So.....received my Aspergers diagnosis today

Hi Felix74,

I'm very similar to you...only maybe a few months further down the line. I received my diagnosis of High Functioning Autism around 3 months ago and although it didn't come as a surprise to me it has taken some time to adjust to this new information.

Straight after the diagnosis (the immediate 24 hours after I mean) I felt kinda' numb...like my brain was in hibernate mode, or like it was protecting itself (if that makes any sense?) After this initial period I started to process the information; I talked to my family about it, I spent days and days researching HFA, devouring any little blog, article or mention that I could find. I stayed like this for a week or so seeming pretty much okay with my diagnosis.

BUT THEN...for me it all came crashing down. I can't say what caused this monumental trip up, but it was like I couldn't cope with the weight of the diagnosis and what it meant for me going forward. "Where do I fit in? What does life mean for me now? How do I carry on like before? Am I a good human? Do I deserve to be here?" A gamut of probably very stupid questions seemed to bother me constantly. During this period it was like my brain had gone into total shutdown and refused to work; I couldn't make sense of things that had previously been clear, my coping mechanisms that had been in place for years weren't working any more, my emotions were all over the place and I was as low as I have been for a long long time. I struggled with looking at any positives of my diagnosis, focusing only on the negatives; in particular the distance that I feel it puts between me and other NT (neuro-typicals).

However...I'm now around 3 months post-diagnosis and I can honestly say that I am on the right side of it now. I am 85% reconciled with my diagnosis, I have mostly accepted it and almost embraced it. Don't get me wrong I still have my moments of doubt, anger, grief, being generally pissed off...but for the moest part I have 'stabilised' myself. HFA is not some illness that must be weeded out or frowned up, it's a fundamental part of who I am and it shapes my life, it makes me the person that I am. I am learning to see the positives of HFA and how these make me successful in my career and my life in general.

I hope this isn't all just waffle, I suppose what I am trying to say is....yes, there is an adjustment period. For you it may be short or it may be long, it may be smooth or it may be rough. But whatever path it leads you down you will come out the other end and hopefully with a better understanding of yourself and how you fit into the world with this news you have received. xx

Hi Felix74,

I'm very similar to you...only maybe a few months further down the line. I received my diagnosis of High Functioning Autism around 3 months ago and although it didn't come as a surprise to me it has taken some time to adjust to this new information.

Straight after the diagnosis (the immediate 24 hours after I mean) I felt kinda' numb...like my brain was in hibernate mode, or like it was protecting itself (if that makes any sense?) After this initial period I started to process the information; I talked to my family about it, I spent days and days researching HFA, devouring any little blog, article or mention that I could find. I stayed like this for a week or so seeming pretty much okay with my diagnosis.

BUT THEN...for me it all came crashing down. I can't say what caused this monumental trip up, but it was like I couldn't cope with the weight of the diagnosis and what it meant for me going forward. "Where do I fit in? What does life mean for me now? How do I carry on like before? Am I a good human? Do I deserve to be here?" A gamut of probably very stupid questions seemed to bother me constantly. During this period it was like my brain had gone into total shutdown and refused to work; I couldn't make sense of things that had previously been clear, my coping mechanisms that had been in place for years weren't working any more, my emotions were all over the place and I was as low as I have been for a long long time. I struggled with looking at any positives of my diagnosis, focusing only on the negatives; in particular the distance that I feel it puts between me and other NT (neuro-typicals).

However...I'm now around 3 months post-diagnosis and I can honestly say that I am on the right side of it now. I am 85% reconciled with my diagnosis, I have mostly accepted it and almost embraced it. Don't get me wrong I still have my moments of doubt, anger, grief, being generally pissed off...but for the moest part I have 'stabilised' myself. HFA is not some illness that must be weeded out or frowned up, it's a fundamental part of who I am and it shapes my life, it makes me the person that I am. I am learning to see the positives of HFA and how these make me successful in my career and my life in general.

I hope this isn't all just waffle, I suppose what I am trying to say is....yes, there is an adjustment period. For you it may be short or it may be long, it may be smooth or it may be rough. But whatever path it leads you down you will come out the other end and hopefully with a better understanding of yourself and how you fit into the world with this news you have received. xx