Telling My Parents About My Autism Diagnosis

If your parent are accepting and receptive about this, that will be wonderful! But even if they aren't, that doesn't discount the reality of how you live and function as a human being. We always hope to feel validated by those close to us, but it is important to remember that you and everything about you is valid, even if your parents are able to see things that way. As for what to do next; naturally, you want a proper diagnosis to confirm what you know and feel, but that can be expensive and take a LONG time. Additionally, as an adult, a diagnosis wouldn't necessarily provide support you can't get in other ways. It can back up the need for accommodations at work or school, but legally you can negotiate for reasonable accommodations at any time, regardless of having an informal diagnosis. You would need documentation of a disability to receive social security support, but if you're able to work any amount of time, you will make more on your own than SSI benefits would provide. Essentially if testing is a huge barrier, it will most likely be fine to NOT pursue a formal diagnosis. If you're just looking for how to make it through day-to-day with this "new" part of your life, that's the easiest part! I wouldn't be surprised if you already have coping skills that you just built naturally (usually it's called masking). I learned I had adhd as an adult just a few years ago, but it wasn't something new! I spent my life like this so I developed skills that helped me cope with things like forgetfulness and procrastinating and only NOW do I realize why I always did all those things. I would recommend taking some time every day or couple days to think about what parts of life are particularly difficult and causing you stress. Also, don't just think about the specific task, but give it some context: "talking to people is easy if its just one or two, but more people than that makes it too difficult" or "i dont mind that thing when im at home, but when I'm at work it really bugs me". If you can pin-point the specific "symptoms" you can easily find strategies on the internet from others who are experiencing the same! And if all else fails, it is literally my job to support people with neurodivergencies in finding ways to accommodate themselves and adapt their world to support them. Feel free to message me if you ever get stuck and want some ideas! 😊