Diagnosis aftermath

I have been given information regarding reasonable adjustments and where to find further support, and signposted back to the GP, the psychiatrist who assessed has said they would like me to try medications! 

Thank you all so much, it good to hear others have had similar experiences, I think I do need to give my self more time, and maybe not be so hard on myself!! I appreciate the advice and encouraging words

My last job I can really relate to your work woes. I have AuDHD as well, so I forget things and miss things a lot. I worked at a factory, and I was constantly forgetting to sticker tanks, put in the flyer, change the number for the batch, etc. Little things, but all of these little things added up to make me really frustrated with how inept I was at what I was doing. The job was easy and I was failing. It felt like it was only getting worse and worse.

But then about a year into the job everything just automatically clicked. I don’t know why or how, but suddenly I went from being unreliable to being the most capable member of the team. I think it was a combination of needing to pick up some slack (a really good coworker left), support from my coworkers/bosses, and a strong desire to prove to myself that I’m not useless. My ADHD hyperfocus became an asset, as I was able to point out issues that others would miss.

I’m in a job now that is a little easier on my AuDHD needs, but I still find it amazing how I was able to turn around a bleak situation into something I could be proud of.

All that to say, give it time. It might take you a little longer than your coworkers for the work to really click with you, but once you get the hang of it you might find out that you’re better at it than you thought possible.

I felt exactly the same after diagnosis ( same diagnosis as you), that was 2 years ago. i've moved on but still feel like this sometimes. I found it a huge shock & it made me question who i was. I almost became more autistic as i lent into it more. There are positives & knowing more about yourself really helps in the long run. My hyper focus can be a real benefit in my work. It will get easier i assure you.

A diagnosis does not define who you are, you define who you are. It also does not change who you are, it should just give you some reasons for why you are the way you are. Everyone who is autistic or an ADHDer, or both, has been that way since birth.

You are the same person before and after diagnosis. If you research autism and ADHD you can refine your work arounds, to make life easier for you in the neurotypical world. Knowledge is better than ignorance. Your diagnosis can be an advantage, if you allow it to be.

Congratulations on your diagnoses and welcome to the community.

Following a diagnosis, it can be common for us to experience a lot of emotional dysregulation. Besides perhaps feeling some relief about now having an explanation for our past difficulties, this can also include working through a phase where we experience confusion, uncertainty, so-called "imposter syndrome", and/or (backward-focused) anger, frustration, grieving, and more. So please don't worry - whilst it's unpleasant, it's also normal! 

As for many others here, my own diagnosis turned out to be much more of the start of a new journey, rather than a conclusion full of instant solutions for my difficulties.

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 light of your recently worsened struggles, you might also find the strategies in this guidance helpful: 

NAS - Autistic fatigue and burnout

Therapy (or counselling) is often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you prefer, depending on where you are in the UK, you may instead be able to self refer for talking therapy on the NHS.

Before arranging it, 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:

The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy

This book was also helpful, as a starting point, in teaching me some important principles and enabling me to make some helpful changes - perhaps you might find it useful, too:

Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask!

Did you get any support (e.g. from a autism psychiatrist or clinician) or a management plan after your diagnosis? 

My work is struggling, I am distracted. I am paying more attention to how I feel which is making me more emotional.

I can cope with work if I have stability elsewhere. I think it will take a while get solid foundations again. I am making progress, so I think it will come. I am figuring out what I am sure of, what thoughts are real, and what things I might need to watch out for (mostly communication and thought pattern related).

Some issues may be coming from mourning what might have been, it depends on what struggles you have had.

I do need to get more focus, but I am not sure how to get there at the moment. But I have now critically observed the effect stress has on me. The interesting thing is my eye injections seem to be affecting me more, not less.

I definitely feel less capable at the moment, but am going to try and pull myself together.

I have told a few people, I found 3 have autistic children so were interested, 1 assumed I already knew which was a surprise, 1 would have guessed, 2 didn't believe it. My parents didn't think I was, which is part of the reason it has taken so long to realise.