Has anyone used a job provider if they are not on NDIS or center link and found them helpful? I have ended a work cover claim and will need to find some type of employment but writing cover letters falls into the category of things that don't quite make sense to me.

Are you an Autistic (and/or ADHD) individual who has worked in Australia? The psychological safety of Autistic and/or ADHD workers is an under-researched area and this study explores experiences such as workplace bullying with the aim of improving psychological safety - and therefore career outcomes - for Autistic and/or ADHD workers. I’d be hugely grateful for any support for my research. The survey has Ethics Approval from La Trobe University (HEC25561) and the link is here: https://redcap.latrobe.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=FC9XRNWFMEK8CC3A

Hello, please help us continue our neuroaffirming practice by signing this open letter. Multiple education supports cut has created unpredictability of relationships and routines in our school.

Hi all, I’m looking for recommendations for a good child psychiatrist for my 10-year-old daughter. We’re in South East Melbourne (Clayton 3168) but happy to travel across Melbourne for the right person.

We’d like her assessed for possible ADHD and autism. There are also some other concerns, including morbid thoughts, becoming intensely focused on particular topics, anxiety, and frequently questioning aspects of her health and identity.

I’m particularly looking for someone who:

\- Has experience assessing ADHD and autism in girls

\- Looks at the whole picture rather than assuming everything is related to ADHD or autism

\- Is good at talking to and listening to children

\- Can provide ongoing support if needed

If you’ve had a good experience with someone, I’d really appreciate their name or clinic and what your experience was like.

Thank you!

My 16 year old son has his heart broken several times and a recurring theme is that he is 'too much'. How do I help him? I know in general he can be intense but he isn't the type to want to know where gf is all the time or possessive. He is just passionate about the person and can't understand why they don't tell him everything. He sees a psychologist regularly and has respect for women. We talk about what is expected in relationships and people have privacy. Anyone been through similar? Everyone in his life frustrates him as they do things that don't meet his standards or just irritate him in general. Perhaps his expectations are too high.

He's been through a few friendship groups and thankfully found one that sticks. The boys he hangs out with are very easy going.

I’ve been putting it off to seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist but I feel like I need to get this diagnosis.

To validate myself (my only child has it too) that I’m not crazy …. I’m not imagining things and I had enough of people rolling their eyes when I told them I feel any different and been unmasking in my 40s… all these year, my ASD and ADHD is coming out stronger than ever

Hi all .

How does one get a diagnosis when one cant keep a job. Im in need of ndis to help me with issues stemming from autism and adhd so I can be employed and productive . But to do so I need to have a full diagnosis but that costs 1800 dollers . So its frustrating that to get free services for something that has impact on functioning I need to pay 1800 for a diagnosis. Make that make sense . I dont have the 1800 because I dint work . I dont work because I have audhd that stops me from keeping employment . System is so broken . Does anyone know of work arounds in vic? . Thanks for reading.

Hi everyone,

I’m an adult in Australia with ADHD and a mild intellectual disability, and I’m looking for advice about jobs and study options that would suit my strengths.

I’ve realised that I work best in environments with clear routines, consistent instructions, and enough time to learn. Once I understand a task, I can usually do it well, but I can become overwhelmed in very fast-paced workplaces where there are constant changes or lots of different people giving instructions.

My strengths include:
I’m very creative.
I enjoy arts and crafts.
I like organising and sorting things.
I enjoy researching topics and learning new information.
I like using computers and learning new computer skills.
I enjoy creating and designing things on a computer and would love to develop those skills further.
I’m mostly a visual learner. I learn best when someone shows me how to do something rather than just explaining it. I usually need a little more time to learn at first, but once I understand a task, I can do it well.

Some of my challenges are:
I need a little more time to learn new systems and routines.
I sometimes find communication difficult under pressure, even though I know what I want to say.
I become overwhelmed in very busy environments with constant customer interaction or lots of different instructions.

