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Confused after diagnosis

lorodo

I just had my diagnosis call with Psychiatry UK who said I have autistic traits but not ASD. While I've been reading about autism over the last couple of years, I felt like I'd finally understood why I find life hard and find humans so confusing, and was really hopeful that finding I had ASD might give me the key to managing to sustain a relationship - but now that I don't have that diagnosis I feel absolutely lost, like there's no chance for me with relationships and I must just be bad at them. 

I don't understand it because I seem to have every symptom / characteristic they consider, but I guess not "enough". I feel like I failed the assessment. Like I'd finally found my people, but I haven't made the grade and now I can't join. I almost wish I'd stuck with self-identification. 

My sister was recently diagnosed with ASD and is now getting lots of support from friends and family, and people are taking her needs seriously, and I feel like now I can't voice my needs in the way that she is because I didn't get a diagnosis. 

If you only have autistic traits but not ASD, can you still get support from an autistic community? 

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  • lorodo said:
    If you only have autistic traits but not ASD, can you still get support from an autistic community? 

    Yes you can! Welcome to the community  

    It’s disappointing for you when you find life hard. Just because you are below the threshold for a diagnosis doesn’t mean that things are easy. I hope you will find this place and its resources useful.

  • in reply to ArchaeC

    A belated reply as i was taking some time to process everything, but I just wanted to say this comment really helped me. I felt welcomed and that's a big thing for me - so, thank you. And in the end I got the ASD diagnosis anyway! 

  • in reply to lorodo

      Really pleased for you, and well done for pushing back. Your story resonated. The first assessment I had was during lockdown so video calls only and I received a similar 'traits but not enough for autism diagnosis' answer. I obtained a second expert opinion later and was positively diagnosed as autistic and ADHD, with the subtleties of my high-masking presentation (and wandering eye contact) clearer face-to-face. Good luck with exploring your new autistic identity!

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  • in reply to lorodo

      Really pleased for you, and well done for pushing back. Your story resonated. The first assessment I had was during lockdown so video calls only and I received a similar 'traits but not enough for autism diagnosis' answer. I obtained a second expert opinion later and was positively diagnosed as autistic and ADHD, with the subtleties of my high-masking presentation (and wandering eye contact) clearer face-to-face. Good luck with exploring your new autistic identity!

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