Published on 12, July, 2020
Did I say this already? I've been referred for assessment.I had an email from the service which confirmed it. Now I did some research into the service and found that there's an even longer waiting list than I thought. Someone had mentioned that it might be three years or so. But they say on the website that people who are currently being assessed have typically been waiting for nearly 5 years. 5 years?! And that's not a guarantee. In all seriousness there's a pretty good chance that I'll be dead by then.I suppose I should try and forget about it for a while, but I can't help investing in this emotionally, as there's some hope that a diagnosis will make a difference in some areas of my life that I find difficult, most especially in my dealings with health professionals.
On the plus side I suppose I can at least now say to them that I have been accepted for assessment and that it's more likely than not that I have autism. It's difficult for me, though, because I hate uncertainty.Give us strength!
Sounds really frustrating. 5 years!! What I can say that is ultimately it doesn't make that much difference. A few people in my life have got on board with it, but it is mostly radio silence.
Hi Mark. By radio silence, do you mean they don’t accept the diagnosis (don’t think it’s real) or they just don’t find it a problem so haven’t responded? Most of my family don’t think autism is real, which I’m finding quite difficult and I think is one of the reasons my diagnosis hasn’t come until much later in life following my own decision to research and then follow up on my own concerns about the challenges I’ve always experienced.
Mostly they have accepted, but it's no big deal. Some friends haven't responded at all. Even NTs have their own problems, I guess. I'm not too down about it. I'm sorry about your situation - that must not feel very nice.
It might be that some of your friends are also overthinking their replies and that’s why you haven’t heard from them. Sometimes people are so concerned about saying the ‘right’ thing that they end up not saying anything at all.