Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello,
I was diagnosed with ASD Level 1 by Psychiatry UK before Christmas last year. Although this has been very positive and a lot of things that didn't make sense to me now do, the report I received was only really a summary of the documents submitted and the appointment and was quite general with the issues I experience as a result of being autistic. I have still had to figure things out by trial and error to understand what does and doesn't work for me and I have gaps that I don't know how to address or even articulate to others e.g. navigating friendships and romantic relationships. Similarly for work purposes, although they know I have the diagnosis and have my report on file, they haven't been able to provide recommended/required support because of the lack of specifics.
I've tried looking around for adult support services in my area but can't find anything so I'm a bit stuck. My priority mainly is for work, I'd like them (and future employers) to have something that outlines my specific needs. Is this something I can seek out? And if so, how would I go about securing it?
Thanks in advance!
It's wild how different the levels of detail are depending on where you go. I was diagnosed through the NHS and I felt it was very thorough and comprehensive, using specific examples of how I struggled in the past and currently. In the final interview before diagnosing me, the clinician talked me through everything she had put in her report, checking that I was happy that everything was accurate and asking if I had anything else that I wanted recorded. She even had a section on my autistic strengths and made sure that I knew I had places to look for support if needed. This is what it should be like for everyone. Not dependent on location or privilege.
This is what I had expected from the report that was produced for me but it felt like I was reading back everything I had said to them. It did leave me wondering if I had been properly assessed but this seems to be the standard with Psychiatry UK.