Any kind of support that you have found helpful?

Post Reply New Topic

Is anyone getting any type of support other than the typical psychologist/psychiatrist support?

I feel like there has to be more out there. I am struggling just to get by. Struggling with anxiety, constantly feeling like I am on the edge of meltdown, or in meltdown. All that I want is my routines and to be alone. That is pretty much all that I feel I can cope with. But I also feel really isolated, like I am carrying this all around on my own and that it shouldn't be the case. All I have done my whole life is just fight and survive.

I know that I am not getting the support that I need. I told my GP this the other day. She is very nice and concerned about the quality of my life. She said "What support do you feel that you need that you are not getting?". I HAVE NO IDEA! But there has to be something else. Right?

What are your special interests if i may ask? doing things with it took my anxiety down immediately.

does your anxiety get triggered by things or is it there all the time?

Christianity helped me a lot. You know, it's much easier to try to please God than innumerous people. That, and I don't have to feel as guilty, even if something I do is misunderstood or weird, I know as long as God's fine with it, it's OK. That, and the golden rule is very helpful in social interactions and whatnot. Plus, at least from my experience, my God is a living God who answers prayers and helps me, so there's that.

Besides that, one of my biggest helpers was actually picking up figure skating. I finally found a sport I like and can work at my own pace on. Alot of my problems as a kid came on sports teams where my sort of slowness picking up things caused me trouble, but in figure skating, it's an individual sport, so you can just master it at your own pace almost like a martial art. So, being good at something like that really really helps your self esteem, imo. Plus there's hot chicks.

So God and figure skating.

Although my staff can get to me, truthfully, I'd be in a group home without them. So, there's that.

Then, my church. I belong to 3 groups in my church (one is a huge women's bible study, one is a group I started for young women with ASD, and one is a knitting group). That's my community.

I kind of feel like that. I was discharged from CBT for depression and left with no other options despite being depressed. The doctors seem to want me to tell them what to do which seems the wrong way round.

I am seeing a psychologist who specialises in Aspergers following diagnosis. I have funding for 10 sessions. So far she has suggested keeping my general stress levels down (doing relaxing things) as aspies can have higher than normal stress, then anything extra is too much. We are working on disclosing some of my Aspergers to people in order to get some support e.g. one or two friends/family. We are working on me being more positive and basically CBT for my negative thoughts. She thought it might help getting my husband to write down some things about why he liked me as some aspies don't see when they get positive feedback, and also for him to come in for a session to discuss how we cope with it as a couple. She has talked about some people would just avoid stressful situations e.g. weddings and that I should be proud if I go even if I have to leave early, or leave and come back to have some quiet time alone and cope better.

I found a counsellor previously who had some experience of Aspergers so was aspie friendly-the right one might help.

There are a number of books written by aspies on things like anxiety and coping from personal experience or in some cases professional experience.

There are support groups.

I have a very good clinical psychologist that I see once a week. And a psychiatrist once a month. I am currently waiting to go to my first support group meetingm in 3 weeks. I am looking forward to this very much.

It's really getting by day to day that is my trouble. Constantly managing my emotions, exposure, energy levels.... I'm exhausted, I've always felt exhausted.

I know it's not practical to have someone with me every day for moral support and guidance. But that's kind of where I'm at.

With the exception of this forum, no. I've had to rely entirely on myself. I have no insurance, have been denied any and all public assistance, including assistance from local non-profits, and haven't once been replied to by any of the local Autistism groups I have written to.

It's DAMNED frustrating. Feels to me like nobody around here takes any form of adult high functioning Autism seriously.