Hello everyone,
I joined this site just before Christmas and have been reading around some of the discussions to see if I could find a situation that will help me with mine. I hope you don't mind but I'd like to summarise the timeline that's led me/my son to where we are:
My son was diagnosed with Aspergers early last year after I suggested to him that I thought he maybe on the spectrum. We visited our GP who referred him to the local NHS clinic where he went through the diagnostic process. We waited a long time for the assessment to come through and during this period, after my son's struggle to complete an A level course (after 3 years) unsuccessfully, he told me he thought he had ADD. He was desparatly concerned about himself as he was struggling to function on a day to day basis (anxiety, unable to measure time, lack of motivation and inability to finish things he'd started To list a few). I was prompted to act quickly and paid for a private diagnosis ( with family help) as he said he'd been self medicating to help with what he thought he had wrong with him. The diagnosis was that he has ADD as well.
My son is a very eloquent young man with a good vocabulary. His reading age when at primary school was at a teenagers level. He has 8 GCSE's which he achieved without studying. From the outset, a stranger would just see him as a little odd. He is extremely loving and caring and so wants to function well and enjoy his life now.
Life with him growing up through his teenage years has been a struggle ( non conforming at school, breaking school rules, smoking first then moving onto canabis and I'm sure probably harder stuff). His Dad left us when he was 12 and has very little to do with him.
Drugs have been a large problem for the last 5 years and his inability to stop bringing them into my home and total disrespect for me and my home led him to leave last year and he's now in assisted housing. I still see him regularly and I try to keep the conversation light as he doesn't want any advice or help from me. otherwise our conversations start spiralling and we never achieve anything.
He is now in the situation where he struggles to wake up and sleeps late into the day and is awake all night. Getting up late means his ADD meds are pointless as the day has gone. He says he's dealing with it. But once again he's self medicating as he has no faith in the medical profession. I have tried so hard to encourage him to go to the GP about his sleeping problems and I have asked him to access the local Autism services. But he shuts me down.
a development occurred over Christmas when he's received an invitation to attend some Post Diagnostic Sessions at the Aspegers clinic ( more than 6 months after diagnosis!). I thought he wouldn't go but he said he will. I'm hoping this will help.
You see, he has wanted to get himself on track before trying to get a job, which I understand and fully support, but by doing it his way, six months down the line and he's no further forward.
I'm conscious I've rambled on and on. Sorry. I just wanted to see if anyone could offer any suggestions as to how best I can help him. ( by the way, I believe he has kicked the drugs now....just self medicates!)
thank you
