My Healing Story

[Nat88]

Hi all,

If allowed, I thought I'd start a sort of online diary in this forum, documenting my daily or weekly feelings and activities so I can look back and see where I'm improving or going wrong. And if any of my experiences help anyone else along the way, then all the better!

I've put it in the Social Anxiety section as this is really where my journey began, by getting diagnosed with social anxiety and depression back in 2008. I've since been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and am currently on the waiting list for counselling but that's a whole new road that I haven't explored yet. I also have a big issue with agoraphobia; whether or not that is related to my social anxiety is unknown but I do struggle quite badly someday and cannot leave my flat at the worst times.

I'll leave it there for today as I'm currently destressing before my driving lesson tomorrow and don't want to kick up any negative emotions. If anyone wants to chat I'll happily answer PMs although my attendance on here has been a bit hit and miss in the past, with plenty of lurking 🙄

See you all soon,

Nat

[Turnaround00]

Hi Nat,
Sounds like a good idea, starting a diary, good to look back on and helpful for yourself and others to read too.
I think many adults have been wrongly diagnosed with social anxiety when in fact they have aspergers syndrome instead. Of course social anxiety plays a massive role in aspergers syndrome but social anxiety is not the diagnoses they should have been given.
So many adults labelled eccentric or a bit odd are now showing to be people with aspergers syndrome but unfortunately its only now that they are becoming more aware of aspergers in adults. I don't have aspergers myself but my boyfriend does and was diagnosed in the last year as an adult and he too was always told he had social anxiety by his g.p.
Anyway, I hope you get your counselling, NHS waiting lists can be a nightmare, if you have extra cash go private but extra cash usually isn't there.
xxx

[Nat88]

Thanks Turn, I definitely display symptoms of anxiety but now I have my diagnosis I do wonder if the stress of being around people and general difficulty socialising are permanent features if my aspergers and less to do with social anxiety. Either way it's unpleasant.

I was lucky to be given a diagnosis so quickly. I mentioned to my doctor that I believed I had aspergers and he referred me to the autism unit. It makes me wonder though if I had been diagnosed as a child and given the support I needed, would I have been able to continue down my chosen career path instead of dropping out of university?

Anyway, bygones and all that. Despite several very challenging years of loss I am learning to stand on my feet again. I have a lovely flat and a fantastic allotment and my dog keeps me going strong each day. We aren't enjoying this heatwave though! 😆

[PhilOakley]

All the best Nat