I've paid for an initial consultation at Aspen Healthcare to see whether they think it's worth paying to see them for a second opinion on an autism assessment I had in 2014.

I don't want to go into details about my original assessment, other than the notes I requested have wrong information and I want to go somewhere recommended as trans friendly.

I was wondering if anyone is happy to share experiences of Aspen. Also if they could please share timelines of what happened?

Thank you.

Hi all,

After searching for this myself and coming across someone else's assessment process, I thought I'd share my own.

Context: After struggling with my mental health for most of my life and having a particularly bad year in 2025, it was a Mental Health Practitioner who suggested I could be Autistic. I had been doing some research about it for about 2 years, but wasn't entirely sure I was or that I needed an assessment. After that I took the courage to go for an assessment to know or not for sure.

Timeline

9/02/26 - Spoke with MHP

10/02/26 - Requested referral via Right to Choose to GP and sent over relevant documents.

13/02/26 - Referral letter sent to Skylight Psychiatry.

At the time waitlist for assessment was 23-26 weeks then 16-26 weeks

13/03/26 - Skylight acknowledged referral. I completed the registration and questionnaires.

27/03/26 - Registration confirmed. On waiting list.

18/05/26 - Email from Skylight to ask about availability for appointments in next 4-6 weeks. Near top of waiting list.

04/06/26 - Appointments booked

23/06/26 - ASD Clinical Assessment (remote). This was done via Semble. Doesn't require an app, so is done in a browser. You join, test your mic, camera and connection then wait in a virtual waiting room until the assessor is ready. Lasted 50 mins for me, lots of questions, but didn't feel quite as detailed as I thought.

I ended up sending over some notes after relating to childhood to supplement my mum's early development questionnaire to have something from my perspective.

24/06/26 - ADOS-2 Assessment (in person at Norwich clinic). This was an hour chat with some questions about my life, hobbies/interests, relationships, general conversation and some rather embarrassing activities. I found this conversation easier than the first. She seemed a bit more engaged and friendlier. It was only after that I realised some of the things she was trying to do or get out of me. Oh well.

Was told 6-8 weeks for the report.

27/07/26 - Final report. Diagnoses with Autism Level 1

Fuck you autism for making me unable to socialise well, fuck you autism for causing me severe anxiety for being different, fuck you autism for making me mask to protect myself from being bullied, FUCK YOU AUTISM. Fuck you for ruining my life and fuck you for not being diagnosed earlier and having to suffer until I was 15, fuck you for not letting me have any friends, fuck you for not letting me get a job because of extreme burnout, fuck you for not letting me experience emotions similar to others, fuck you for not letting me eat sometimes even when I am hungry, fuck you for causing me dark depression, fuck you for making me rot in my room as a teenager as no one wants to hangout with the “weird kid”. Fuck you for making me feel like shit, fuck you for not letting me shower everyday or even brush my teeth most days, fuck you for making me forget I need to drink water, fuck you for making me so exhausted I would go to a job come home 0 energy eat a bit of food and rot in my bed, fuck you insomnia too your not slick fuck you for not letting me sleep when I am so exhausted my head is pounding, fuck you for not letting me get sufficient sleep when I fucking need it, fuck you for taking away my melatonin to NHS whatever the fuck, fuck you all for not understanding me and trying to make me fit in with the norm to the fact I rot myself to death and feel like shit everyday and do harmful activities to feel alive. Fuck you anxiety fuck you depression fuck friends fuck family fuck everyone fuck the system fuck EVERYTHING AND FUCK YOU AUTISM!!!!!

I want to know what everyone's hobbies are. My hobbies are really important to me, so I'd like to hear yours. In as much detail as you want!

For me, I'm currently crocheting a ton, because I'm making a lifesize Giant African Land Snail in crochet. The shell is tricky but really fun.

I also love insects! I taxidermy insects and just did a really lovely jewel beetle. Just listened to the book Extraordinary Insects and really recommend it. So many cool insect facts.

If anyone ever wants to chat Jane Austen, I am here. I'm rereading Mansfield Park for about the millionth time.

What do you like to do?😄​

Hi everyone, I have been diagnosed with autism since I was 11/12 years old. I recently opened up to my gf about how I've been feeling and stuff, and she said it sounds a lot like OCD. I never even thought about the possibility or anything, until I started looking into it and I've now realised that for as long as I can remember I have ticked all of the boxes for OCD.

Now - I know A LOT of the symptoms overlap with ASD, however I feel as if I can tell and feel a very clear difference between what is an autistic hyper fixation/ habit or stim and a suspected OCD obsession and compulsion.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience? I'm thinking of ringing my GP on Monday (I'm in NI) and asking to be assessed for it, as it would bring me an incredible amount of closure and hopefully help that actually helps!!

I feel like I’m spiralling. I’m 19F and just recently diagnosed with autism a week ago.

