Lost after diagnosis

Hello

I only got diagnosed myself a little older at 45 and now 47.  My elation did happen at the mere suggestion and referal, there really is more happening. Previously i had put in for CBT and that was working whilst actually have the CBT. But that came to an end and i can't put into place what I was doing. I was very good at being able to take the issues that were upsetting me and luckily I had an excellent psychologist who didn't judge for the seemingly small issues. I had a year gap then decided to re-refer as was well.... that time I was initially passed from pillar to post as some  may experience but this time it was with real justification. I wasn't to know that the Psychologist who referred me was actaully specialising in Autism and the ASD Spectrum. She told me when she referred me. I was on cloud 9 for a few weeks at the mere suggestion.

Then the worry came when waiting for the results of the assessments. As - what happens if they say not. I hadn't done any reading before hand because decided it better to not know too much. Be natural. But I read plenty later and certainly seemed to fit the female side of Autism. But who knows what they were seeing. Luckily for me the diagnosis did turn out that 2/3'rds Autistic and PDD-NOS. I relaxed as was on the ASD Spectrum and would begin to get the help I needed. I was told I have difficulty in sequence of things and processing information. The nurse made a point almost of telling me if she was me, if there was anything I needed to remember like dates etc, get people to write them down.  Kind of all meant nothing to me at time.

Two years on I am beginning to glimpse where I find difficulties and know my emotions and recognise them a little bit more. I have had nearly a year and a bit of support from the Occupational Nurse too. I can't really say what we did as didn't seem to help much but on the other hand I am recognising my difficulties a little bit more.

They gave me an autism card of which I put down a contact. I had put one down but things changed naturally at that time and had to find another person whom to put down.  I also was emailing someone I trusted and they gave me lots of tips. It didn't seem so much a suprise to him when first told him they think am Asperger's. But then he hadn't known me very long and was able to have the outside view of me. He was able to offer support in the way I needed. He moved so had to find someone else and I am so grateful as been able to sort of fill in the bits a little.

The logo that is used of a Jigsaw piece. I very much relate to that. I don't think that will ever change but what is changing I know myself better.  I know when something is not quite happening for me I can 'talk' it through with the trusted friend and he often will find that missing piece for me in the way I can relate to.

Now I do know what they mean by processing information. I find it hard to process a lot of information in one go. The example I can easily describe, is that I love singing. Am not a good singer-just love singing and am in two choirs. When we are learning a piece I can find that hard. It the constant changes and keeping up with it. Something gets altered because it don't sound right and rearrange it. I find that especially hard somehow and have been misunderstood in the past in a previous choir. I don't mark my copy because it gets confusing. Now people around me, the right people know I have autism and try to take it into account. If I find tears are too near I can go and sit out and recover. It not being seen as not interested or anything. I am just finding my own space.

I am learning too that sometimes endings of things can be hard and just asked a friend for help on this. It don't work for me to have an object to carry through with me to have that continuim. The event has still ended. Often I can go away and it all okay but other times I really find it difficult to balance out as I call it.

We all have our unique things we find hard on the ASD Spectrum. If you only just been diagnosed then it at the beginning of learning and it may mean unlearning some of the habital things. We can't control other people but we can control ourselves and if people around us aren't on the whole supportive then find yourselve people who are. I have been lucky in the sense and stumbled across people who shown themselves to be supportive when I needed that. Things have changed for me too, but for the better. Am in more control now rather than things just happen. I have actually seen through to an end of one project because I learned to ask.

It will take time to feel better in yourself with Autism. There a lot to learn about you. We will still have the difficulties we have but it is learning how to cope around them I guess. Hope this helps a little.

Hello

I only got diagnosed myself a little older at 45 and now 47.  My elation did happen at the mere suggestion and referal, there really is more happening. Previously i had put in for CBT and that was working whilst actually have the CBT. But that came to an end and i can't put into place what I was doing. I was very good at being able to take the issues that were upsetting me and luckily I had an excellent psychologist who didn't judge for the seemingly small issues. I had a year gap then decided to re-refer as was well.... that time I was initially passed from pillar to post as some  may experience but this time it was with real justification. I wasn't to know that the Psychologist who referred me was actaully specialising in Autism and the ASD Spectrum. She told me when she referred me. I was on cloud 9 for a few weeks at the mere suggestion.

Then the worry came when waiting for the results of the assessments. As - what happens if they say not. I hadn't done any reading before hand because decided it better to not know too much. Be natural. But I read plenty later and certainly seemed to fit the female side of Autism. But who knows what they were seeing. Luckily for me the diagnosis did turn out that 2/3'rds Autistic and PDD-NOS. I relaxed as was on the ASD Spectrum and would begin to get the help I needed. I was told I have difficulty in sequence of things and processing information. The nurse made a point almost of telling me if she was me, if there was anything I needed to remember like dates etc, get people to write them down.  Kind of all meant nothing to me at time.

Two years on I am beginning to glimpse where I find difficulties and know my emotions and recognise them a little bit more. I have had nearly a year and a bit of support from the Occupational Nurse too. I can't really say what we did as didn't seem to help much but on the other hand I am recognising my difficulties a little bit more.

They gave me an autism card of which I put down a contact. I had put one down but things changed naturally at that time and had to find another person whom to put down.  I also was emailing someone I trusted and they gave me lots of tips. It didn't seem so much a suprise to him when first told him they think am Asperger's. But then he hadn't known me very long and was able to have the outside view of me. He was able to offer support in the way I needed. He moved so had to find someone else and I am so grateful as been able to sort of fill in the bits a little.

The logo that is used of a Jigsaw piece. I very much relate to that. I don't think that will ever change but what is changing I know myself better.  I know when something is not quite happening for me I can 'talk' it through with the trusted friend and he often will find that missing piece for me in the way I can relate to.

Now I do know what they mean by processing information. I find it hard to process a lot of information in one go. The example I can easily describe, is that I love singing. Am not a good singer-just love singing and am in two choirs. When we are learning a piece I can find that hard. It the constant changes and keeping up with it. Something gets altered because it don't sound right and rearrange it. I find that especially hard somehow and have been misunderstood in the past in a previous choir. I don't mark my copy because it gets confusing. Now people around me, the right people know I have autism and try to take it into account. If I find tears are too near I can go and sit out and recover. It not being seen as not interested or anything. I am just finding my own space.

I am learning too that sometimes endings of things can be hard and just asked a friend for help on this. It don't work for me to have an object to carry through with me to have that continuim. The event has still ended. Often I can go away and it all okay but other times I really find it difficult to balance out as I call it.

We all have our unique things we find hard on the ASD Spectrum. If you only just been diagnosed then it at the beginning of learning and it may mean unlearning some of the habital things. We can't control other people but we can control ourselves and if people around us aren't on the whole supportive then find yourselve people who are. I have been lucky in the sense and stumbled across people who shown themselves to be supportive when I needed that. Things have changed for me too, but for the better. Am in more control now rather than things just happen. I have actually seen through to an end of one project because I learned to ask.

It will take time to feel better in yourself with Autism. There a lot to learn about you. We will still have the difficulties we have but it is learning how to cope around them I guess. Hope this helps a little.