I'm Feeling lost. In need of advice.
I'm looking for a little advice. A few months ago I had a mental health assessment after many years of struggling and I was told that I show many signs of having Aspergers (which I already suspected). I was then told, in order to get an official diagnosis I would have to be put on a three year waiting list. What am I supposed to do for that amount of time. Finding a job is impossible due to my fear of strangers and my inability to cope with the unknown. On the odd occasion I can muster the courage to go to a job interview they see straight away that something is wrong and show me the door. I've tried looking for something I can do from home but have had no luck. I've applied for JSA but they refuse me because I can't just jump into any job they throw at me. The only way I'm able to live is because of my mother who struggles to support me. This makes me feel increasingly depressed and useless because I hate having to rely on her. My GP says the only way they can speed up the wait time is if I'm a health risk, which he says I am not. I feel lost, I have no idea what to do.
Although I am from a different country, I can relate to your issue. When I read about your experiences with Aspergers ( in older posts ) I found out that your experiences are very very similar to me, particularly when I was growing up.
So, your question is what would you do in these 3 years before getting a diagnosis ? Well, you can learn something at home if the outside world overwhelms you too much. Learn painting, start a blog on Aspergers, cook and help your mom around the house, do gardening, etc. In three years, we can learn a lot of skills that may help us in our future life. You can also learn and practice basic meditation at home. It will give you more focus and calm you down. I learned meditation myself (without a teacher ) and it helped me a lot. It changed me a lot as a person. All the best.
Start the process of applying for disability. It will take a lot of time, so start as soon as possible. Meanwhile apply for whatever government assistance you can.
Start the process of applying for disability. It will take a lot of time, so start as soon as possible. Meanwhile apply for whatever government assistance you can.
The problem is there is no government assistance until I get the diagnosis so I'm kind of stuck in limbo. My only hope is that I can find a job that I can do from home. I just feel so useless.
Income support perhaps (for people not entitled to other benefits)? Contact an information/advocacy/advice organisation such as Citizens' Advice, or if there's a local autism or mental health service? It may be that the opinion of the person who assessed your mental health would count when applying for disability related benefits, in the absence of a diagnosis. Is their impression in a report that has gone to your GP? Maybe find out and get a copy of the report if so, to support a benefits application. Ultimately an advice-type service will be much better placed to explain what you're entitled to.
A good place to start is to tell yourself that you're not useless - because you're not. You've had some good advice from gmboy and abeautifulmind here, but I find it odd that you have to wait for 3 years to get a diagnosis. I'm also in the UK and am currently being diagnosed: I was referred by my GP last November, had my initial assessment in January and have just had the actual diagnosis and am currently awaiting the report. Obviously there are regional differences in response times, but it may be a good idea to consult another GP, which you are entitled to do. You seem to have far more serious issues than I do, so a second opinion may speed up the process.
Start the process of applying for disability. It will take a lot of time, so start as soon as possible. Meanwhile apply for whatever government assistance you can.
The problem is there is no government assistance until I get the diagnosis so I'm kind of stuck in limbo. My only hope is that I can find a job that I can do from home. I just feel so useless.
Well you are describing symptoms of major depression, anxiety disorders, maybe panic disorder, maybe agoraphobia. If your doctor wont help you with these issues ASAP, then you should probably get a new doctor.
Also try to find someone who can help you prepare a disability case.
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