Things have been going downhill...

I'm so sorry, sending you a hug. It's admirable that you're taking steps to move forwards.

TY .   I did a silly thing last year and I came off my medication that was helping me , so I am about to go to a GP appointment to re-start it and to see if I can get further support as I feel I am deteriorating and I would still like to stop in my home I moved into last year ~ I was previously sleeping on my mum’s sofa in a one bed because of a breakdown in the relationship between me and my actual father 

Hey, thanks for replying. There are groups in my area but I can barely leave the house let alone go into a room full of other people. That’s the problem. It takes me hours to get washed and dressed and by the time I have done tasks it’s nearly bedtime again. Thanks though.

Thank you so much for opening up on my post in one of your first posts. A warm welcome to the forum! I really resonate with you what you have written and I’m sending you a virtual hug.  

I think we settle for a lot less than “fine”

We settle for 'Fine'. And that's our problem.

Learned helplessness, known in Japan as Hikikomori, confines us to solitude. So much potential wasted, due to a system which is designed to make us feel helpless.

My generation, born between 1970 and 1990, became guinea-pigs for this.

First of all, find your group. What interests do you have? Are there Groups that help young men, like yourself?

It's hard, in this jungle, but you need a guide to enter it.

Sorry you’re going through a hard time at the moment, just joined the NAS forum because my own disorder impacts my ability to carry out the activities of daily living.   My autism diagnosis aged 6 affects me still at 35 in the areas of organising the things I need for a day and also problem solving ~ I have to walk away from the situation to do lots of research and re reading before I go back to it and even though I live in my own (rented) apartment, I have the help of relatives & also a lot of labels / signs on things to help me .   I’m a car crash if I attempt certain things by myself & I can’t drive so I am on public transport to a part time job . 

Thank you for replying and for the insight. 

ShadowyBramble said:

If I am able to go out I can mask really well and because I am quite well spoken nobody knows how hard it is when I go behind shut doors.

This is, indeed a double edged sword.  Being able to present yourself as "OK" is an ability/skill that many of us have developed, but I fear that it can trap us on our own - no one believes help is due nor required nor even wished for.  We are quite daft in many ways......yet magnificent in others, perhaps, sometimes.

Gentle, cautious change.....is always a safe bet.....and con't forget to consciously monitor how it feels whilst you adjust some of your "life dials"?

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words. 

Hi and welcome.

Try not to feel guilty - it's your life, so decide what you want to do. You don't have to justify yourself to anyone else. I hope you find this forum a good source of support.

Thank you so much, just knowing I'm not alone really helps.

Thank you so much for your helpful advice. 

Welcome! It’s good to have you here.
I don’t really have advice for you, but I just wanted to tell you that you do not have to apologise for “being all over the place”. It’s pretty strong of you to post this text and you can really be proud of that achievement. Hope you’ll get some support to eventually get better. Until then, feel free to write about your struggles, the people here are truly kind.

Hi, I’ve just joined the forum and your post struck a chord with me. I didn’t want/couldnt get a GP referral, but found “Time to Talk” in my local area when I was having a tough time. They were great, and started the process of helping me. 

it might be worth a Google (other search engines are available) to see if there is a Time to Talk or similar set up in your area that doesn’t need a GP referral. 

I also didn’t really want to visit anyone, but they were able to offer a phone appointment, which was nice. 

I hope this helps, and I hope you are feeling better soon. 

Thank you, I'm not really sure there's much the GP can do and there is no counselling they can offer as I have asked before. I just feel very alone and guilty. Thanks for helping.

I think it might be worth approaching your GP, having a bit of a chat, and perhaps requesting if any kind of counselling could be made available.

Thank you for replying, apart from my parents I don't really have any support at the moment - no. 

Hello and welcome to the forum

It sounds like you’re having a really hard time. Are you receiving any support (for example counselling or therapy)?