Hi, my name is jacqui — Scope | Disability forum
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Hi, my name is jacqui

jacv
jacv Community member Posts: 2 Listener
I have high functioning autism. I am 37 and have three kids. Two also have the same a s me. I didnt know I was autistic until two years ago! Some days are very hard.

Comments

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2020
    Hello @jacv    Pleased to meet you.

    Thank you for joining and sharing.

    I am one of the community champions. We guide, advise help new members of our community.

    Please have a look around our forum, website. Please ask any questions, please if I can advise.

    This organisation might help for additional support.

    National Autistic Society.

    https://www.autism.org.uk.

    Helpline 020 7833 2299

    Please wish you well and enjoy your time on the website. Any problems or issues happy to be helping, supportive.

    Offer compassion, empathy.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman
    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @jacv - Welcome to the community. I'm going to ask @Franstrahan to see if she can come & chat with you as she was very recently said to have autism too, & will appreciate the difficulties you have had.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,357 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi and welcome,

    I'm one of the community champions here on scope. My daughter was diagnosed with Autism about 18 months ago, when she was 17 and a half. I must admit it wasn't a shock to us because she showed so many of the symptoms since she was 2 but medical professionals refused to listen. The schools she attended through out her life also refused to listen and constantly told me she was just a "shy" student. I refused to listen and wasn't giving up until i had answers, which i did finally get.

    She was also diagnosed with a learning disability too but we weren't surprised with that either.

    Sometimes a diagnosis can make you feel even worse than you did before the diagnosis because you feel like you've been given that "label" and deep down, the last thing you probably wanted was to be given that "label"

    You can refer yourself to your local council for a needs assessment and there could be some help available to you, as well as your children. I'd advise you to do this and someone will come to your home to do this assessment. See link.

    I'd also advise you to contact the National Autistic Society and they will be able to give you some advice and support too.

    Hope this helps and if you have any more questions please do ask.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Community member Posts: 1,439 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @jacv
    I'm Fran, I found out last year I had autism. I'm 58. It gives an answer to a lifelong struggle, but it doesnt help. Problems holding down a job, no friends, never had a relationship, severe probs with social interaction. Thru life people have looked for labels, so I've been called an alcoholic, a lesbian, not 'normal' etc. Now I know, and tell people, I get 'your not autistic, I know people who are autistic and you're nothing like them' or 'everybodys on the spectrum somewhere' etc. I'm isolated, feel whatever I do/say I'm misunderstood. I also have depression and anxiety for over a year now. Currently on UC. Got discharged from counselling for my MH probs, as they felt they were due to the autism. Which isn't a MH condition.
    Cant win at the moment, hows things going with you?
    I am starting therapy next week with horses, which is about the best thing that's happened in ages. Do take a look at the Therapy Horses thread in the Coffee Lounge.
    Thanks, @chiarieds, for the ? Whatever you call it!!
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Community member Posts: 1,439 Disability Gamechanger
    @poppy123456
    I got the 'shy' label too! 
  • jacv
    jacv Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hi Franstrahan, I know how you feel! Its. A lonely difficult path.luckily I have a partner who is understanding and loves me regardless. I am very isolated from people though. I live in Italy at the moment. Probably be back after this summer. Then I guess I should make an effort to make friends. Just always ends up the same way. Its also extremely draining and unpleasant. The course with the horses sounds very relaxing. Might be just what you need to feel better! Let me know how it goes, I would love to see pictures too. ?
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Community member Posts: 1,439 Disability Gamechanger
    @jacv
    You say about make the effort to make friends but always ends up the same way.
    I'm guessing you mean like for me, they dont stick around long! Currently have zero on the friend scale and to be honest cant be bothered any more. 
    I think for me life has been hard because of masking (heard of that?)  and chameleonising. Impossible to keep it up for any length of time, and physically and mentally draining. I would like to present to the world - me, now, as I really am, but still find myself 'putting on an act'. Not as much, but still do it.
    I would like to get a big, bright badge that says 'autistic and proud'!
    My friends are my pets, especially my dogs  <3.
    Will post photos of the horses, if they allow me to take some. Going on Thurs, my first visit.
    Stay in touch, see you around on the forum.

Brightness