and works a lot with my demographic, so those are a couple of things to consider if looking for support yourself to talk it though.
Also, if speaking is not your thing, people have suggested to me, I can write notes down during the session, things like that, so there are people out there happy to make accommodations if you feel it is difficult to know where to begin.
A client feeling lost and confused, shouldn't be an issue for a decent councillor, it's something they will have heard before. I know for me it doesn't generally help to read this, but I have felt, still occasionally feel how you describe, I'm not in your shoes (metaphorically) but I think I have worn some quite like them, and might end up wearing them at times when I least expect, or just when I think I feel quite a bit better.
You mentioned the service you got in touch with did not respond, I also had a similar experience, however they did get back in touch approx. 2 months after my self-referral, and suggested it was another 1-2 months to see the service, so it is possible they are under resourced, I hope they will get back in with you soon.
Lastly, have you come across the NHS search tool for mental health services, granted there may be a wait for any services, but they may still be helpful when the appointment time come around. Mental health - NHS (www.nhs.uk) (apologies if this has been suggested)
Through the NHS tool above, I found something that was able to see me sooner for group type therapy - I also asked the GP referral person if they could look for any services in the area I might be able to access, outcome pending, but they were open to that.
Appreciate the above is my experience, and different countries/county's will turn up different results.
Hope some of that is helpful for you/ others at a similar stage.
(I am only 2/3 months post late diagnosis of Autism.)
Ah okay.
I don't think they'd be the answer to everything but maybe you'd understand yourself more.
I wish I had a better suggestion! Because I'm not aware of any in-person groups unfortunately.