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Not sure how to move forward post diagnosis.

Ellie1984

I was diagnosed 6 weeks ago at the age of 41 after spending all of my adult life telling people how much I was struggling but feel I was largely not listened to. I feel angry with mental health professionals as I feel I was just labelled as anxious and then ignored. Either that or they decided what the issue was then ignored anything I said that didn't fit that idea after. I feel like my brain has tapped out of life now and it's a strange feeling. I am still working and get on with the bare minimum but beyond that I just don't feel like I care about anything any more. I just feel numb and like nothing brings me joy or interests me to care about it any more. How do I move forward from feeling anger and sadness at what my life could have been had I been heard and diagnosed sooner when I just don't care to try with anything any more? Sorry this isn't a more positive post.

Parents

  • I'm so sorry to hear how you're feeling.

    I remember having replied to you after your diagnosis, and sharing some resources - including the one about how we can feel afterwards. That might be worth another read now, as it does include some insights from other autistic people, along with links to read more. So I'll just share them again here, for ease of reference:

    NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis

    NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis including:

    • Formal support following an autism diagnosis
    • What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

    If you haven't yet been offered it, have you looked into taking therapy, which could help you to process your feelings? I found that service very helpful, and chose counselling to help me with that process, rather than therapy.

    Either way, given how you're feeling I suggest asking your GP for advice and support. These articles contain some information that might be helpful in that context:

    NAS - Autistic fatigue and burnout

    NAS - Depression  

    I hope that something here is helpful, and that you feel more positive soon.

Reply

  • I'm so sorry to hear how you're feeling.

    I remember having replied to you after your diagnosis, and sharing some resources - including the one about how we can feel afterwards. That might be worth another read now, as it does include some insights from other autistic people, along with links to read more. So I'll just share them again here, for ease of reference:

    NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis

    NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis including:

    • Formal support following an autism diagnosis
    • What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

    If you haven't yet been offered it, have you looked into taking therapy, which could help you to process your feelings? I found that service very helpful, and chose counselling to help me with that process, rather than therapy.

    Either way, given how you're feeling I suggest asking your GP for advice and support. These articles contain some information that might be helpful in that context:

    NAS - Autistic fatigue and burnout

    NAS - Depression  

    I hope that something here is helpful, and that you feel more positive soon.

Children
  • in reply to Bunny

    Thank you for reposting these helpful resources. I have been looking at them and working my way through my thoughts.

    Unfortunately, 2 weeks after my autism diagnosis I also recieved some upsetting news around a medical diagnosis of something physical that I'll have to live with now.  It could have been dealt with had I been listened to 20 years ago, but is now too advanced to be cured. I think that's adding to the numbness and overwhelm and has meant I've struggled to process my autism diagnosis and take in any resources as I've been feeling a bit of information overload when it comes to medical stuff. I appreciate you replying again and reminding me of the resources available as I'm struggling to find my way through. 

    I've had one post diagnosis meeting with my assessor and have another one next week. I was a little too overwhelmed to make best use of the first one so I'm hoping I'll cope better with the next one to be able to ask more and share more of my thoughts. 

    I've done a lot of therapy in the past and feel it caused me some harm by not seeing my autism. That's something I'm trying to figure out if I can work past to ask for more talking therapies. I know this sounds really negative but I'm reluctant to trust another counsellor due to past experience when I was told the potential of me being autistic ( something I raised rather than they suggested) wasn't relevant in counselling.