Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all, I have my autism diagnositic assessment next month and it is causing me alot of apprehension and anxiety.
I am 32 female and like many will be late diagnosed, I have a lot of bad experiences with metal health professionals where I have frequently been misdiagnosed or not listened too, or simply told medication will fix it all.
I am due to previous experiences worried I will again have a bad experience not receive a diagnosis and essentially feel like I fail at life due to all the struggles I have being autistic.
Did anyone else in a similar situation have the same concerns? How was your experience?
I am also aware the assessment can be quite draining so any advice on what to expect would be great
Thank you
Hi and welcome to the community!
The NAS has a great set of resources covering the diagnostic process in its recently revamped diagnosis hub. They cover all of the stages in good detail including before diagnosis, assessment and diagnosis, and after diagnosis.
For now, you might find it most helpful to read the articles here:
NAS - Assessment and Diagnosis
It includes:
I wish you all the best with your assessment! :)