• Replies 4 replies
  • Subscribers 4 subscribers
  • Views 75 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Autism and ADHD late diagnosis

Maggiesfarm79

Hello..  I have been diagnosed with ADHD in February, then Autism this week.  When it was just one diagnosis I felt quite relieved that I finally knew what was wrong but then they told me they suspected that I was also autistic.  This has changed things and now I feel so lost!!! has anyone else sort of hit the wall once discovering they have co-occuring ADHD and ASD?  the overwhelm and complete inabillity to regulate myself.. I dont know if I need to just take a step back or plow into the research face first??  

Parents

  • Congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community!

    Following a diagnosis, it can be common for us to experience a lot of emotional dysregulation, even without dual diagnoses - I've linked to an article below about this. So you're not alone, and this community can help to support you through it.

    As for many others, my diagnosis turned out to be the start of a new journey of learning and adapting, rather than a conclusion with instant solutions. I'd suggest taking extra care to be patient to, and kind with, yourself - and to take your time with processing everything.

    The NAS has a great set of articles focused on "after diagnosis", including one covering how you might feel during the subsequent days / weeks / months, and others covering the kinds of support that you can access. You might find them helpful as a starting point:

    NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis - includes perspectives from other autistics

    NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis - including:

    • Talking about and disclosing your autism diagnosis
    • Emotional support for family members after a diagnosis
    • Formal support following an autism diagnosis
    • What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

    Therapy or counselling are often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you prefer, depending on where you are in the UK, you might instead be able to self refer for talking therapy on the NHS. 

    Before arranging it, you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, which includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with advice on choosing the right therapist or counsellor - all from an autistic person's viewpoint. Several of us here have found it very helpful:

    The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy

    Finally, I'll just mention a couple of books that I and others have found helpful early on in our post-diagnosis journeys:

    Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask!

    How to Be Autistic (free download currently available via this page)

  • in reply to Bunny

    Thank you Bunny..  this is really helpful.  I’ll take some time over the weekend to have a good look into this.  I am on the list for some education from the provider by way of group sessions.  So it will be great to take a look at some other information before they are available.   

Reply
  • in reply to Bunny

    Thank you Bunny..  this is really helpful.  I’ll take some time over the weekend to have a good look into this.  I am on the list for some education from the provider by way of group sessions.  So it will be great to take a look at some other information before they are available.   

Children
No Data