Autism assessment as an adult

[Flowergrowerjess]

Hello, I’ve just had a maternal mental health assessment and to my supprise it was suggested I have a autism assessment. Ive had an inkling I might have ADHD for a little while and have recently been suffering with horrendous rage and anxiety since giving birth also - she’s 3 months now. But after I’d spoken non stop for like a hour and a half (haha) and all the questions she said that nearly all of what I said points to autism! Just wondering what the process is like? Also I’m really good at communicating and talk no stop and I thought it was the opposite for autism? thanks so much. :)

Also I’m notorious for changing subjects every minutes and getting very easily distracted…enrages my partner but obvs I can’t help it. Is this a trait?

i was diagnosed with ADHD Dec 24 and Autism May 25 and it is a very odd concept as they are polar opposite but i am the most social, anti social person! i can talk for hours or not at all, love organisation but will thrive off spontaneous decisions. will forget what i'm talking about mid sentence because ive been distracted by something them eat myself up about forgetting what i was saying. Info dumping to changing subject is very easy to get caught up in but i have the best conversations when the subject changes every second

Non linear thinking and episodic hyperverbalism is absolutely a trait of autism, although it isn't necessarily what they'll look for on your assessment.

They will look at the triad of impairments, one being social, and talking too much, too fast, and changing the subject often to the point where it puts others off wanting to talk to you may be seen as disabling enough to meet the criteria in that single triad, but they will be looking for more than just this. It will be about your verbal and non-verbal communication, how you interpret language, whether there have been any adverse episodes in your life that they can attribute to a social deficit. Then they'll look restrictive and repetitive behaviours, which becoming a mum absolutely throws out any previous routines you've had.

They will also need proof this has been evident since childhood, a full history of your school life, and need to rule out any other causes for this behaviour, such as cPTSD, fetal alcohol syndrome etc which will usually be done at the history appointment.

@NotSoEzBreezy Hey! Thanks for the reply. I’ve heard they can often go hand in hand anyway? Haha yeah I know what you mean about being social and anti social I’m the same! And yes I agree about the best convos, I feel so excited about conversations and that’s why i feel like I change subjects as well. Did you go through your GP to be diagnosed? or postnatal support? X

I went through a company called problem shared as my GP won’t diagnose adults and they were really good with everything and 90% of autistic people were also adhd but people tend to get diagnosed with adhd first and don’t get tested for autism as well but they do both x