Where do I even begin

[Kate McG]

Hi guys,
I was diagnosed with aspergers yesterday and I have no idea what to do with that info now. I realised I needed an assessment through doing a masters in autism... So I know the academic information regarding the condition but living with it and learning about it are two very different things. I thought I was crazy and a emotional wreck all my life, but now I know I'm not broken,i have aspergers. I have never known how to cope with my emotions and outbursts because,i suppose the 'treatments' were for NT's...
Then how to tell my family. The people I trust know, but my father and brother, I've had the most meltdowns with in the past and they are very judgemental. I have no idea how they will take this.
I need advice on what to do now and how to use coping strategies to reduce sensory overload and anxiety.
I appreciate any advice you can give.
K.

 

[ifiwerewrongidknowit]

Hello and welcome!

People with Asperger's are not broken, just our brains are wired differently.
I think meditation and breathing technique can work for us too, not just for NTs.
To your father you can try to explain the difficulties you are experiencing and explain the reasons for your outbursts. I don't know how old your brother is, but if he's not too young he might understand it once you talked to him about your feelings.
About the sensory issues: according to my doctor, there isn't much they can do about.

Hopefully others can give you even better advises.

Let us know how did it go with your family.

Take care!

 

[Kate McG]

Thank you for your help.
When I said about being broken, I felt this before my diagnosis, now I know that I am certainly not. My brain is different and I am this way and I cannot change it. That is such a positive realisation for me.
Great advice about my family. My brother is older so I hope he will be receptive to it.
K.

 

[ifiwerewrongidknowit]

Good luck with your family!
Hopefully they will be understanding.
I had the same feeling about being broken and an emotional wreck, before I heard about Asperger's Syndrome.
But now I can see everything from a different point of view.
And it explains so much!
BTW, what kind of sensory issues are you experiencing?

 

[Kate McG]

Sound and light mostly. The only way I can describe the effect of sounds I'd like an electrical pulse across my brain, when it's not background noise. And light causes me to get headaches...

That's exactly how I think my family see me - an emotional wreck and a drama queen! But hopefully with careful explaining that might change.

Thank you for your kind words. X

 

[Chris AtLife]

I was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 7, now I'm an adult. Occupational Therapists and Social Workers really helped me with the direction in my life. Just a suggestion: OTs and Social Workers can really help with everything: advice, family, school, and work. Good luck with everything and feel free to ask questions here anytime.

 

[ifiwerewrongidknowit]

Sound and light mostly. The only way I can describe the effect of sounds I'd like an electrical pulse across my brain, when it's not background noise. And light causes me to get headaches...

I can relate to that. My way of dealing with these issues is to wear noise canceling earphones when I'm in public spaces. The bright sunlight is more difficult, even wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap all the time I still have to squint. So yeah, that's a bit harder to deal with.

That's exactly how I think my family see me - an emotional wreck and a drama queen! But hopefully with careful explaining that might change.

Let's hope for the best so they will understand you and your behavior better in the light of your diagnosis.
The beginning might be difficult for them, but hopefully time will do its magic.

 

[Rocco]

Welcome aboard
Glad to have you join this friendly community. Best wishes.

 

[Datura]

Welcome, Kate.

I'm not diagnosed, but I do experience intermittent audio-visual hypersensitivity. It may sound obvious, but I find that keeping sunglasses on hand is helpfull for visual sensitivity. Sometimes my sensitivity catches me by surprise and I even find myself wearing them at night. I would also suggest installing soft lighting at home and turning minmizing screen brightness on your computer.

For sound, headphones can come in handy. Even simply listening to music can help with blocking out extraneous background noise for a lot of people. Ear plugs are also an option. For long term use I might suggest going to an audiologist to get custom earplugs, similar to the kind that professional musicians use. They reduce decibel levels, but provide more clarity than the cheap ones you buy at the store.

Also; don't underestimate the power of stimming. Providing yourself with a self regulated sensory input can really have a calming effect. Doing so in an inconspicuous and socially acceptable manner can prove challenging in public, but there are ways to go about it stealthely.

Anyway; I wish you luck. It sounds like you have a bit of a head start, given your background. Being on the spectrum may also prove adventagious to you in helping those with autism.

 

[Kate McG]

Datura, thank you. Those are the kind of things I need. What great ideas. I think the audiologist is the best idea, because I hate wearing earphones and I'd want the earplugs to fit me properly. I didn't know you could do that.
Your advice has given me a great starting point thanks so much. X

 

[Datura]

You're welcome. I hope it helps.

 

[Adora]

Hi before I found out by my psychologist that I am on the spectrum last year I too felt like I was an emotional wreck, I can also relate to the family situation I haven't told many in my family and I feel like they wouldn't understand anyway,I hope you can find others here that you can talk to.

 

[Kate McG]

That's the reason I came here Adora, to realise that there are many others who have the same experience and that I'm not alone.
I'm feeling as you do, that they wouldn't understand, but maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. If they don't or refuse to understand then I think that's the point when I need to make a decision about whether their relationships are good for me.
Thank you for your kind words. X

 

[ancusmitis]

Welcome to the forums!