Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi I guess, I don't know what to write really and feel abit overwhelmed but I have been a reader for a few months now and want to attempt to engage. I am a 31 y/o male who is now seeking a diagnosis for asd and am the 'further assessment list' after a few visits to the GP.
I have always been a 'bit different' with very few friends across my life. I have had on and off very bad mental health 2014 was my darkest year with some serious suicide contemplation's. I still live my mother and dog. My younger seemingly NT brother moved out some time ago and is moving down south very soon. My father is estranged and I haven't seen him I believe since 2012. I have been lucky in some respects I have had a lot and love and support from my ever loving and patient mum! I started looking towards a direction in looking for a ASD diagnosis in a journey which involved a battle with alcoholism which started late in 2018. I have done well and I don't drink anymore and I have learned a lot about myself. A few people had put some things to me in regard to myself perhaps being on some sort of spectrum various times over the years and the work I have done on myself last year made me realise that yes things were beginning to make sense after much research predictably.
I have been in a job in the same workplace for many years I am extremely overwhelmed with long hours at the moment I hope I am well on the way to making a change I've had a few interviews lined up with one being today. I have became alot more self-aware and acknowledge and try to account for my limitations. I have a habit of speaking about myself and my issues but I struggle to still process my thoughts in an orderly fashion and miss things out which is why my introduction probably seems abit non-linear and fragmented.
My 'special interests' is football facts, weather and I am fond of driving up and down the country and visiting new places. My purpose of coming on here is to try and engage and pick up more and more knowledge and more coping strategies as well as hopefully trying to support others.
Thankyou for reading through all of this
ideally change the NAS66142 to a name or ID u like so we can all remember u better. ahhh u have a dog as do I. I fought and won the battle against alcohol as well. That is a major victory. It shows you are capable of so much !
Reading your introduction is awesome because you also have managed to get a job as well :) and looking for another job. Its always good to have a look around and see if you can improve your job satisfaction.
after I stopped drinkng ( 7 years ago now ) I taught myself meditation. I used this to reduce my anxiety ( and at the time depression ). I practice my meditation everyday ( that is the key to succeeding with meditation ). I would defo recommend it. But run it by your mum as well.
Tip :Start with mindfulness meditation.
It can be as little as 10 minutes per day but I do 20-30 minutes per day and today I did 3 hours ! ( due to the bad weather and I couldnt get out for long in my garden).
Meditation is hard very hard in the beginnng but I just kept doing it. I watched 100s of videos on Youtube on guided meditations. I read at least 7 books on meditation and mindfulness ( all from charity shops and/or my library )
If your mum has a garden get out and help her to garden, plant thing,cut hedges cut grass etc. ( this is "meditation by doing" ). If u have no garden get u and your mum or a friend to do regular walks in forests or country side or beach ( take your dog of course ). Again this is "meditation by doing".
I used mindfulness( formal meditation and daily exercises ) -- to reduce anxiety, create a calmer me
i used meditation ( "following breath" - "watching thoughts") - to get more control /understanding of what is going on in my head. I used it to stop recurring bad/negative thoughts and to think differently from my entrenched ways. I still occasionally have suidical thoughts ( I was much worse ) but now they have reduced to almost completely gone and if they do appear I can now manage them quite easily which pleased me no end :)
i used meditation ( "focusing on cande" or any object ) - to increase my concentration.
the meditation/mindfulness gave me more control of my mind and also I started looking after myself better as well eg going to dentist, cleanng my clothes, hair, face, toes. I also stopped over working too much, carrying work worries home, and handling stress in my work better.
show your mum this text and see what she thinks.
best wishes Aidie