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Advice needed: NHS treatment for young adult with Autistic burnout

MikeB

Hi all

My family needs advice from someone who has experience navigating the NHS mental health treatment system where autism is involved.

My 27 year old daughter has been sectioned and in a mental hospital for approximately 3 months. Initially she was diagnosed as suffering from  depression and anxiety but this has been changed to autistic burnout after she was tested for and diagnosed as being autistic. Her hospital seems to have little idea of how she needs to be treated and cared for in terms of her autism despite the intervention of the local NHS Autism Service. Our daughter  was a teacher until earlier this year when she could no longer cope with the stress caused by a lifetime of masking her autism. Her psychiatrist and staff at the hospital seem to feel that she can't be that unwell because she can express herself clearly. At the moment they are trying to railroad her out of the hospital despite her ongoing suicidal thoughts. She has made several attempts at suicide before boing sectioned and while in the hospital. 

We are extremely worried that she will be released before she is ready to cope.

Can anyone offer advice or tell us who can help?

Thank you

Parents

  • I am so sorry - how upsetting for you and your daughter. It’s at least a positive that the fact that  she is autistic has been identified - that’s such an important and valuable step towards helping her get well again. Can I ask: does she want to leave hospital? Or is it that she is wanting to stay and inpatient and she is not feeling ready to leave? Could she stay with you when she comes out - so that she is not left alone? Do you feel able to care for her in the weeks after she leaves hospital - or are you worried that you might struggle to cope? What support do the hospital offer for when she does eventually leave hospital? 
    If she has burnout then I imagine she needs a lot of peace with no pressure on her so that she can gently regain strength at her own pace. What does she say she needs most? 
    This must be so hard for you - seeing our children - no matter how old they are - suffer is so deeply upsetting. Hang on in there - in time your daughter will get better - autistic burnout is something we can recover from if we have the space and time to really take care of ourselves. In time things will get much easier and this difficult time in your lives will just be a memory. 

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  • I am so sorry - how upsetting for you and your daughter. It’s at least a positive that the fact that  she is autistic has been identified - that’s such an important and valuable step towards helping her get well again. Can I ask: does she want to leave hospital? Or is it that she is wanting to stay and inpatient and she is not feeling ready to leave? Could she stay with you when she comes out - so that she is not left alone? Do you feel able to care for her in the weeks after she leaves hospital - or are you worried that you might struggle to cope? What support do the hospital offer for when she does eventually leave hospital? 
    If she has burnout then I imagine she needs a lot of peace with no pressure on her so that she can gently regain strength at her own pace. What does she say she needs most? 
    This must be so hard for you - seeing our children - no matter how old they are - suffer is so deeply upsetting. Hang on in there - in time your daughter will get better - autistic burnout is something we can recover from if we have the space and time to really take care of ourselves. In time things will get much easier and this difficult time in your lives will just be a memory. 

Children
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