Officially diagnosed. Now what ?

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Hello fellow aspies.

What usually happens after receiving medical, official confirmation ?

I just received mine and my life didn't automagically change.

Therapy ? Yoga ? Weed ? Vodka ?

Thanks in advance

Yoga therapy while both high and drunk.

On a less silly note, do you feel you need any of that? If so yes, otherwhise no.

First of all, congratulations on receiving your dx. If you want to celebrate that by getting high and drunk and then trying yoga then that is up to you. Let us know how it all works out! I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall to watch that!

Your life does not change just because you now have a definition for your condition. You are still the exact same person you were but now you just know why you do some of the things you do. You can do whatever you did before you knew. You could also educate yourself and research about Autism so you understand the ins and outs of what Autism is. I started having regular sessions with the doctor who diagnosed me and I really enjoy those. We talk about whatever I want to talk about and he helps me understand the NT perspective and I help him understand the Aspie perspective. That works great for me. I also find that exercise and sports and hikes in nature really help me relax and renew my spirit which helps me cope with life overall. But you need to find what works for you.

Try all kinds of new things and see if your mind and body respond to them. You can also try therapy and see if that helps you cope with stresses of life. See if they help you be more relaxed and grounded and that will help you cope with your stresses. But no, life does not magically change just because a condition you were either born with or had since young childhood, got noticed and defined. Your life has always been that of an Autistic person, you just know now that that is what the condition you have and have always had is called.

I live in England, and for me it was a case of "here's your diagnosis, goodbye and good luck". There was nothing to follow, but I did get put on the list for some group meetings with other newly diagnoses people, which I've been to. They were simply to understand what it is, and how everyone is different etc.

But the general attitude is "thats it, off you go". Now that I'm diagnosed, that's were the NHS support kinda ends. There isn't anything that can be done for me. There isn't a treatment or cure, and it's something that people can live with when they have the right attitude and self control.

It was a huge turning point in life for me. It explained all the issues that I had before and outlined the allowances I needed to make for myself to make my life liveable. It's the end to an investigation and onward with the rebuilding.

My advice to you is simple:
- Understand your diagnosis and what it is
- Outline trouble areas, and learn to cope with them or avoid them
- Rediscover yourself, and learn to love yourself for the good qualities
- Try not to over-use your diagnosis as an excuse (its a beast that needs controlling and taming)
- Look forward in life positively, and build the best life for yourself as possible

One key thing I've learned is that Aspies are really different from each other. We all share the same diagnosis, but are just as different from each other as "normal" people are from each other. When I was diagnosed, I thought people would think I was mentally ret*d, because I had the same condition as someone with severe Autism. But I'm not, and it's important to accept that everyone is different. Even "normal" people show a lot of Aspie traits, just not as much as us.

Hi, haven't been diagnosed yet. But I can suggest a few things based on what I would like when/if I'm properly diagnosed. Why did you want to be diagnosed in the first place? What areas of your life do you want to improve? There are resources now available to you. You're no longer alone and you can find answers to those questions. I'm looking for guidance and help to understand how my mind works. I'd also like to be a better functioning adult. So, this means I'm looking for resources related to jobs, learning and communication skills based on my needs.

So a good place to start is what lead you to diagnosis to begin with.

i guess having a diagnosis means that the condition impacts adversely on your life, otherwise they'd probably have withheld the diagnosis. So I suppose the logical thing to do is to study in depth how autism gives you trouble, with a view to developing better strategies. That can be done by discussing it with appropriate people and / or by thinking about it.

What I am hoping is that whatever diagnosis I get, I will be able to map out some sort of plan.

I got diagnosed this week. I am still struggling with how to respond to it myself.

To be fair, I haven't tried yoga.

It's true. Good news - life's been confusing because there's a bag over your head.

Bad news, the bag stays. Better to have stayed ignorant, from some viewpoints.

There's cultural activism, I suppose, but if you're in the States someone would probably shoot you.

Agreed with all posters that said "what are the issues you want to work on? What do you need help with?"

I'm still exploring that too--my diagnosis was 6 months ago. I've been addressing things bit by bit, mostly by priority, and it's still ongoing. This may not be what you need, but here is what I've been working on. It's different for everybody, so you may want to do something entirely different.

1. Worked on self-acceptance and self-education. That was the BIG one, and it's ongoing. Just having the diagnosis was a big relief for me, knowing that I'm not crazy, not bad, not stupid, and that this is a part of who I am. I also am learning to be a little kinder to myself and not beat myself up for being different. One of the first things I did was get myself some earplugs--I didn't have to kick myself for my sensory sensitivities anymore, because they weren't imaginary. I realized that I should allow myself the little breaks I needed to recover, that it was okay to ask for help.

2. Meeting other autistic people. I'd already been on the Wrong Planet boards for several months and had found a lot of GREAT advice. Now I met people in person to see what other autistics were like. I found they were pretty nice, if a bit different from most people I know. It's also part of my big resolution this year to become more social. I had gotten so agoraphobic that I hardly went outside.

3. Workplace accommodations. I've had recurring problems at work with executive function. I'm great at the technical stuff, and well respected as an expert at the office, but I really suck at managing my time, staying under budget, and following procedures. I also have a significant problem understanding speech, and often struggle to follow conversations in meetings. I did a formal disclosure at work, mostly asking for some procedural changes, a mentor, and project management software.

4. Social Skills class--one of my big issues was that I never know what to say in a social setting, and I often wind up standing at the edge of a group, not saying anything. I found, quite by accident, a social skills class for adult autistics. I'm doing the initial intake interview in a week.

5. Occupational therapy--I've heard that OT can help with sensory integration issues, although I'm not sure how. I have a lot of problems with pain, nausea, and disorientation with bright or flashing lights, certain sounds, and smells. I've also heard it can help with balance and vestibular issues, which have gradually gotten worse with age and resulted in some injuries. I'm still looking for someone.

6. Therapy for autistic people--I've been in some kind of talking therapy on and off for 30 years (yes, really). I like my current therapist but I'd like to explore working with someone who has more experience with autistic adults and their specific issues. I'm still looking for someone here too.

I'm watching this thread with interest - I don't have that Dx piece of paper, but could get it if I paid for the test. I'd pass. If I don't want services or accomodations, I would like to learn how this help.

For me it will be the first time I am addressing the real root cause of the things I have experienced. Then I will start to map out a course to follow.

I think the above steps are very helpful to refer to.

I just was diagnosed today. I feel almost like I don't believe it. I'm afraid that it's wrong, even though I feel like it's correct.

I don't really know how to explain it.