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Feeling Lost

Ka1986

Hello,

I hope this is the right place for this post, but I’m looking for some advice. I’m feeling really lost right now, and no matter how much I try to push through, I just can’t seem to focus.

I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression for a long time, and I’m currently going through a particularly difficult period with my mental health. I am also dyslexic.

Last week, I had an appointment with the mental health practitioner at my doctor’s. During our conversation, she suggested that I might be neurodivergent—possibly autistic and ADHD. She mentioned that these conditions are often overlooked in women and that there’s still a lot being learned.

She gave me some resources to look through and said I could come back if I wanted to pursue an assessment. While she was kind and supportive, I feel a bit overwhelmed—like I’ve been handed a lot of information to process when I’m already struggling. Now, I’m not sure what my next steps should be.

If anyone has been through something similar or has any advice, I’d really appreciate it.

Many thanks 

K

Parents
  • Ka1986 said:
    Now, I’m not sure what my next steps should be.

    Hi K and welcome to the community!

    Many of us here are "late realised" and/or "late diagnosed", so you're in good company! :)

    For a general introduction to the various aspects of autism, along with links to learn more about both the types of difficulties we can experience, and some strategies that we can use to help us cope better, I'd suggest starting here:

    NAS - What is autism?

    In respect of seeking a formal diagnosis, I'd suggest reading through the resources in the NAS's recently revamped diagnosis hub. They cover all stages of the process, with each section containing several articles relating to that stage:

    • Before diagnosis
    • Assessment and diagnosis 
    • After diagnosis 

    For example, these articles (from "Before diagnosis") might be particularly helpful at this point:

    NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment

    For those living in England, the second article includes information about Right to Choose, which enables access to private assessment providers who might have shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with your referral and assessment still fully funded by the NHS.

    The NAS articles include links to some screening questionnaires that you might like to complete, to get a better idea of whether your suspicions might be correct. However, you might prefer to use the website below for this. It includes some very useful commentary for each questionnaire, and enables them to be completed online (with scores calculated for you), saved as PDFs and - if the results support your suspicions and you decide to seek a formal diagnosis - printed off to take with you to the GP.

    The AQ-10 or AQ-50 seem to be the most frequently used / required by GPs in support of NHS referrals. (RAADS-R might also be helpful, although some recent research has thrown doubt on its validity as a screening tool):

    Embrace Autism - screening tests

Reply
  • Ka1986 said:
    Now, I’m not sure what my next steps should be.

    Hi K and welcome to the community!

    Many of us here are "late realised" and/or "late diagnosed", so you're in good company! :)

    For a general introduction to the various aspects of autism, along with links to learn more about both the types of difficulties we can experience, and some strategies that we can use to help us cope better, I'd suggest starting here:

    NAS - What is autism?

    In respect of seeking a formal diagnosis, I'd suggest reading through the resources in the NAS's recently revamped diagnosis hub. They cover all stages of the process, with each section containing several articles relating to that stage:

    • Before diagnosis
    • Assessment and diagnosis 
    • After diagnosis 

    For example, these articles (from "Before diagnosis") might be particularly helpful at this point:

    NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment

    For those living in England, the second article includes information about Right to Choose, which enables access to private assessment providers who might have shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with your referral and assessment still fully funded by the NHS.

    The NAS articles include links to some screening questionnaires that you might like to complete, to get a better idea of whether your suspicions might be correct. However, you might prefer to use the website below for this. It includes some very useful commentary for each questionnaire, and enables them to be completed online (with scores calculated for you), saved as PDFs and - if the results support your suspicions and you decide to seek a formal diagnosis - printed off to take with you to the GP.

    The AQ-10 or AQ-50 seem to be the most frequently used / required by GPs in support of NHS referrals. (RAADS-R might also be helpful, although some recent research has thrown doubt on its validity as a screening tool):

    Embrace Autism - screening tests

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