The end of the road and a new beginning - Advice for a 'new' Aspie

Hello,

I'm new to the world of autism and after searching for three decades I've finally come to the realisation that my quite significant problems are rooted in Autism, specifically Aspergers.

I've known for the last year and have gone through periods of denial, and have been loath to seek specialist support & advice. Partially because I feel labels can be more of an impediment then help.

However, recent events in my personal life have forced me to rethink and thus here I am looking for some advice and pointers :)

I've been privately seeing an (attachment based) Psychotherapist for the last three years and have hit obstacles when trying to explain to her that her experince of me within the Therapy rooms is completyly different to how people experience me in the real world outside.

She is a brilliant & compasionate therapist for whom I have much love and respect. She's gently guided through some very turbulant events in my personal life over the last three years. However, I feel like I've come to the stage where exposure to a therapist who has an in depth understanding of Aspergers could open up the way forward for me.

So, question one is how can I find such a therapist in London ?

Question two: I have very little contact with NHS medical services including my GP, as I find them of little practical help. However, I've recently been thinking of obtaining a profesional diagnosis but I'm very anxious about approaching my Doctor. What can i do about this? Is there an alternative to my GP ?

Question three: Are there support groups for intelligent Aspie adults who're keen to offer each other practical support / encouragement to be independent in employment and work towards managing their relationships without the classic melt down, withdrawls and super high levsl of anxiety.

I have lots more questions, but this is enough for now. Many thanks for your help.

Willowtree

Parents

willowtree over 14 years ago

Thanks for the comment, I'll follow up on the diagnosis advice and the London community forums. I'm pretty positive I'll return with more questions.
Regards my therapist, she's a wonderful attachement based therapist who really has helped me understand what it may possibly mean to relate and why, however she is very against the idea of High Functioning Autism and see's it as just another attempt to slap a label on and dismiss enviromental influences.
It pretty much came to a point where after three years seeing her I finally had to 'come out' as someone on the specturm and challenge her belief that what she see's in the therapy room is not me, by any streatch of the imagination, in the real world.
So far she's dismissed my attempts to explain my 'tantrums' and my inability to connect as me just overexagerating the difficulties I have. In fairness, in therapy I come across as a shy mild mannered well spoken man who is socially aware.
Currently, I'm in an odd situation regards therapy. I like her immensly and have no desire to terminate anytime soon, but I feel I need to be with someone who is both sympatehic and has some understanding of HFA.

Reply

willowtree over 14 years ago

Thanks for the comment, I'll follow up on the diagnosis advice and the London community forums. I'm pretty positive I'll return with more questions.
Regards my therapist, she's a wonderful attachement based therapist who really has helped me understand what it may possibly mean to relate and why, however she is very against the idea of High Functioning Autism and see's it as just another attempt to slap a label on and dismiss enviromental influences.
It pretty much came to a point where after three years seeing her I finally had to 'come out' as someone on the specturm and challenge her belief that what she see's in the therapy room is not me, by any streatch of the imagination, in the real world.
So far she's dismissed my attempts to explain my 'tantrums' and my inability to connect as me just overexagerating the difficulties I have. In fairness, in therapy I come across as a shy mild mannered well spoken man who is socially aware.
Currently, I'm in an odd situation regards therapy. I like her immensly and have no desire to terminate anytime soon, but I feel I need to be with someone who is both sympatehic and has some understanding of HFA.

Children

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