Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello. I'm a 50-year-old single man who's currently in the NHS system waiting for an Asperger's diagnosis. I have some support from the CMH team, but I want to help myself. There is a reason for this. On my third visit with the CMH team, I was told they had some good news. The good news was a letter from the NHS saying that after consideration, I did not qualify for funding to put me forward for tests. "What are you thinking right now?" asked my support worker. I replied that I was thinking about how I could kill myself. A remark that was challenged as reactionary. After 45 minutes of utter despair, the support worker said, a little patronisingly, let's read the letter again - there were just three sentences. At the top of the letter were three numbers - an internal reference, a case number and my DOB. The DOB was wrong. It was not my letter. Two agonising hours later, I was called to be told they had made a mistake and I did qualify for funding. I have major issues of trust as it is. This caved me in. This is why I want to try to help myself. I'm in a queue, but I don't know how long it'll take. Are there any videos, or articles I can read that can help me accept my situation? Where can I turn to for advice?
Welcome to the forum.
That just about takes the biscuit for the most appalling treatment! I hope you can move on and put it behind you though? People with autism often have bad experiences because the system isn't good at dealing with us and we aren't good at negotiating and understanding how the system works and how to deal with the people involved. There are loads of people who have been through it and come out of the other end so please stick around and ask questions and join in the discussions.
You are in the right place to get some support and understanding though. There are quite a few older and late diagnosed adults like me here who will try and keep you positive and looking forwards. I think we mostly agree that getting a diagnosis can be a breakthrough and that it can bring much better understanding of ourselves and how to deal with the world that we have to deal with.