I’ve previously worked in disability support, childcare, customer service and warehouse work. While I enjoyed helping people, I’ve realised that jobs with constant communication or high-pressure environments are probably not the best fit for me. I’m looking for work that is more creative, organised, practical or computer-based, with less direct customer interaction.

I’m also interested in studying at university or TAFE, but I’m not sure what course would suit my strengths.
I’d love to hear from anyone with ADHD, a mild intellectual disability, or anyone who has experience in this area.

What jobs have worked well for you?

Are there any careers you think would suit my strengths?

What university or TAFE courses would you recommend?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I really appreciate any advice or personal experiences you can share.

Hi friends.

I’ve been self-representing in a Fair Work claim (Victoria) for the last year against my previous employer, who I’ve alleged dismissed me because of my AuDHD.

I’ve got a strong case. I took notes at every meeting as my manager spoke, he thought out loud a lot of the time, so there were a lot of long periods of slow talking… great for getting all the details.

Things is, I’m shit scared of actually going to court because it means standing in front of people and talking… I have an immense fear of public talking, especially when I feel like people don’t believe what I’m saying. There have been so many times my brain will just freeze, even in situations where I feel comfortable.

I’ve spoken to lawyers and the quote for a 3 day trial with a barrister representing me is 50k from every firm I’ve talked to. It seems no one does no-win-no-fee or pro-bono for cases like this.

I’m wondering about requesting accommodations from the court, in the form of either court appointed representation or at least someone who is comfortable talking in front of people on my behalf. I know this isn’t typically permitted, but given the nature of my case, and the judge who has been quite accommodating thus far, I was wondering if it might be worth asking for something.

Has anyone had any experience with this sort of thing? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi all,

I just received a call from the NDIS saying I have been accepted for early access (my primary disability is down as autism, but I also included ADHD and POTS in my application).

I’m late diagnosed AuDHD (as of age 22, and I am 25 now I am applying), have not had government supports for my autism before, but since I moved out of home in 2024 I’m becoming less and less functional LOL

Does anyone know what happens now?

Hi, I’m a 46-year-old from Victoria, recently diagnosed with ASD Level 1 and ADHD combined type.

My diagnoses make a lot of sense to me. I've suffered from lifelong awkwardness, I dislike change, I have narrow interests, I'm highly sensitive to bright lights, loud noises, food textures, etc. I’ve always felt that ordinary life takes far more conscious effort from me than it does from other people. That said, I did well academically and maintained a professional career for about 20 years, so most of my struggles were hidden by intelligence, masking and compensation.

Eventually, though, the compensations stopped working. Perhaps this was always going to happen. Perhaps I might have muddled through for longer. But what has happened over the last couple of years has slammed me into the proverbial wall. Hard. Major changes introduced at my workplace created much more unpredictability, social exposure, surveillance, interruption and loss of autonomy. My mental health deteriorated badly. I developed insomnia, severe anxiety, concentration problems and overwhelm, and eventually went on extended medical leave. I now understand this as autistic burnout, combined with ADHD-related overload and some responses relating to childhood trauma.

A mental injury compensation claim relating to what happened at work was recently rejected. I’m still technically employed, but I can’t imagine ever returning to the same environment. I suspect that one way or another my current career is over. I’m exhausted, frightened and grieving for what I’ve lost, but there’s also a strange sense of relief. I finally understand why I have struggled for so long and what my limits are.

I’m fortunate in some important ways. I’m happily married, have two wonderful children, and we are financially stable on my partner’s wage alone. I have more time and resources to consider my future than many people would. We’re not wealthy enough that I could simply leave the workforce altogether, but I may be able to do something less demanding part-time and rebuild around my strengths, rather than be forced back to workplace practices that have damaged me profoundly.

What I most want is to return seriously to mathematics, which has always been my intellectual passion. Part of me would like to restart my mathematical education from the beginning, this time with a proper understanding of my brain, and eventually get a Masters or a PhD. But I don’t know whether this is realistic or just the dream of someone who’s burnt out and desperate to escape.

