Autism/Depression

Kali85

I have always preferred animals to humans 😁

Strawberry1

I prefer animals to humans.

Kali85

Animals are beautiful creatures not an evil bone in their bodies

Strawberry1

That's very true @Kali85 👍. Totally agree 👍

Strawberry1

I had a dog once for 14 years she was my best friend 🧡.

Kali85

Sorry for your loss, musta been heartbreaking! My dog is also my best friend ❤️

Strawberry1

It's OK it's been a while now so it's OK but thank you 😊. They are good companions .

Andi66

I have 3 cats, 2 rescue

Kali85

Pets make the best companions, they give us unconditional love ❤️

Amaya_Ringo

I have never been diagnosed with depression or anxiety. I always consider the anxiety fight or flight aspect is a freebie you get with autism - as for the other, I would describe it more as chronically frustrated rather than depressed! I think the fact autistic people are not really included in wider discussions on autism in mainstream sources…makes it hard to get realities out there.

Autistic people not having empathy is an invention of people who don't realise empathy works in a zillion different ways. There's a theory called double empathy which outlines how neurotypical people and neurodivergent people both empathise but have trouble empathising with each other. The trouble is that because neurotypical definitions of most things are what is generally accepted, it's become a case of, autistic people are not empathic, instead of just understanding how differently empathy works on the spectrum. I also see a lot of people behaving selfishly, ignoring rules (parking in bus laybys, on yellow lines, vaping inside the centre, etc etc) and I don't really understand it. The thing that irks me the most is when someone tries to push in front of a visually impaired passenger in the bus or train queue. I have actively blocked people from doing this before as it's just so wrong.

I both like humans and don't like them. I enjoy working with people, I also find it exhausting. I like helping people, but I also don't like intrusive and annoying questions. I was diagnosed as an adult so I am really good at masking - but really bad at waving a flag when I need help so then it gets messy.

I'm a plant person, though. I rescue sickly and unwanted plants and I enjoy cultivating them and trying to help them survive. I also love bugs and will rescue them (today it was a bee on the path, got it onto the flower bush). I am pathologically afraid of dogs in real life due to childhood experiences but I also hate seeing them treated cruelly. I'm pretty sure there aren't filters on my empathy which says "that's just a plant, that's just a beetle." etc. I'm not sure if that's hyperempathy or not, but I certainly know anyone who says autistic people do not have empathy is misinformed.

Kali85

Thank you I found your comment very informative and extremely interesting, there is a lot of research being done on “Empathic disequilibrium” which refers to the imbalance between emotional and cognitive empathy and its association with a higher number of autistic traits within a typical population. Many many years ago autistic individuals were deemed as heartless shells, so I am thankful for all the research being done.
I have only recently been diagnosed with autism, unfortunately instead I got misdiagnosed and labelled with all these different mental illnesses over period of 15 years. I was dosed up on every psychotropic medication going and completed different therapies but nothing worked/helped me. I personally think certain medications broke my spirit as my brain has not been the same since, no joy, crippling anxiety, manic depression never felt right on medication! Once I had been off medication for several years I still felt like I don’t belong here, I don’t understand other humans, I feel like I am playing a role in a nightmare, I literally live in my head planning everything last tiny detail, being around people exhaust me, I take words literally so my family think I am gullible or dumb, people think I am weird, I don’t fit in anywhere! Recently my GP suggested autism, I have male family members who are autistic and yet I never made the connection until I read up on “females autistic traits” I read up on autistic traits in children (girls) and as adult females and everything made sense to me, why I always felt how I have always felt, why do I have to feel everything so deeply! Why do I overthink everything single thing, why as a child was I so desperate to fit in, how female's camouflage our symptoms just to fit in! I hate change, everything has to be in particular order, I cannot stand it when rules are broken or not followed correctly, I especially hate it when people are inconsiderate of others really makes my blood boil, I get into rage over bad things happening to complete strangers! I rescued my dog, I have also saved few bees and bugs too (even though I am scared of most bugs) I could never see a living thing suffer I would have to help it, I see plants as living things too ( I know plants are actually living things) I name my plants and I am constantly moving my plants around to keep them happy with enough light and not too much light too.

Strawberry1

I've got a date for my assessment. It's in August this year .

Strawberry1

Does anyone know how the assessment questions are sent to a person before the assessment please? Do they come through the post or via email ?

Kali85

mine came through the post although maybe keep checking your emails and spam just incase as I duno if they send it differently depending on the drs or the area you’re in. Best of luck to you

Strawberry1

Thanks for the information @Kali85 , I will keep checking emails etc . I really appreciate you answering my question. Thanks 😊.

Albus_Scope

Mine were via email, it will vary from who is doing the actual assessments. Best of luck to you @Strawberry1 :)

Strawberry1

Thank you once again @Albus_Scope .

Strawberry1

Like non neurotypical people clash can autistic people clash too ?

Strawberry1

Thank you for the information @Biblioklept . I really appreciate your feedback ❤️. Stay safe in this heat .

Albus_Scope

My close friends and I have been friends for about 20 years and it's only in the last two years that we've all had either an ASD or ADHD diagnosis. Bird of a feather and all that!
But I do think any two people can clash sometimes, we all have our own ways of thinking and engaging with people, we can't get it right all the time.