ASD diagnosis

Thank you, I'll have a look through those links. 

Dear Millie98,

Welcome to the community and congratualtions on your diagnosis!

As a starting point, you may wish to read over our information on benefits: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/benefits-and-money/benefits 
 
You can also find more information on benefits through the Citizen’s Advice website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/ 

You may find the following page on our website useful: 

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/post-diagnosis-support 

Thanks Millie08. I hope this is helpful.

With all good wishes,

Eunice Mod

Thank you, I'll have a look at those suggestions. :) 

Hi and welcome, Millie08.

Where do you go from here? I think we're all asking ourselves the same question. Hopefully, you'll find the community here a good place to start. Ask questions, chat, vent, offload, relate, assist, whatever feels right for you.

 Bunny has provided lots of useful reading material. Here are a few extras that I've found helpful:

• Reframing Autism has very neuroaffirming information. They also do a Welcome Pack.
• The Embrace Autism Blog has lots of up-to-date information on all aspects of Autism.
• Autism from the Inside by Paul Micallef on YouTube has lots of helpful videos.
• I've become a fan of Auticate with Chris & Debby on YouTube, too (they cover AuDHD very well).
• The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism has lots of stories by, and interviews with, Autistic people who relate their own experiences.

Those statistics are an improvement, from when I tried to organise therapy for my mum. Thank you, I'll speak to my doctor and have a look into it. 

You're most welcome! 

Millie08 said:

I haven't looked into therapy yet. I know how hard it is to get sessions and waiting list tend to be quite long. 

Waiting lists can definitely vary, but - if it's any comfort - as at January 2025, over 90% of NHS referrals in England for talking therapies involved waiting for fewer than six weeks.

Thank you for the advise, I've read the articles online and bought the book 'Self care for autistic people'. Just having gotten round to reading it yet. 

I haven't looked into therapy yet. I know how hard it is to get sessions and waiting list tend to be quite long. 

Hi Millie - congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community! 

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 - includes perspectives from other autistics

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

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 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!