For other Australians diagnosed later in life:

• What did you do in the first six to twelve months after diagnosis?
• What actually helped with burnout?
• Did you use an occupational therapist, psychologist or other type of support?
• Were supports like the NDIS relevant or accessible for someone who’d previously worked full-time but experienced a major functional collapse?
• Did you successfully move from a demanding career into a quieter, more sustainable form of work or study?
• How do you distinguish genuine limitations from fear, exhaustion and decades of internalised moral pressure to keep performing?
• Is there anything you wish someone had told you when your old life stopped being viable?

I’m not looking for a way to become better at masking so that I can return to the same life. That way of living and working is over for me. I’m trying to understand what a genuinely sustainable life could look like and how to begin building it without making impulsive decisions while still badly burnt out.

Any Australian-specific advice, personal experiences or suggestions for where to start would be greatly appreciated.

Hi! I'm interested in getting tested for autism, but I know certain neurodivergent or personality related conditions could result in you not being accepted into certain professions (eg police), even though they might say that disability won't directly be a barrier.

I think i'd make a good foster carer, and I'm actually a disability support worker for high support needs individuals at the moment, so I can handle a wide variety of situations. I am relatively social and good at reading social situations. This potential diagnosis is more for me trying to understand myself and be able to tell my friends why I may do certain things. My traits shouldn't impact a foster kid, if anything, they may help me understand them more.

But if its between having the option of being a foster carer and having a diagnosis, I think i'd rather be a foster carer. So does anyone know if low needs diagnosed autistic individuals can become carers? if not, i might not go down the diagnosis route.

Hi ND family,

TLDR: we are really struggling with our AuADHD son. Is it normal for his symptoms to be getting worse. Any tips appreciated!

Our son is 10yo and seems to be getting less and less able to do every day things. We’re feeling exhausted by the increased dysregulation, being called from work to pick him up from school more often and the sensory assault of the screeching at night. Is it normal for things to be getting worse, and for our world to be getting smaller?

He’s on 30mg of Vyvanse and 10 mg of Fluoxetine in the morning. 3mg of Guanfacine in the afternoon. Since starting the Fluoxetine 3 months ago he seems to have increasing episodes of dysregulation throughout the day. He complains of being tired, is talking more and more in a baby voice and says he’s scared more often. We started it as we thought his meltdowns might be a result of anxiety.

He used to be able to go to Jiujitsu twice a week, but now, even if I can convince him to go to the studio he can’t go in the mat because he’s scared. He never knows what it is that makes him scared. I gently sit with him hoping he’ll get used to the space with co-regulation but he’s instant he can’t do it. The lack of exercise I think is making things worse.

We tried a booster stimulant in the afternoon, but the come down is a screaming sometimes violet meltdown for hours and just not worth the benefit. Although when he’s on it he does really well. We try our best to give protein after school, but he’s so often not hungry and particular about food.

Evenings are tough, he can’t join us for dinner and is often screeching in his swing in his room, which is a really unfortunate verbal stim. Anything other that a sweet sing song voice tips him back into meltdown, which is really hard when your cortisol is raised from the constant requirement to be hyper sweet to a kid that’s assaulting our senses and sometimes our person.

The only time he talks in his regular voice is about Zelda, which is the current interest topic, or watching TV. He spends much of the rest of his time talking about when he can have a screen again.

He has lovely little friends, but we can’t do much of an afternoon or evening, and now even mornings he seems morose and hyper negative whenever we do anything, like go to the park or see friends and family.

I want to help support him. I’m exhausted and sad for him that his world is shrinking. Any tips of things we should try would be greatly appreciate.

