Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all
Thought I’d introduce myself. I’m a 52 year old fella from the Essex area, and stumbled across this place after a discussion with my girlfriend this morning, that interacting with like minded folks may help with my mental health, at present.I’m currently awaiting an “official” diagnosis for Autism, I first started to realise why I’ve always felt “special” after my grandson had some difficulties early on in his life, I started to research a little into his possible diagnosis and issues and found virtually every aspect of what I was reading applied to me.
A couple of years ago I managed to get out of what was a very toxic and abusive relationship, and move away to a as then unknown area, luckily I now love where I live and have a fantastically supportive partner, however coming out of a 27 year long relationship was very hard and as I don’t cope well with someone upsetting my breakfast routine, this was extremely hard. I’ve also just left my job of over 30 years (I told you I didn’t like change), and this has presented me with many more challenges.
After all this time the eye opening reality of all the challenges I’ve experienced in my life, from childhood learning through to adulthood living has really come to light, and as such my mental health has taken a huge toll, to the point of recently becoming I guess suicidal, something I always thought would never effect me. To be honest I have a lot of support which I am thankful for, but I’m still finding it all very difficult. I’m hoping that by joining a community of other neuro divergent folk, that I will learn/understand more of what makes me tick, and find tricks and tips on how to survive as me! rather than the actor with the mask I’ve been playing forever.
I’m not sure that an official diagnosis will make much difference, or whether as an adult it will offer any special support, but from a personal point of view, it represents some form of affirmation and hopefully a sense of relief to know that I haven’t been going mad all this time.
thank you for reading if you’ve made it this far.
MIND CASS run courses for the newly diagnosed or waiting to be assessed which address that sort of thing.
welcome
talking to likeminded people definitely helps
Thorpey69 said:I’m not sure that an official diagnosis will make much difference
and it won't, there is no support for grownups
important is self-identification,
it your mind accepts it fully you'll enjoy learning more about it
Thanks for the replies. I am currently having CBT with a new course starting tomorrow. I’m hoping that it will help with some aspects, I’m certainly not expecting any kind of cure all. I guess the biggest aspiration is to learn more of who I actually am, and to cast aside some of the characters I’ve been playing all my life.
Hi Welcome,.. well this community certainly helped me make sense of my world :-) Hope we can help you do the same.
And yes, a diagnosis might well help especially if you are contemplating therapy of any kind. Some of it doesn't work, or work well for autistic people, unless it is adapted to our autism. So, it could improve your quality of care a fair bit. As for other support, well there's not much of it out there, but it might help you toward what there is.
The diagnosis will provide a sense of relief. I know it’s only a bit of paper, but it’s so worth it. I expect you’ll start having flash backs to certain situations, and seeing ASD as the reason, instead of anything that you said or did wrong…. They’ll be a lot to learn and find out about yourself, but in the way of support, I don’t think there is any. You can have CBT and such, or try and join a local group for similar minded people. And of course, there’s this forum. Someone will have been where you are. In fact most of us have lol.