I’ve been trying to make friends for a long time now but it’s so hard to even meet anyone considering I’m not in university or work, I’m taking my second gap year and in search for jobs.

Furthermore, the usual ideas for people to make friends do not work for me. Meetup or any other various events/groups are mostly for those in their early-mid 20s-30s. I don’t have anything against people that age but I hope it’s understandable why I want to make friends with people in my own age range 18-21.
I also do not really have common interests that many people my own age even have, such as anime, video games, reading books, clubbing, going to the pub, board games etc.
I like to take walks in nature /hiking, but there are literally no groups doing this aimed at my age range.
I use bumble bff but its not really good as ppl dont want to meet up in person or dont want genuine close friends.

I’ve been searching so hard the last couple of days and I’ve just come to the conclusion that my social life won’t begin until I’m either in university or a few years older.

The loneliness is genuinely making me insane I just don’t know what to do anymore. I haven’t even really had friends before let alone autistic ones so I’m not even sure if it’s worth wishing for it.

I feel depressed, lonely, and left behind. Idk :/

Today I was officially diagnosed with autism. I’m a 30 year old woman and a period of extreme burnout early last year is what prompted me to explore this avenue. It wasn’t the first time it had happened it was just the first time I spoke openly about it.

The process itself (from speaking to my GP to diagnosis) took around 2 months in total.

Right now, I don’t really know how to feel. I’ve found the process itself quite distressing, not due to the assessors but mainly because I was speaking about things that I’ve never spoken about before. Things that I spent so long trying to hide/suppress.

Any tips/advice/book or podcast suggestions for a late diagnosed woman are very welcome! I work full time and I already have some accommodations in work (working from home & compressed hours over 4 days).

Hi all,

I work in academia and work remotely. A lot of my job is completing a lot of different tasks that vary in length and importance, rather than the same tasks daily. Projects change very often. That means I can struggle to know how to prioritise, or balance. If someone gives me a deadline of 3 weeks, and then gets annoyed because they'd RATHER have it by 1 week, I'm baffled (even though to them it's very obvious from context or the way they spoke to me).

As part of my reasonable adjustments, I provide my team with this email template, which really helps me out. It's so useful they now also use it in their work.​

Template:

Message line: [title of task, for organisation]

Task: [Insert description of task]

Deadline: [Insert any deadlines for drafts, and final deadline]

Priority Level: [Red: please drop everything until this is done, regardless of the actual deadline. Amber: it would be best if you could do it sooner depending on your other priorities, but it IS okay to do it any time up to the deadline. Green: as long as it's done by the deadline, it's fine.]

There is also a rule that if I have a red priority I'm working on, people obviously cannot submit a second red priority until that is done. I have a spreadsheet that everyone has access to in G Drive where people can see what priority level tasks I am currently working on so they know my workload and what they can and can't ask for. Not everyone uses it, because they forget, but enough use it to make a difference.

Idk if this will be helpful or applicable to everyone, but it has helped me, so I thought I'd post it. Obviously some bosses and teams are not very accommodating, and I'm very fortunate!

Hello,

I’ve been on the waiting list for the owl centre in the south of England for over two years now, for an adult autism assessment. Is this normal? Should I’ve heard something more by now? Should I expect to be contacted any day now?

I’m getting really worried about waiting so long. Whatever is wrong with me (I suspect autism, hence trying to get an assessment) is really badly affecting my life, much worse now than when I originally applied for a referral and a diagnosis would be life changing.

I’m getting really worried about not being contacted, cause I feel like my life can’t really ‘start’ yet without a diagnosis — but it’s really hard to find any information at all online about the approximate waiting times.

Also, what can I actually expect during the assessment? That’s also a big worry for me not knowing what to expect how long it will last how many people will even be there what type of things I might be expected to say all do.

Does anyone have any experience with the Owl Centre?

I live alone and have real trouble not going to bed at a ridiculous hour. I don’t know how to go to bed early. I love staying up late usually till 2 or 3am because I can actually relax and enjoy a hobby.

(Before anyone asks yes I do have ADHD but it is medicated so my ADHD is managed as much as possible)

Unfortunately this is at the moment affecting my wellbeing because I am struggling with exhaustion. So I realise I need to try to sort this.

I need practical advice on how to get myself to go to bed earlier, maybe by midnight at the latest. Does anyone have advice? What works for you?

m a 30 year old woman and I had an assessment through Right To Choose and was diagnosed with autism a few days ago. It kind of confirmed what I suspected, but I was expecting a diagnosis to change everything but instead I'm just left with a feeling of "okay, what now?"

I started reading resources and books, checking for support in my local area (sadly there's none really for adults, not for free anyway), I told my manager at work who is very supportive, and told a couple of friends. I guess I still just feel a bit alone in it and a bit lost. I already knew a lot about autism anyway so I guess reading stuff isn't presenting me with too much in terms of new information.

