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Newly diagnosed advice

MJJ24

Hello all, I am newly diagnosed ASD and am struggling a bit to come to terms with the diagnosis even though I was kind of expecting it. I just really don't know how to feel. I feel like its explained a lot for me but at the same time it made me feel a bit down because it almost feels like all the struggles I have had, I am always going to have now. Just looking for any advice on how people adjusted/came to terms with there diagnosis. Thank you in advance!

  • Hi and welcome to the community!

    During the period following a diagnosis, it can be common for us  to experience a lot of emotional dysregulation. Besides feeling relief about getting our diagnosis, this can also include working through a phase where we experience (backward-focused) anger, frustration, grieving and more. So please don't worry - it's normal! 

    The NAS has a great set of articles focused on "after diagnosis", including one covering how you might feel during the subsequent days / weeks / months. You might find them of interest and/or helpful:

    NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis

    NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis including:

    • Talking about and disclosing your autism diagnosis
    • Emotional support for family members after a diagnosis
    • Formal support following an autism diagnosis
    • What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

    In terms of what to do next, my advice at this point (ie soon after your diagnosis) would be to try and give yourself some time and breathing space to process and absorb everything that you've been through, and let your feelings settle down.

    For me, as for many others here, my diagnosis turned out to be much more of the start of a new journey, rather than a conclusion full of ready-made solutions for my various difficulties.  

    Therapy is often recommended after a diagnosis as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. You might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, which includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with advice on choosing the right therapist or counsellor - all from an autistic person's viewpoint. Several of us here have found it very helpful, myself included:

    The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy

  • Hi and welcome to the forum.

    You're not alone in feeling this way. Just remember that you're still the same person you always were, but now you have more information about yourself and knowledge can be power. It takes time, but I found that once I realised how I was reacting to things and how I was different to others, I could start to learn how to cope with situations better.

    The main thing is to keep reading about autism and keep asking questions. Good luck with your journey of discovery.