Recent diagnosis and just very confused

Aven 20 days ago

Hiiiii

I'm 20 and I got diagnosed with autism a few months ago now (and I got diagnosed with ADHD a few months before that, which is where they said I should get checked for autism).. And like recently (like maybe the last month or so?) I've been looking more into autism and the struggles of it and stuff and i've been finding things where i've been like "omg thats an autism thing???"

But then also I feel like I've been struggling more lately? Specifically with getting stressed and anxious and confused in social situations much more easily.. and like im not sure why...
I've made it 20 years with no support for autism, cuz i didnt know i have it, but now suddenly its getting worse or something? but like I know autism cant "get worse" so like there has to be something else...

I know there's the concept of "unmasking" but like.. surely that would just be me deciding to let it show more? not it actually affecting me more and making stuff more difficult?

And like this year i've really been struggling with the heat waves in england. like omg they are so bad. just them alone have made me so stressed i dont even want to talk.. which is another thing that didnt happen before i got diagnosed!

Am I like "faking" it to myself because im liking the idea of getting support for it? Cuz support does sound nice.. I don't know if im just unconsciously making it worse so that people are like "oh poor Aven, I better help them more"

Anyways sorry for rambling, i hope something i said here made sense lol

and I hope this is the right place for this, apologies if not

Bunny 19 days ago
Hi and welcome to the community!

As for many others, my diagnosis turned out to be the start of a new journey of learning and adapting. I suggest taking extra care to be patient to, and kind with, yourself - and to take your time with processing everything.

Your post covers a few different areas, so I'll break them down and suggest some resources. I'm sorry my reply is so long, but I wanted to cover as many of your points as possible. I also suggest contacting your GP for support.

Learning about autism

In respect of continuing to learn more about autism - and perhaps identifying other things that you can relate to, along with now understanding why - you might find these resources helpful:

NAS - What is autism?

NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic - lists over 60 signs

Post-diagnosis resources

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, and others covering the kinds of support that you can access. You might find them helpful as a starting point:

NAS - How will I feel after receiving an autism diagnosis - includes perspectives from other autistic people, with one discussing their experience of imposter syndrome.

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 are often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you prefer, you might instead be able to self refer for talking therapy.

Before arranging anything, 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

I'll also just mention a couple of books that I and others have found helpful early on in our post-diagnosis journeys:

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

How to Be Autistic (free download currently available via this page)

Imposter syndrome

In respect of imposter syndrome (doubting your diagnosis / questioning whether you're faking it), these articles might also be helpful:

Psychology Today - Why do I feel like an imposter after my autism diagnosis? - 6 ways to overcome imposter syndrome after a later-in-life autism diagnosis

Authentically Emily - Autistic imposter syndrome

Burnout and sensory overload

These resources cover some reasons why we can struggle more at some times than others.

In respect of the recent heatwaves, this one explains more about sensory sensitivity that can occur with autism, including how we can experience sensory overload:

NAS - Autism and sensory processing

And these cover fatigue and burnout, with suggested strategies, tips, and ways to get support:

NAS - Autistic fatigue and burnout

NAS Professional Practice - Understanding autistic burnout

NAS - Seeking help with mental health

There's also some great (free) advice here from Dr Megan Neff - a neurodivergent author, clinician and advocate:

Neurodivergent Insights - Autistic Burnout Recovery: How to Build a Recovery Plan

I also have this book of hers. It's very user-friendly, including lots of diagrams and worksheets:

Amazon UK - The Autistic Burnout Workbook: Your Guide to Your Personal Recovery Plan

I hope that some of the information here is helpful.
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