I'm making these enquiries on behalf of a female friend. I've known her a year and seen her 26-year-old son several times. He does not have a diagnosis but we think he may have some neurological atypicality which has been worsened by his use of strong 'Skunk' marijuana. My friend thinks he began to act differently after an MMR jab, which is I suppose blowing on embers of an old controversy. He is very rude - I've never seen an adult call his own mother the 'c' word _while_ extracting money from her that she doesn't realistically have. He is quick to aggression, verbally, but has tunnel vision about his wants, and will cycle these wants verbally. He had obtained much money from his mother's savings, and many friends have tried to dissuade her from her enabling behaviour. The thing is there has been much police involvement - he was was arrested recently for making threats. But nothing ever leads to professional assessment. How can an assessment be obtained? What sort of information is there about marijuana use and autism? It would be horrible for him to go on in loops of damaging behaviour if an assessment could bring about improvements, but my friend seems to see no way to bridge to an assessment. A GP has been obstructive for example. Without an assessment we don't know if my friend's son is having a license to be dreadful because of a merely suspected difference.
This posting is intended to help both my friend and her son if there can be a way forward. I do wonder though if the drug use is going to be an obstacle, though it may be that the possibility of a diagnosis may help his current concern which is an approaching homelessness - his behaviour has got him thrown out of other places.
My friend is clearly very seriously worn out, which I've seen for a year, and I'm trying to talk her into overdue counselling. She and her son are currently not speaking, with police involvement. It may seem harsh but it has been necessary. I suspect with the right help things could blow over in time and become healthy, but my friend has rightly put herself first. She has survived cancer and has another serious and debilitating illness of her own to contend with. She is very far from selfish, and her former career involved at times near-selflessness and to make efforts that pretty much worsened her health.
I have changed some details to protect identity. I am aware that this forum will be used by diagnosed people also and I hope I have not caused offence and I would hope that as prickly as things are my good intentions are clear - I would think there are autistic people who are glad that help has brought them away from dysfunctional situations.
Many thanks for any assistance.
