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Diagnosed autistic

Lumos

Hi, I'm new here. I have autism level 2 and have just been diagnosed! Bit of a relief, I worried in case I wasn't autistic because it seemed to be me so much. I don't really know where to go from here but it's nice to know who I am a little better at last. Now I'm wondering whether I should tell any of my family or if it would be better to keep it to myself for the time being. I like the idea of telling my loved ones but not everyone understands this sort of thing and I don't want to get judged and ridiculed.

  • in reply to Berrybunny

    Just checking in with you Berrybunny.  I've noticed you NOT being around for a day or more.....I hope all is well with you?  Just know that your presence is missed (albeit without pressure/expectation for you to appear or respond.)

    This place is so very thinned out at the moment........I'm perhaps hyper vigilant when I notice someone missing a bit!

    Anyhow - just wanted to say that, fwiw.

  • Hi Lumos, welcome to the community. There's a lot to take in and no mega rush to do anything. I would take your time and get more comfortable with everything. I only recently told my kids, I was worried about the reaction but I pretty much got a low key one, which was along the lines of yes we already knew that and nothing has changed. You are still the same. I was overthinking things as per usual. Wish you all the best, in my experience time and being kind to yourself (or kinder) has worked well for me...

  • Hi Lumos. Congrats on your diagnosis!

    Welcome to the forum.

  • in reply to Bunny

    Thank you so so much! Slight smile

    Thank you for the articles. So kind of you. I'll take a look at other articles, just trying to take in this site and work every thing out rn. I've been resting for most of the day, I've been on edge so long and my doctor said to rest and give time to process all this information.

    Has your autistic journey been a positive one? I’m worried that mine won’t be. I just over think it I’m sure but I worry that I’ll somehow screw it up and not be understood and just fail at life. My start to life hasn’t been good really and I want this to be the turning point but I worry it won’t work out. Rn it feels like everything is hanging in the balance.

  • Congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community!

    The NAS has a great set of articles focused on "after diagnosis", including one covering how you might feel during the subsequent days / weeks / months. You might find them of interest and/or helpful:

    NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis

    NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis including:

    • Talking about and disclosing your autism diagnosis
    • Emotional support for family members after a diagnosis
    • Formal support following an autism diagnosis
    • What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

    In terms of what to do next, my advice at this point would be to give yourself plenty of time and breathing space to process and absorb everything that you've been through, and let your feelings settle down.

    As for many others here, my own diagnosis turned out to be the start of a new journey, rather than a conclusion full of instant solutions for my difficulties. 

    Therapy (or counselling) is often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. In anticipation of that, you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, which includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with advice on choosing the right therapist or counsellor - all from an autistic person's viewpoint. Several of us here have found it very helpful:

    The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy