Confused and depressed after diagnosis
I was diagnosed a recently and while it explains a lot I think it has made me feel a bit depressed (I'm prone to depression).
I've always thought I don't quite seem 'normal' to other people, but I explained it away as a mixture social anxiety and low self-esteem. In the past people asked me if I had Asperger's but I just brushed it off.
Going through the diagnosis process was stressful and seeing the diagnostic report is a bit upsetting. It states ASD (specifically Asperger' syndrome) and then discusses the many reasons for this diagnosis; my 'odd posture', 'awkward body language', 'monotone speech' and 'lack of eye contact mixed with intermittent excessive unnatural eye contact', 'lack of facial expression', etc. And apparently I don't understand implied meaning very well either
It confirms what I knew deep down (I'm a bit 'odd' to others) but it is still a shock and depressing. I had hoped to cure my "social anxiety" one day (I've tried many medications and therapies) but now I know I am stuck with what I have to a certain extent.
Does anyone else feel / experience similar?
And although it was explained to me by the psychologist and I've read up I'm still not 100% certain why the label Asperger is applied rather than HFA, and if it even matters.
Oh and I also feel a bit pissed off that I have this diagnosis but I don't have the stereotypical awesome 'special' genius like being able to recite pi to the billionth digit or whatever.
I was diagnosed almost 2 years ago at age 50. I remember feeling a bit despondent after first reading the diagnosis report.
Eventually, I realized the diagnosis was quite liberating. As prior to being diagnosed, I was trying to become what I was not. But doing so led to tremendous stress, anxiety, awkwardness and unhappiness. Nowadays, I’ve simply lost interest in that and – at least presently – am much more comfortable with simply being me.
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