Rather Confused

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^^ I have recently been diagnosed with High Functioning Autism, however I believe I am rather scared. I persist in comparing many of my actions thoughts with those described by a diangosis of High Functioning Autism and happy Asperger's syndrome, and find great difficulty in stopping this and am thus often blessed by great agitation. Also, I believe I am finding great difficulty in accepting that this is the case. ^^ May I please ask, have any other happy individuals feel as such in the event that they were diagnosed?

I imagine this is normal for most people. It's all part of coming to terms with it and making sense of the past, present and what relevance it has to one's future. I experienced a massive high initially after diagnoses, but had plenty of bouts of low moods, confusion, anger, fear and upset afterwards aswell. Nearly four months on and I'm still coming to accept it. Some days are better than others, but it's getting easier and I'm sure it'll sink-in eventually.

I think it's an expected and perfectly natural reaction to such a major revelation.

Don't let a label get to you. There's nothing wrong with having AS, HFA, or any other ASD.
My diagnosis (AS) was bittersweet. I was relieved to find out the answer to so many things that no one could seem to understand, but at the same time, now I know that I really was and am different after all. But then again, nothing has changed about me. I've always thought the way I do, it's just now I know why.

^^ Yaye thank you very much to both of you. I believe it is but that I was very happy prior to my diagnosis, and I believe the lady stated that was a reason that she diagnosed me with high functioning autism and not Asperger's syndrome. Alas, I believe I am but worried that I shall receive additional help when there are other individuals with difficulties, yet not a label, and they receive no additional help. I believe I am also very scared by speak of being different. ^^ I believe I always believed myself to be different to other humans, however humans are not the only beings in the world (and all humans are individual also). Thus I have felt different, yet not different in being different. ^^ I am very sorry for being silly, however I understand not why humans appear to require labels to feel safe and happy

Don't be sorry, your question was not silly at all!

I would go with what LolaGranola stated and not let it label you.

For me, it explained a lot about myself. I was diagnosed as an adult so it was great to know that I wasn't alone.

^^ Thank you very much for your help everyone.

part of it is also Medical Student's Syndrome: that you imagine you have all of the characteristics, when you may not.

As AS is a spectrum, each of us has some, or all, of the various noted symptoms, to varying degrees. It's not a punch list; you may just have a few of what we call down here (the South) 'quirks'.

If you can be objective about your behavior and outlook, you can eventually decide what areas you want to tackle, and which to ignore. It doesn't happen overnight. So hang in there.

It took three years to accept my diagnoses. For the first two years of my life with it, I didn't think much about it, in fact I kept forgetting about it every time. I didn't even know what AS was when I was 12-14. Then I started to ask about it and what would I be like if I really did have more so my mother went to the filing cabinet and pulled out the information on AS that was printed from the internet in early 1998. It was two years later when she handed it to me. I wasn't even 15 yet then but almost. When I read about it, it explained more about me and told me how mild it really is and mine wasn't bad. I continued reading about it online.

^Me too, it took about 3 years to accept it. In fact, I knew about this site for about 2 years and never signed on b/c I really didn't want to be reminded that I had it. Now I feel like I can accept it a little more than I use to.

I didn't really know exactly what autism was....only what I saw in the media.