Autism, Mental Health, Being a Highly Sensitive Person, Loneliness

Hi Chris. Sometimes finding someone willing to help does involve being shuffled from service to service. I've been turned down for that first-line (primary care/IAPT) psychological service for similar reasons.  Sometimes that's because you're also somewhere in the secondary care system.

Hope you get some support at the new place, and find some ways to overcome the loneliness.  Knowing you might be autistic is something to check they are taking into account.

I would say that it's the case that most human beings have mental health issues due to their identification with thought and the neurosis that causes.

Autism (though I'm beginning to dislike this label because it's such an ugly sounding word) is quite different.

Autism, for me, is characterised by acute sensory sensitivities and a rigidity in patterns of behaviour.

There is probably evidence to suggest that autistic people are more susceptible to mental ill health due to  sensory overload and societal condemnation of their behavioural rigidity.

This makes it difficult for clinicians to untangle. I think the test is to remove the sensory stimuli that cause problems and spend less time in social settings and then notice whether your mental health improves or not. 

I tried TalkWorks and they dismissed, judged and rejected me and they told me my issues were too complex so i have had to go to another service which now i am on the waiting list for, i am going to a place called The Morrings on Saturday which helps me with my emotions and mental health hopefully i will find some more answers there

Thank you for your reply

Chris said:

how would i know if i have Autism or Mental Health or if im just a highly sensitive person or just suffering from loneliness and rejection or if i have all of them

Some of this is going to sound obvious. If you feel lonely, you're probably lonely.  If you don't feel lonely, but think you're more alone than you want to be, you may also be lonely.  That and rejection aren't clinical diagnoses, and everyone is sensitive to some degree.

Without waiting 2 years for the assessment, do you think you're autistic, or do people around you? Autistic people are more often depressed or anxious than non-autistic people, and more often isolated, but being depressed and anxious isn't 'core' to what is being autistic. It doesn't mean you are.  What else makes you think you might be autistic?

Yes, it's hard to get answers, and it might not be a black and white answer. Do you need to wait for answers before you try to do things to improve your life and state of mind?

Chris said:

im not sure if i dont understand my emotions because i have suppressed them my whole life or if its because i dont know how to express them due to Autism

I was very confused by that same thing. I don't think my feelings are the same as many people would expect them to be, and I usually don't know what I'm feeling.  I don't think my feelings are either repressed or suppressed, but knowing I'm liable to depression I do try to not dwell on stuff and to do things that might make me feel better.

Talking to other people, professionals or friends or family or whoever, can help you find what's important to you. If you are having suicidal thoughts, you should definitely talk to whoever you can about them.  Samaritans on 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/

Can you do something nice for yourself today?

Autism/Mental Health Problem.... there's the 50 thousand dollar question none of us can diagnose - only an expert can.  The experience of living the ND life in an NT world can often lead to mental health problems though, so both can be in play albeit the therapies you may need to help with that might not be the same as for NTs.

Do you have any therapy, other than keeping a journal?  It might be worth discussing it with your therapist if you do.  I know when I first mentioned autism to mine, he got some extra training and adapted his approach - that helped!  I think it important while you wait what is an unacceptably long time for an assessment for autism, that mental health don't dismiss you f you can't respond to therapies designed for NTs.  If you find yourself struggling to derive benefit from therapy, I'd suggest to them that in view of the fact you might be autistic, you'd like to try another approach.