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Advice

CCC

Hello everyone,

I’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD and autism at 24 years old and I’m struggling a lot to do the things I was able to before. I have not been able to leave my house in a month and have panic attacks at the though of it. I am worried because I restart my second year of university in a month after dropping out last year. I struggled to be social at uni and make friends and I became very lonely and isolated and it’s only gotten worse since leaving. The things I loved to do no longer interest me and I am  struggling to get a job because it’s so terrifying to me and I can no longer afford my rent. I just feel so lost and alone and any advice would be helpful. I’m currently on the waiting list for professional help but they say I can get it in 6 weeks.

Parents

  • Hi and welcome to the community. I would suggest that Martin's idea of contacting your GP for treatment of depression/anxiety may help, and also Stuart's idea of taking small steps with getting outside again.

    I think maybe that you are catastrophising a bit, which I believe is common in autistic people. Start by addressing your worries and working out that they are not insurmountable:

    First, university. What if you really can't return? You might be able to study remotely with the university you started with, or you might be able to transfer to doing an open university distance degree. And even if you didn't complete a degree, it's not the end of the world - lots of people don't have one. I would start by contacting your current uni and explaining how you are feeling - this is probably easier by email. See what they suggest and go from there.

    Secondly, you struggle with being sociable and became isolated. This is common in autistic people, and hopefully this community will help you feel a bit less isolated. But maybe you could try joining a local group - an autism one of there is one in your area, or a group that does activities that might interest you. Doing things together sometimes takes the pressure off as instead of having to do "small talk" you can discuss what you're doing.

    If the things you loved to do no longer interest you, that could be a sign of depression, another reason to speak to your GP. You may need medication to help you cope while you wait for counselling, but the doctor will be able to advise on that.

    You are also struggling to get a job because you cannot cope with simple things at the moment like being able to leave the house. But if you get help from your GP and understand that your other worries will work themselves out, you should be able to become calmer and then eventually feel strong enough to begin job hunting again. In the meantime, see if you can get any benefits to help your financial situation. If you Google it, you should find some benefits calculators which will show you if you are entitled to anything, and if so how much.

    I wish you luck.

Reply

  • Hi and welcome to the community. I would suggest that Martin's idea of contacting your GP for treatment of depression/anxiety may help, and also Stuart's idea of taking small steps with getting outside again.

    I think maybe that you are catastrophising a bit, which I believe is common in autistic people. Start by addressing your worries and working out that they are not insurmountable:

    First, university. What if you really can't return? You might be able to study remotely with the university you started with, or you might be able to transfer to doing an open university distance degree. And even if you didn't complete a degree, it's not the end of the world - lots of people don't have one. I would start by contacting your current uni and explaining how you are feeling - this is probably easier by email. See what they suggest and go from there.

    Secondly, you struggle with being sociable and became isolated. This is common in autistic people, and hopefully this community will help you feel a bit less isolated. But maybe you could try joining a local group - an autism one of there is one in your area, or a group that does activities that might interest you. Doing things together sometimes takes the pressure off as instead of having to do "small talk" you can discuss what you're doing.

    If the things you loved to do no longer interest you, that could be a sign of depression, another reason to speak to your GP. You may need medication to help you cope while you wait for counselling, but the doctor will be able to advise on that.

    You are also struggling to get a job because you cannot cope with simple things at the moment like being able to leave the house. But if you get help from your GP and understand that your other worries will work themselves out, you should be able to become calmer and then eventually feel strong enough to begin job hunting again. In the meantime, see if you can get any benefits to help your financial situation. If you Google it, you should find some benefits calculators which will show you if you are entitled to anything, and if so how much.

    I wish you luck.

Children
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