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Mental Health following Diagnosis

Eyes

Hello,

I'm new to this community having being diagnosed as an adult with Autism recently, apologies if I get any terminology or anything else incorrect as I'm quite clueless on this at the moment.

It's just been a week or so but it's been difficult since in my mind. I feel surprised at how people don't really seem interested or want to know more (aside from my partner.) It's probably arrogant to expect people to want to talk to me about it but I'm just surprised they haven't really and feel a little alone with it.

I suppose it has been quite important for me to find this out and it's a huge deal for me, I burnt out a year or so ago and was out of work for 3 months, been confused and lost for a long time with depression.

I suppose it's solipsistic to expect it to be as huge for others as it is for me but I'd welcome reading others experience of how others reacted to their diagnosis and whether ultimately that was really important to you or not.

Thanks for reading.

Parents

  • Hi Eyes,

    I was diagnosed in January and for me the diagnosis made a heck of a lot of sense in how my life has gone.

    I've had one friendship which didn't last when they said "we all have our personal battles" which I took exception to. 

    Some people have been very supportive, another said it was "like I joined a cult" which we talked through somehow (although it's still not the same).

    Family is weird as they don't really talk to me about it, I think that may be as they don't want to think about the traits we share and what it might mean for them.

    For me, it's a roller coaster not a silver bullet, but at least I know what I'm dealing with now.

  • in reply to Joe

    Hi Joe,

    Thank you for your response. I suppose I don't know what I wanted to hear when I told my loved ones but I know I wouldn't have wanted to hear 'we all have our personal battles'... Sorry you had that and I wouldn't have liked to hear that either.

    I suppose the initial lesson I've learnt from everyone on the forum is we have to first be ok with it ourselves. It'll take me a while.

    Thanks again Joe.

    Eyes

  • in reply to Eyes

    Thanks! Some good came out of it as I went back and told them it wasn't a personal battle but a lifelong disability that I only just found out I had. It was the first time I admitted to myself or anyone else that autism is a disability. I've struggled with that post diagnosis and still getting to grips with it, trying not to be ableist to myself or anyone else.

    What they had done in a short exchange was dismiss my lived experience, misinterpreted by intentions, refused to believe me and belittled me. I realised that had happened so many times through my life and I'm not going to put up with it any more.  So not all bad.

  • in reply to Joe

    That's grand Joe, I'm going to work on repairing my own battered self-esteem so I can learn not to put up with being belittled either. Thanks again.

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