As an adult with suspected autism what options do I have

worried33

This is hard for me to post given the circumstances.

But for all my life I have had mental issues which fit in with what autism is, both my sisters have told me they think I have autism and I agree with them.

I have never been in a relationship, never gone out socialising other than a handful of times, and struggled in social situations as a result.

As a child I was in a handicapped children school for 1 year instead of infants, and I was also temporarily put in a childs home before my parents changed their mind and took me back.

What is odd is when I asked for records of my childhood, why I got sent to that school, the doctors say nothing is there. My mother also acts as if all this never happened.

I believe this normally gets diagnosed in children, and the problem I have is I dont see like minded people as I have no support due to not been diagnosed with it.

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community I'm sorry you feel you have no support 

Have you discussed this with your gp at all 

You might find the sutistic society website helpful

We also have an autism section on here you could look at 

Alex_Alumni

Hi @worried33 and welcome to the forum. Well done for reaching out, it is a very hard thing to do. 

As janer1967 has advised, it would be good to speak to your GP about it if you can, perhaps your sisters could support you if you need someone with you. 

The National Autistic Society has lots of information and advice on getting a diagnosis, and the whole process here.

Could you tell us what you mean by like minded people? It can be very difficult when you feel you have no support, so let us know if we can help in any way

Alex

rubin16

Hi Welcome,

I have Autism and was diagnosed in my early 20's, I also struggled with mainstream school and couldn't cope so left when I was 14 due to my behavior being a concern. I never heard of Autism when I was a teen and it was only when a nurse pointed it out and said I was autistic during an inpatient stay at hospital that I persued for a diagnosis.

Getting a diagnosis can answer alot of questions for you, as well as open up doors for support so I would always recommend if you think your autistic to try get diagnosed. I think the first step is to speak to your GP and be referred, as I know currently there is a long wait for assessments.

I hope you manage to find answers and get a diagnosis, goodluck for the future.

L_Volunteer

Hi @worried33

Welcome to Scope's forum. It is great to see you have joined us. How are you today?

I think it is great that this is something you are working through. I have autism myself but was fortunate enough to be diagnosed in childhood. In terms of diagnosis in adulthood, speaking to your GP would generally be your first step!

Other than diagnosis, is there anything, in particular, you would like support with? There are many supports available but I am aware autism is experienced differently by different people. I would like to make sure you have the most appropriate supports. 

Thanks in advance for your further insights. I will look forward to hearing from you again soon!

poppy123456

worried33 said:

I believe this normally gets diagnosed in children

No, not always. There's lots of people that aren't diagnosed until later in life. My daughter was 17 when she was diagnosed. It's more common for girls to be diagnosed later, than it is for boys.

Autism assessment waiting lists are extremely long, a few years waiting in some areas. I agree with others, speak to your GP. For the assessment process, you will need to give information from as far back in your life as possible. This is what i had to do for my daughter, they asked me questions as far back as before she walked.

CoffeeFirst

Hi worried33, it’s not always in childhood that autism is diagnosed. For girls it can be so much later. 

It’s been said but speaking to your doctor would definitely be a good idea. Please do let us know how you get on.

L_Volunteer

Hi @Kerrie2k

Thanks for sharing your experiences and also reaching out to us. I appreciate how much courage it must take to reach out. I appreciate your assessment is ongoing but I am wondering if you are receiving support for the things you are currently experiencing as some supports can be accessed without a diagnosis?

Your GP will likely communicate your concerns to your psychiatrist to help build up a more holistic picture of your needs and experiences. Additionally, according to the National Autistic Society, "Most adults see a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist or a team made up of people from different professions for their diagnosis." If you are interested in finding out more information, you can view this source at https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/diagnostic-assessment/adults.

I hope this helps but if you have any more questions or need anything to be further clarified, please don't hesitate to reach out to us again soon 

L_Volunteer

Hi @Kerrie2k

Thanks for letting me know. I will take a look now!

I hope the resources and information helps