Newly diagnosed 29 y/o woman, struggling to accept

Hi everyone, I’m new here and hoping for some guidance.

I was diagnosed with autism on Tuesday through the Right to Choose pathway with Clinical Partners. The assessments themselves felt thorough, but the actual diagnosis was delivered in a very blunt five‑minute phone call. I asked a few follow‑up questions but the responses were short, and I was told my report will take 2–4 weeks to reach my GP. It’s left me feeling like I’ve been handed this huge piece of news with no support or direction.

Even though I suspected autism for a while, the diagnosis has hit me in a way I didn’t expect. I keep finding myself wondering if I somehow said the wrong things in the assessments, or if they misinterpreted me. It feels strange to have this label that’s supposedly been part of me my whole life, yet right now it doesn’t feel like it “fits” or belongs to me. I can’t seem to sit with it — I feel numb, confused, shut down, and unsure how to cope or what to do next.

If anyone is willing to share how you processed your diagnosis, what helped you in the early days, or anything you wish you’d known at the start, I’d really appreciate it.

Parents
  • Hi, and thank you to everyone who took the time to read my post and share your thoughts. I’ve been reading through the replies slowly, taking them in bit by bit. It still feels like a lot to hold, and if I’m honest, everything feels very heavy right now.

    The last few months have been overwhelming — a big house move, parenting a three‑year‑old, becoming unemployed because of the move, and feeling like I’ve lost my sense of identity. I’m still grieving the life we had before. So to be offered an autism assessment just weeks after moving into a project house, and then to be told I’m autistic… it felt like one more huge thing landing on top of everything else.

    I think what I need most at the moment is time, patience, and some self‑kindness while I process all of this. I’ve decided to start private counselling because I need something steady and consistent to help me navigate everything.

    Thank you again to all of you for your support. It means a lot.

Reply
  • Hi, and thank you to everyone who took the time to read my post and share your thoughts. I’ve been reading through the replies slowly, taking them in bit by bit. It still feels like a lot to hold, and if I’m honest, everything feels very heavy right now.

    The last few months have been overwhelming — a big house move, parenting a three‑year‑old, becoming unemployed because of the move, and feeling like I’ve lost my sense of identity. I’m still grieving the life we had before. So to be offered an autism assessment just weeks after moving into a project house, and then to be told I’m autistic… it felt like one more huge thing landing on top of everything else.

    I think what I need most at the moment is time, patience, and some self‑kindness while I process all of this. I’ve decided to start private counselling because I need something steady and consistent to help me navigate everything.

    Thank you again to all of you for your support. It means a lot.

Children
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