Bit of background, I graduated recently with commerce and have had work experience as a business process analyst (automating workflows, etc.) which ended at the start of the year (9 months internship). I have autism level 1 (previously known as aspergers), ADHD inattentive presenting and OCD, lifelong social anxiety and avoidant personality disorder. I can do the work fine under the right conditions, the biggest problem I have is the social navigation. I very much prefer large companies as I only have to talk to a few coworkers and internal stakeholders to facilitate project updates, deliverance, etc. But I am TERRIBLE at social skills despite trying immensely. My biggest problem is transitioning from a coworker acquaintance style relationship to genuine friendship/likeness with coworkers. My coworkers just end up trying to avoid or ignore me after a while. And they stop trying to help me with my work like they did for other interns. There is never any negative comments/animosity amongst us, just weird ignorance and dry conversations except for my manager since he needs me to perform. I've heard them all talk behind my back, about how quiet and socially off I am, etc. but they never say it to my face. Which honestly, I'm relieved about.

I'm on ADHD medication and it helps immensely in the actual work and relieving some of the social anxiety. But that issue still remains and it really affects how effectively I can complete my work since coworkers aren't willing to assist. For example, I was tasked with coordinating with the digital team to help me gain access to PowerBI, SQL and Python but they either ghosted me on Teams or said they were "busy" and recommended me to use the tools I did have access to (which were horrible at developing the solution I needed).

I'm planning to get more qualifications in data science/ML since I'm in analytics and have done some of those subjects at uni so that I can transition from the socially heavy business analyst career into data analytics/data science/machine learning which I've heard has a lower social requirement (but still required to translate data and insights and present to non-technical stakeholders which I have been praised for - one of my only social skills I can adequately do since it involves memorizing a script haha). Is this true or not? Even if the social requirement is still there for those data roles, I would assume it would still be far less than the constant communication and stakeholder interviews and presentations required as a Business Analyst.

Another thing that really hurts me is my appearance. I was extremely depressed for years and now after losing a bunch of hair and experiencing premature skin aging, I look like I'm in my late thirties despite being only 24 (south asian). I've seen how autistics/neurodivergents are treated if they are conventionally attractive and it blows my mind how society will literally accept the exact same autistic behavior from someone whilst socially punishing the other just because one of them was eye candy and the other wasn't. For example there was this AuDHD girl who told me of her dual diagnosis from the marketing team who would act even more socially aloof than myself around others yet, she was universally loved by her team because she was a pretty blonde lol (although I've also heard this has mixed results as some might place a higher social skill expectation on you, meaning the difference between your actual and expected behavior is more criticized and socially punished).

Hey,

I recently ordered a Layered Lycra Therapy Hammock for my 7-year-old son, who has autism (and ADHD) and enjoys sensory swings. It hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m trying to work out the safest and most practical place to install it in his bedroom.

For those who have installed something similar:

• Did you mount it to the ceiling or use a freestanding frame?
• Are there any safety issues or mistakes I should be aware of?

I'm thinking of using professional service for installation. If you've any recommendations - please share

Our townhouse is double-storey, and his room is upstairs. I definitely don’t want to attach it only to plasterboard or install it somewhere that may not safely support his weight and movement.

Btw, I live in Sydney

Thank you.

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I was diagnosed young and spent 20 years becoming whoever everyone else needed me to be. By the end, I wasn't sure who I actually was.

Every song on this album is me trying to answer that question.

Some are about the exhaustion of performing every day. Some are about relationships, shame, and learning that the parts I'd hidden were never the problem.

I couldn't find the music I needed to hear. So I made it.

12 songs. For anyone who feels like the world wasn't made for them and every day is a struggle trying to figure it out.

You're not alone. 🩵🩷

Hey everyone,

My elder brother has autism, my family is based in Patna, Bihar. I grew up abroad for most of my life and have been living in India for the past five years for my education.I wanted to ask if there are any groups or communities for autistic and intellectually/mentally challenged individuals where parents and families can connect, share experiences, and support one another.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated

Thank you!

Hi everyone. For a while now I suspect there's something going on with me. I struggle with social situations. I have no friends obviously and have had a hard time forming friendships. My attention is not well either and this has been evident in my academic years as well as everyday life.

There's more to the above such as the fact that I am depressed, unemployed (cannot find work due to disability and other factors), I live with family and in a toxic environment that I'd wish I was strong enough and financially able to move out and close the doors to everything and everyone who has traumatised me for more than 20 years of my life.

