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Scared of going for a diagnosis

Alice

Hi All,

I'm new to community and looking for general support and advise...

I have been slowly coming to realisation that I'm likely Autistic and it has taken a lot of time piecing things together to come to this point.

The issue I'm now having is going for a diagnosis scares me silly. I worry about not being authentic and it all being in my head. Being a woman and learning to mask to survive to a level that I'm not even aware of scares me that I might not get the diagnosis. Having no-one from my childhood years that can provide information, very little of my own memory as a child and evidence as a child also means I worry I can't get diagnosis.  

These doubts stop my going ahead as it become too overwhelming for me, but I also need help to then start the unmasking process and get help getting to know people. I feel quite lonely at the moment and don't really have friends or family I can open up to.

Bit of a ramble above, but looking to see have others had this same experience of emotions and feeling of the process? Some confirmation from others of similar experiences to my own could really help alleviate the anxiety.

Also, any advise on your experience as a woman going through process would be gladly received.

Thank, Alice

Parents

  • Hi. It's a tough process which I've only just started - diagnosed last week in my 60s. So far it's a mess of overwhelming feelings, grief with glimmers of anger mixed with tiny sparks of hope and total exhaustion. It's definitely messy. I had no family of friends to support me either.  I've told nobody in my life yet because I need time to take it in and steel myself for unwelcome comments from people who don't understand. In the long run I think I'll be glad I finally got a diagnosis. It makes sense of so much confusion in my life. Being on your own with this is very hard. Some outlet and support is going to be really important. 

  • in reply to PeaceSeeker

    Sounds like you have it hard and I hope you have somewhere for support even if it is online here only. I am lucky to have a partner who has been understanding and they are neurodiverse too so that helps me feel less scared to speak to them on what is going on.

    I can speak to people as much as I want, but it is only me who has power to start the diagnosis process. I think this is another way to help me get courage to go ahead.

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  • in reply to PeaceSeeker

    Sounds like you have it hard and I hope you have somewhere for support even if it is online here only. I am lucky to have a partner who has been understanding and they are neurodiverse too so that helps me feel less scared to speak to them on what is going on.

    I can speak to people as much as I want, but it is only me who has power to start the diagnosis process. I think this is another way to help me get courage to go ahead.

Children
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