Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. I'm 47 and fairly recently diagnosed as autistic. I live with my husband and adult children who are also autistic and have their own support issues.
I'm coping with a long term chronic illness since having covid early in 2020 and now find it really hard to regulate my emotions, and manage other triggers due to my chronic fatigue. Things I've probably masked or managed well all my life are now incredibly difficult to cope with.
I'm also feeling very lonely. I isolate myself and seem to have trouble maintaining friendships and even at my age it hurts.
It's alot. Im overwhelmed by it all, and have been on a waiting list for intensive MH support for 38 weeks
Hi, I'm 25 and also only recently realised I am autistic (awaiting assessment). It sounds so tough, especially also having to cope with illness (is it Long Covid? I am actually also still struggling since having had Covid at beginning of 2021). Are you receiving support for your chronic illness?
Like you say, it's hard when you feel isolated and overwhelmed to put yourself into situations where you could meet friends. I am also feeling more isolated since I moved abroad, especially as I do not feel like I fit in at work. Luckily I am still in touch virtually with my close friends from university and I have met people on this forum. Do you have any interests through which you could meet friends? I had no friends at school but I connected to like-minded people at university- it was almost effortless as we just fit and understood each other- I met all my friends through shared interests ( my course, through going to scientific talks or even as we were both late for lectures each day and bumped into each other at the door to the lecture hall 5 min late each morning... etc. Also while hiking I find it easy to meet people). Now that I moved abroad I haven't made any new friends but also have been lacking the energy and time to try- it is also so much harder where I live now to meet anyone so I didn't have the energy. I think I needed the withdrawal but I do feel lonely at times. It's so hard.
I hope that you get some more support soon and that you meet some like-minded people eventually. It's great that you found this forum and hopefully talking to people here will make you feel less alone- joining this forum helped me enormously and I am very happy that I did so and got to know other people here.
Take care, Best, Ann
Hi, sorry to hear you are feeling lonely and isolated. It sounds as if you have been through quite a lot over the past few months both physically and mentally so no wonder it's taken it out of you. It is a complete nightmare getting MH support just now which is very frustrating.
I was lucky enough to be able to afford some private therapy for my anxiety which was horrendous at the end of last year - I hate to think what I'd be like now without that (I'd still be on a waiting list too I expect).
I'm 52, currently self diagnosed as on the spectrum (still working out what it means for me) and despite being married have no real friends and am quite often lonely despite also enjoying my own company. It's an inner conflict for me - needing contact with people and yet finding them unpredictable, confusing and annoying at times!
Just know you are not alone.