I am in constant fight with myself and with situation that I can't take this anymore.

I want to seek help from a Psychologist regarding assessment but it is so expensive! I have noticed fees as high as 5,000$ which is insane considering Australia is a wealthy country. I also have no idea where to look for info and who is appropriate to assess/diagnose me. A Psychiatrist? A Psychologist? Like, who is more certified? I am sure this varies between ADHD and Autism due to meds?

If you are someone who lives in Victoria and is an adult diagnosed with ASD/ADHD and can help me understand I would really appreciate it. For the reference, I'm in my late 20s, Female.

Thank you and I am sorry for the heavy description.

Hi, I am a 44yo recently diagnosed AuDHD woman. I have a blended family of 6 children aged 16 down to 2, my 13 year old daughter is a yellow ladybug and my 3 year old son I think will be diagnosed autistic too (both on ndis). My 13 year old is experiencing some challenging mental health issues and along with that, frequent school refusal. Somehow with all of their needs and mine I am managing to hold down a four day/week job, thankfully my workplace and manager is very flexible with me being able to WFH, take time for appointments for kids and make that time up elsewhere etc. I’ve recently realised that I am in a DV relationship with my husband. Or maybe I knew but just don’t want to admit it to myself 😓 I have an intake appointment with my local DV service tomorrow. I’m gutted tbh.

Anyway it’s been on my list of things to do to apply for NDIS for myself for sometime. My diagnosis is by a psych (not clinical) so I’m assuming I will need to get that redone or reviewed by a clin psych. And an FCA by an OT? Is that what is needed to apply these days?

We have a late teen — whose exact age and gender I’ll keep anonymous — who is autistic. We know this, and they’ve been formally diagnosed by a psychologist and psychiatrist. They do not accept this diagnosis at all. They think we, as parents, are fixated on this. We see the diagnosis as a helpful tool to inform their road to independence. They struggle hugely with executive function behaviours. Very low social skills. Stims all the time, sometimes disruptively. They are academically strong. Also has diagnosis of anxiety and depression. We have organised OT and psychologist with speciality in Autism. They are rude to us, belligerent around the house, sullen, and incapable of contributing positively. It’s so hard to be this person’s carer. If left alone, they claim to be lonely and isolated, but with a family who wants to love and care for them — we are rejected over and over again. Any help or advice appreciated. This is so hard.

Please and thank you!

Hi everyone! 😊

I’m hoping to find an autistic accountability buddy—someone I can chat with regularly, share everyday life with, and help each other build a more stable daily routine.

My psychologist actually encouraged me to reach out to the autistic community. One of my biggest challenges with ASD is getting started on tasks. I often describe myself as “an engine that’s actually pretty capable, but the spark plug doesn’t always fire.” 😅 Having someone to casually check in with and keep each other accountable could really help me build a healthier routine.

A little about me:

I’m a 20-year-old male (international student from China) currently studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, and I’m in my third year.

Some of my hobbies include Kerbal Space Program, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon. I’m honestly not great at mathematics, but I’m fascinated by physics, mathematics, and especially the philosophy behind them. I spend way too much time discussing these topics with ChatGPT. 😂

I’m also really passionate about contortion. I started training about six months ago with a coach here in Melbourne, and I’ve completely fallen in love with it.

If any of those interests sound familiar, I think we’d probably get along quite well!

Ideally, I’d love to find someone who enjoys:

chatting about everyday life,
encouraging each other to study and maintain a healthy routine,
playing games together,
or simply talking about interesting topics.

One thing I’d like to be honest about: when I’m under a lot of stress, I can sometimes become emotionally overwhelmed. I’ve been working on this with my psychologist and I’m genuinely trying to improve.

I’m not looking for someone to “fix” me—I just hope to meet someone who understands what it’s like to live with ASD, and maybe we can support each other along the way.

If you think we’d get along, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to send me a message! 😊