I Can Haz Autism Diagnosis

Yesterday was the big day, the day I’d been worrying about for weeks, ever since I got the appointment confirmation. My online autism assessment via video link with a psychiatrist at the private provider I’d been referred to earlier this year.

I forget how many times I did the test to check my audio and video would work on the day.

I was desperately trying to relax in the minutes leading up to the appointment time.

As usual, I’d overthought everything. The interview itself wasn’t at all what I’d expected. The psychiatrist was patient and gave me time to get my thoughts together. (He later explained that this was part of the assessment process.) I didn’t have many brain freezes and managed to un-tense myself after a while.

I tried not to cry when he told me he was satisfied that I was indeed on the autism spectrum.

The formal diagnosis won’t be with my GP for another week, but I’ve got a PDF copy of it. I need to read through it in full and decide what steps to take from here.

Drug treatment was mentioned, but I’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons and get a second opinion from someone at my doctor’s practice who deals with mental health.

It is a relief to have this behind me now, after three years of stops and starts. And it’s a validation of my belief that I’m not broken, merely wired up differently from others.