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First Post

NAS95232
1 month ago

Hello All,

This is my first post. I am currently waiting for an ASD and ADHD test, the process is going very slowly as I have dyslexia and filling out forms is one thing that I really struggle with.

I am 45 and have been on this journey for a year. It started when I had another period of not leaving the house or talking or really struggling to communicate with people. This has happened in various periods over my life ranging from 3 months to 6 weeks. After the last episode it began to occur to me that this may be autistic overwhelm/burnout. I spoke to my very nice GP who gave me the screening questions and that is how it all started. Since then I have been looking back over lots of things in my life that make more sense through an autism lense. 

I am very lucky to have  a very good therapist that is supporting me but I don't have anyone else to talk to about these things, as trying to communicate the complexity of what I am feeling is difficult. So I thought I would try hear, I don't like writing and typing but thought it might help to feel less alone with these things.

I want the tests to hurry up so I know one way or the other. If I am autistic and have ADHD that's fine by me I just really want to understand myself better. My biggest issue is how to relate this to everyone else, who mostly don't believe me because they never see when I am struggling as mostly I manage to keep it to myself. I don't mean to but trying to get people to understand is exhausting.

Hoping some of you inderstand

Parents
  • 1 month ago

    Hello

    I’ve just joined as well, sounds very much like the experience I’m going through although I’m a tad bit older! Good to hear you have a supportive gp and therapist.

    You can opt for a right to choice via the nhs. This is basically when the waiting time for assessments are extremely long (mine was initially 48 months) there was a company called Clinical partners who I just had a call from could do it within 6 months rather than 48, there are other companies. 

    Sadly my local mental health team actually sped up their process and got an external company to do mine. Why sadly they did not think I’m autistic, which I still disagree I sadly had lots of meltdowns and was much too trusting of the process and people. So couldn’t answer any questions. So had huge anxiety in the assessment, my sister was on the call and thought I was being treated really poorly by the assessor. 

    But that’s my experience, currently going through a complaint procedure with very little hope in being understood. Looking at this forum which I joined today there’s been others so fingers crossed you get a better assessment 

    keep well! 

  • 1 month ago in reply to I identify as autistic

    That is such a shame how you were treated, I was treated with the utmost respect by mine and also told that I'd also get advice even if it turned out that I was not autistic. I hope that the complaint goes well and that your sister is able to help you during this process.

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