Published on 12, July, 2020
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You kind of have to be in say the work place because most people dont understand disabilities and dont want to or they understand only what they have seen in another person
I find it easier to mask than to explain everything in detail and most probably not get my words out right like if I try explain sound sensitivity people might think I just get headaches when that's not it at all but it's very hard to explain the overwhelming brain feeling
In an ideal world I'd find a work from home job that suited my needs sadly though I need a bigger house so I could have a office lol
Tell your assessors that you mask a lot. Do not expect them to divine it from just observing. The paper, 'Self-reported camouflaging behaviours used by autistic adults during everyday social interactions', found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8814950/, might help you categorise and describe your masking behaviours.
You are not alone! I was/am mega high-masking too.
thank you
Hi and welcome to the community!
The NAS some excellent resources covering the whole process - I think you might find them very helpful :)
The first bunch that I'll link to directly includes:
NAS - Assessment and diagnosis
There are also separate sets of articles covering before diagnosis and after diagnosis, all available via the diagnosis hub:
NAS - Diagnosis hub
Waiting times for assessments vary by NHS trust, but are typically years rather than months. If you're in England and would prefer a shorter waiting time, then you might prefer to ask your GP to re-refer you to an NHS-approved private provider via Right to Choose (RTC):
NAS - What is Right to Choose
This website (among others) offers a list of RTC providers for autism assessments:
ADHD and ASD assessment – Right To Choose