Diagnosed last week ASD level 1

Hi Damo

Yep 22B has to be up there , think the P1 just pips it for me . 

Guessing you like your cars ,?

I know what you mean about not thinking you were autistic due melt downs , then we learn more about meltdowns , shut downs etc 

I didn't think I had a special interest , ie I didn't stand at train stations or airports so couldn't be autistic , but loved cars all my life . All types Even got a scooby , can't afford it mind lol 

Thank you Dormouseatrest, my brain is already going to explode trying to cram in more info , 

Welcome, Impreza. (The 22B is my fav.)

Good advice from DormouseAtRest_25, there. Just focus on one or two little things at a time and see how they work for you. You'll be learning so much so fast that it's hard to keep up and you'll be wanting to get a move on, but be gentle with yourself if you feel things are not moving fast enough. There's no rush.

There are other things that don't require any trying-out, just more information. For example, I wasn't sure I was autistic because I didn't have meltdowns. Then I learned a lot more about meltdowns and realised I'd been having them all my life. I used to be self-critical because I felt I had a short temper and could get a bit too shouty, even while feeling like I wasn't in control. Now, I'm being kinder to myself and recognising when I'm stressed and overwhelmed. It helped that when I looked back at my "Little Moments", I realised that I wasn't being agressive, controlling, manipulative, or looking to get my own way. I see now that it was much more defensive. I needed something or someone to STOP!

You'll probably have similar "A-ha!" moments as you get to grips with your diagnosis. I wish you the best. We're all here to help you, and each other, out.

Thank you again  Bunny that's very kind 

The NAs post diagnosis info is really good , I ll check out the advice on counselling,

I read from DR Tony Atwood that DBT is helpful and from my limited experience I can see why. Does this reflect others experience?

Welcome Impreza.

I think many of us later diagnosed adults would likely admit to the post-diagnosis iterative cycle of: up, down, hopeful, excited, flat and repeat.

I have been trying to pick one discovery / learning point at a time, educating myself, trying out some relevant strategies and then reviewing how things went for me (things to keep and things to cross off) and then further fine-tuning or refining - when new information or ideas on the topic come to my attention.

It is all a bit full-on if I catch myself thinking about too many different Autism / neurodivergent considerations - all at one time.

I know I already congratulated and welcomed you yesterday, but I'm delighted to do so again here! 

You might have already seen some of this information in that thread, but in case you didn't, I'll post also it here. 

Following a diagnosis, it can be common for us - especially as late-diagnosed adults - 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, and/or (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 (which includes views from several other autistic people). 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

A common recommendation in autism diagnosis reports is for your GP to arrange therapy. 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 having this, you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book. It discusses 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. In my case I chose to have counselling, led by someone experienced in helping neurodivergent clients:

The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy

This book also taught me some important principles and enabled me to make some immediate, helpful changes - perhaps you might find it useful, too:

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