What hope do you hold for the NAS "I Exist"

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I was on the NAS website the other day and read about the new campaign they have started to raise awareness of adults with Autism in the services and promote better support for them. Me I am very pessimistic about this, I don't think they will manage to get rid of the all too common "You don't have a learning disability or a mental health problem, so you don't qualify for support" thing. The problem is not with agencies like the NAS, they have helped me as much as they can, but their hands are tied because the refering agencies like GP's and social services refuse to make the referal to the NAS or provide funding on grounds that Asperger Syndrome is nether a learning disability nor is it a mental healh problem. I would really like to know how people with Asperger Syndrome get acsess to these services, as they do have many AS people acsessing their support services.

Every country needs to have some sort of agency/organisation to assist ADULTS on the spectrum. There seems so much help available for children but once you hit 18 or 20 bang nothing.
It is so not fair for you, just because you get to a certain age all the help seems to vanish.

Oh yes, I CHOSE to leave a supported living scheme where I was being verbaly abused EVERY day by staff, and moved in with my boyfriend, and all I have had since then is a very shoddy social services "assessment" and been sent to see this psychologist who accused my boyfriend of making me "depressed and anxous"! They totaly missed the point of me having AS. I was reffered to them as a cost cut by my GP who I went to hoping for some backing for a referal to NAS support after social services refused to refer me and provide funding. I know full well AS is not a mental health issue, BUT I also have first hand experience of what mental health issues can come out of it if we don't receive addiquate support, then people will only see "depression" and try and treat that without taking the AS into it at all, they refuse to accept it even exists most of the time, dispite me being able to claim certain disability benefits, having gone to an Autism specific school, have a diagnosis all that, it's like adulthood wipes your slate and all of a sudden you don't have all these "needs" anymore.

Good for you leaving an unstable environment. Do you get much support from your boyfriend?
It is so wrong how that don't acknowledge the fact that you have AS and just because your an adult doesn't mean you need less support. NAS should be supportive of everyone on the spectrum not just kids.
Is there anyway you can see someone more professional than the ones who have already seen?
Stay strong and don't lose faith!!

Not without a referal from the GP or social services

Aww hugs to you! Can you find a new GP, one that actually cares so you can get that referral?

I am trying, but I seem to be getting "offers" from varous agencies to assess me for other "disorders" NOBODY seems to agree that I alreaddy have the diagnosis and was so well supported as a child.

That really sucks. They can't invent some disorder just so you get help. Could you get your parents to help?
I get so mad when people are denied access to support they need

Well my mum has helped me, she has written numerous letters on my behalf, talked to people over the phone on my behalf, I was talking to a person from the NAS but he had to back off as he was giving me his time for free because I can't get any funding. Nothing seems to make any difference to people, and the last thing I was is the latest suggestion of an assessment for a personality disorder!, I mean come on, they must be desperare to even suggest that, and that is from a local organisation that said THEY will offer me support because they do not need funding, my lord it's like I have to accept second best knowing others get the best, I have no idea if it's that pathetic post code lottery thing or what, but people sending out vicous letters about my boyfriend and how HE os responsable for this is pretty desperate.

Is NAS the only Austism support place over there?
Don't accept second best! Everyone deserves the best no matter what age.
Don't let anyone talk you into believing you have some sort of personality disorder that you don't have.

I agree completely.

A man said to the universe: 'Sir, I exist!' 'However,' replied the universe. 'The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.'

A man paid 40% tax for 24 years and said to the government: 'Sir, I exist!' 'However,' replied the government. 'The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.'

I think overall, it's around 48% tax, when you add in everything...

Depends where you live. America is about 40% total, Britain is higher. Germany and Sweden have income taxes in excess of 50%, and I don't even want to know what other taxes they have to deal with.

It probably depends whose statistics you believe.

The exact percentage is not really the issue. The point I was trying to make is that as long as I have to pay these taxes I want them used to help those in genuine need, such as the OP, not for vote buying, and that is why I support the "I exist" campaign.

I agree that taxes are much too high but that's a different issue.