after diagnosis

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So I was diagnosed this week, after spending several years researching and wondering if I was on the spectrum.

But what do you do after you get the diagnosis?

I've been saying to myself out loud, "I have Asperger's", or "I'm autistic", a couple of times a day, just to get used to the idea. I don't feel upset, I mostly feel relieved that I am not broken or stupid. The self abuse has ceased and I am attempting to accept this new definition of myself.

I have revealed my diagnosis out loud to a few people, and I've gotten reactions anywhere from "Wow, that's late in life to be diagnosed" (I'm 28 ), to "Oh, I'm so sorry." (Sorry for what? I'm not broken.)

Next step is to figure out how to tell family members whose only perception of autism are non-verbal, low-functioning types. I already have to deal with them not believing I'm transgender, they may not believe I have Asperger's.

So what did you do after you were diagnosed? How did you assimilate this new definition of yourself?

I'm currently in the process of being diagnosed. I've had an initial assessment and they feel I have met a lot of the criteria for a person with aspergers and need more evaluating. I haven't come to the bridge you're currently at but I no doubt will soon have to cross it. I was told by my assessment team that there'd be a lot of intervention and help in place for me once I get diagnosed. They promised social skills classes, group therapy, counselling, welfare benefits and lots of other things to help me on my way. One of the things they said they could arrange is family intervention. That would be where they'd meet with my family and sit down in a meeting room and explain the diagnosis, what it means and help try and remove any false misconceptions about aspergers.
I'm not sure what your healthcare system has available to you but I am sure you must be able to access a lot of these things to help you deal with and understand your diagnosis. The only reason I say that is because Canada is meant to have one of the best healthcare systems in the world (I can see you're from Ontario) (I also am assuming a lot here, maybe Canada's healthcare ain't all the great!). I think you should ask the person who diagnosed you about the support systems available and go along with it.

What I think personally though is that the most important thing you can do now you have been diagnosed is to not let the diagnosis to define you. You are no different a person before the diagnosis than you are now you've been diagnosed. You've just been given a helping hand in understanding yourself a bit more.

I hope what I've said helps a little! Good luck with everything

My partner just got officially diagnosed with Aspergers a few days ago. His parents thought the same way that you describe. He has a cousin who is on the opposite end of the spectrum and needs a guardian, etc to take care of him, so to them, the word "autism" only meant that. The neuropsychologist explained the spectrum to them (I've seen some pretty good diagrams online), so maybe showing them the spectrum would help?

Like JoeRose said, you are still the same person. This is just going to help you understand yourself a bit more. The doctor my boyfriend saw was telling us how he sees Aspergers almost more like a way of being than a disorder. There are assets and liabilities to it...it's not all bad. I think it's helped my partner to research Aspergers and see that he isn't alone..that there are many people who are so much like him. People may not always understand, and it can be a pain to educate them, but the more you personally understand about it, the more secure you will become in this new part of your identity, I think.

I'm weighing whether or not to go for an official diagnosis, so I'd be interested in learning more about what the process is like. I've been trying to get acclimated to the thought of being on the spectrum over the last few days. On one hand, it's been weird to think of myself as an aspie, but on the other, there's a degree of relief in knowing I'm not the only one like me.

I ignored it for 4 years, then decided to just deal with it. I found out as much as I could about it, and learned how to embrace it as a part of who I am.

I've only recently been diagnosed (25 March) and it still hasn't really settled in.

I guess the best thing for me to do is to get on with my life and use it to my advantage. So far I have only told a handful of people, but not yet my parents and I doubt I ever will unless they specifically ask me. Not sure what their reaction would be.

I just ignored it for the most part, but have decided to start a blog to get myself thinking about it some more. And then work on the things that need work on.

I had self-diagnosed 4 yrs before I sought an assessment, but it still came as a bit of a shock to receive an official diagnosis. I was relieved to find out, but also had a bit of an identity crisis - it was a lot more to deal with than I had originally anticipated.

I just read as much as I could (and am still reading). Out of my family, only my Mum knows, but it's a bit much for her to take in, so I'm slowly introducing relevant reading material, youtube clips, etc.

For those saying that 28 is late in life for diagnosis, try getting diagnosed at 46, like I was!

After I was diagnosed, I literally kept forgetting I had it because I wanted to be normal so bad. Mom had to keep reminding me of having it. Then at age 14, I started to ask my mother about AS because I didn't really know what it was. Then she finally gave me some information about it and I started to read about it and online too and learned more about it. It did take me a while to embrace the label and stop seeing myself as stupid or ret*d. But I still will not accept autistic. It took me a while to believe I really am on the spectrum and I just thought I had it and then outgrew it but if I have AS, then I have to be on the spectrum. It took me awhile to to accept AS is autism and aspies are autistic. But I don't like applying it to myself. I am just too normal for that, not autistic enough. But I do accept I have a form of it and will say it. I don't throw a fit anymore if my husband says I have autism or if someone says I am autistic. But I still wish they wouldn't use it. Now with the new DSM coming out, I question myself and I don't care if don't meet it or do. At least I might get a more accurate label if I got retested.