Just got my official diagnosis... what now?

[TETSUO]

Hey guys... sorry its been a while since i have posted last, but my worl has been very hectic:S

Well today i finally got my official diagnosis for ASD + ADHD and some other little bonus's.:wacko:

I thought i would have been releaved when told i was right, and for a few seconds i was... but i was then hit with the "what now?" i have just lost my job and about to start claiming benifits while i look for a new one... but do i look for a new job, i have always had problems with working relating to ASD but in the past i had no idea.:wtf:

Should i embrace who i am and just tell the world to deal with it, or should it be me who is trying to change to fit in with the world????:wtf:

So confused... Please help guys:|

 

[King_Oni]

I'm almost at the same point as you. My therapist told me about me going out for an official.. because he felt it would benefit me, at least along the line for employment. Had a lot of problems with getting jobs and/or keeping jobs in the past as well.

So, as for your situation... keep in mind, I'm not from the UK, so I don't exactly know where to go from there, but I'll try and hand some advice out for what it's worth.

If you don't tell the ones concerned, employment center, future jobs and all, you could just as well end up getting fired... and over... and over, again. At some point in time, they'll just classify you as "impossible" and even the employment center puts you on the back of the line, where you'll get, hopefully unemployment benefits, but they're likely to make it real hard for you. If you decide to throw the truth out there, doors might open. Just keep in mind... what do you have to lose?

But then again, I'd like to hear from anyone from the UK how they handle people on the spectrum in general? Is there any support for them in regards to (un)employment.

 

[Occasional_Demon]

Welcome to the world of the recently-dxed, heh.

I'm in a similar situation - just officially diagnosed at the end of July this year. Like you, I thought that I would feel relieved, especially because my treatment team had been wrangling over the idea of whether I was on the spectrum for over a year at least, but instead I just felt...well, confused would be the best emotion. It's going to take some time to process it, and if you have a therapist, then it's a good idea to talk to them about what the dx means to you. Personally, I found that when I was given the dx, it was like I was able to look at my world and experiences in a wholly different light.

I would approach your local autism group/association to see if they can offer any assistance. If you feel that you can work in some capacity, then I think it's a good idea - there might be some associations that help people with a health condition find and maintain employment. Now that you know what you're dealing with, it's a good idea to look at solutions to problems that faced you in your previous employment history.

You don't necessary have to change to fit in the with the world - it's more a matter of finding a comfortable compromise between yourself and the world. You may need to modify a few things, and the world may need to accommodate you as well. IMO, it's a two-way thing.

Good luck. I'm not in the UK either so I can't offer any suggestions for services, unfortunately.

 

[BruceCM]

Services do exist around the UK but they seem to vary! The National Autistic Society - | autism | Asperger syndrome | should help you find any local ones. They should be able to advise you about benefits, directly, if needed. If you can 'fit in' well enough at work, it might be best not to tell employers but if you will need some assistance, you'll have to inform them. As far as I can make out, there's pretty good support around for getting & keeping a job; it's the socializing with which there's a lot less but maybe you'll get on better with your nearest AS group than I do with mine. Some seem to find it helps them to 'understand' the difficulties? Best wishes to everybody with that!

 

[Droopy]

i have always had problems with working relating to ASD

If you have problems with working because of your Autism then you could get a note from your doctor to say that you can't work because of it (an "unfit note" or something like that). Once you have that, you can claim an allowance known as Employment Support Allowance. This can be claimed in addition to Disability Living Allowance. Currently I qualify for both. If you are having difficulty then I would recommend seeking both of those. It would be a good idea to get your doctor/therapist or Citizens Advice to help you apply for them.