How do I get diagnosed and how will it effect my life?

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I'm not even sure if I have autism or something else, I didn't look into it too much, but I have been a shut-in for 10 years. I am almost 24 now. I have not gone to high school and I barely went to middle school. I leave my house a few times per year, usually like Christmas and maybe a birthday here and there. I am just on my computer all day. I live with my mom and her boyfriend.

Every social interaction I have I replay in my head, and I also randomly get flashbacks to social interactions that will ruin my day.

I don't really know a lot about autism because I haven't done much research but here are some things that make me different:

- I used to be very loud in class and didn't care I would interrupt the entire class and was really loud
- Now I am the opposite after hitting puberty and avoid people and social interactions all together
- I like repetitive things like MMORPGs, or making lists, for example for 2 years I would watch movies and list them, but I didn't even care about the movies I just wanted it to be checked off my list
- I find it difficult to do more than one thing at a time otherwise it seems very convoluted, which usually leads to me burning out on whatever I'm focusing on quickly. I mean as in "I will read this book" and I can't take on any more things at the same time, and if I don't feel like reading the book instead of starting something else I will just procrastinate until I eventually consider it unfinishable and will move on

My question is, how do I get diagnosed? How will it change my life? Will they prescribe me any medication? Does it even sound like I have autism?

It's hard to say. We aren't qualified to tell you one way or another. You would need to speak to a specialist and give them as many details as possible.

What I would say though is that spending that amount of time in doors will have a negative impact on anybodies social life. You should organize an appointment with a GP and talk to them about your social anxiety. I think this is something that needs to be addressed before anything else.

Good luck.

Thanks for the response, I don't even know how I would do any of what you said. I live probably 15 minute drive away from any doctor, I have no licence or a car or a cell phone. I have very dependent I can't really do anything by myself. I can ask my parents I guess but it would be really awkward. Especially if I didn't even get diagnosed with anything. I haven't had a doctor's appointment in probably 10 years.

I would say that you could benefit from getting diagnosed and by getting treatment, there are medications and accommodations you can get for what is a real disability. We're not that much different in circumstance, I've fought very hard to change and to become functional as an adult, it hasn't been easy and it's a been long arduous struggle that is still ongoing. You have to be willing to accept help, you have to be willing to admit there is a problem, NEETdom is no kind of life.

Assuming you are in the UK there are a number of charities that do assessments and diagnosises.

Google your county and "autism centre" (or services or charity) if the first comes up blank.

If you can go through your GP first it will be free on the NHS, but it can take a while - maybe six months or more from beginning to end.

The one I went to allows anyone over 16 to refer themselves, bypassing the need for a GP (doctors) appointment, though they prefer you to go through a GP first.

I haven't heard "cell phone" used in the UK, nor are there many middle schools, nor do many people say "mom". What I'm getting at is it seems unlikely that OP is in the UK.

Nobody stays in doors for over 10 years due to social anxiety amongst other things and doesn't get a diagnosis. It may not be your GP that diagnoses you, but they will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist and they will help you to identify the cause of the issues that you are having.

The absolute worst thing you can do is nothing and spend the rest of your life in complete isolation. You need to help yourself, or finding somebody who can help you.

What do your mom & boyfriend think of your lifestyle , do they mention it at all to you. Could you ask them for help?

How would I even bring it up to a doctor? What should I say to them? "Can you give me an autism test"?

It may not even be Autism. You just explain the difficulties you've been having to your GP and they will refer you to somebody who can assess you and diagnose you. It may be Autism, it may be something else. But you won't know until you go through the process of being assessed.

On the phone or do I need to make an appointment to tell my doctor? Do I just schedule a "check-up" or something and then tell them?

Just give your medical practice a call. They will probably ask you if it's urgent. Tell them yes. If they ask you what the appointment is about, just tell them its confidential. You can do it.