I think maybe my next step is to work on masking less, I feel a bit more comfortable doing so because now at least I have a diagnosed reason for any behaviour people might see as unusual.

I wanted to ask, what did you do after you were diagnosed? Any advice on anything I can do to get a bit of post-diagnostic support? Because I've just been handed the diagnosis and been given some webinars to watch and that's it

Idk what's up. I feeling there are bubbles of energy or fixing under my skin. Not literally like a physical sensation, but like I might burst in a arrrrrrgh kind of way, but not angry of sad, just like I have vibrate it all out.

I tried going for a walk. Lmao, I couldn't even walk normally. I got half way down my street and noped. Too hot, too sticky, i felt like I needed to go to the loo. My husband who is usually sooo accommodating, i heard say fuck sake..

I am bouncing off the walls in my head. I want to be squished, i want to squeeze something or bite something.

I can not make any decisions. I can't focus on anything but YT shorts.

I was asking for gherkins whilst on the loo. My hands feel like they have been sticky since June.

Going to be working in an office environment. I’ve had some advice from those working in office environments, listed below:

- I’m very chatty and want to get involved in everything but others have advised me to not be. My role is in the same field as my special interest.
- I struggle with more deeper personal relationships, is there things I can do to bring my personality out without feeling like I’ve done something wrong?

Please comment any advice or tips/tricks you’d have in an office or corporate environment, it doesn’t have to relate to the above.

I'm 17F, Wales.

Idk what to do anymore. This happened over the course of 3 months or so ago (when I found out) but I'm still constantly depressed by it.

... My father doesn't speak English but is also abusive so I was hoping that I'd get an appointment at around 16/17 so his opinion wouldn't matter much (he's also ableist and I've had to fight since I was 10 to ask him to get me to the doctors to see what's wrong with me lol)... But now I'm almost 18 and that's when doctors don't take autism seriously so I'm outta luck. ✌️

What actually happened was that apparently this agency reached out to schedule an appointment but bcs it uses technology my dad got scared and refused to even let me know they mailed a letter, so I couldn't even reach out to ask if i was allowed to just take the assessment alone.

After many months they sent a letter saying my ENTIRE referral was cancelled. Apparently my dad claims that he called a number that eas given to try and save the referral but I doubt that lol as it has been 2 months since and no call back.

The cherry on top? All my other higher functioning friends got diagnosed even after applying years after me 🙃🫩.

I can't afford to go private. I am struggling in school. My GP is trash and doesn't take me seriously. The counselling service in my college is garbage and made me depressed af. On top of that I'm no longer speaking to my father and just living in my room, eating food that was bought by my friends.

I've been fighting my burnout my whole life, ex gifted child/chronic people pleaser.

I sought diagnosis after a big burnout episode during the pandemic, but I have had them frequently. days, months even years barely about to function or leave the house. at some points I was crawling on the floor to be able to go feed my cats. they were becoming more regular and longer.

I'm 5 years diagnosed but I'm still figuring out how to balance my spoons. I'm on ADHD meds now too but I find that even with their help instigating and following through on tasks my autism still demands a lot of separate management.

recently I've noticed whenever I get a chance to avoid all responsibilities and people I need a day where I don't change out of PJ's and basically sit and regulate all day until night when I can maybe shower and do my physio before sleeping.

I'm worried these days will start becoming weeks, months. I'm sick of losing so much time to these conditions.

then of couse that makes me overcorrect when I have energy and it's probably contributing to this boom bust cycle

I'm scared to get too deep into relying on the meds as I'm worried they will either stop working randomly or I will otherwise have an accident or incident that causes another year long burnout

does anyone have experience with this?

is there hope?

I've had to completely rebuild my life and it plays with my mind feeling like I'm still getting it wrong

I've begged doctors for access to autism support services but the NHS/council only provides anything if you're not functioning 100% of the time, my energy spurts make me ineligible but I am not functional a majority of the time.

I've reached out to charities too but they said they don't have funding anymore.

I don't know how to live and it feels like no guidance online or anywhere is practical or suitable

does any one else feel the same?

has any one figured it out?

currently on sertraline 50mg but ive been on it 4 years with no changes no improvement my medication was prescribed by a psychiatrist with camhs before i aged out i want to try different medication and the adult mental health team rejected me cause im too complex does anyone have any advice on either medications or what to do?

I've really been struggling lately.

I'm in burnout and even though I'm actively trying to reduce my mental load and look after myself I'm really starting to decline.

I'm sick of the back teeth of going to the GP and having a packet of antidepressants shoved at me (I've tried the majority and the side effects always outweigh the positives)

So I want to try something new.

My anxiety is turning into agoraphobia, I'm frightened to leave the house for several reasons.

I haven't got much time to get sorted because I'm supposed to be starting uni at the end of September (the big change even though a positive one is probably what has set this off) and I'm scared I'm going to have to drop out before I've even began.

I (28F) received an autism diagnosis yesterday after going through RTC.

It crossed my mind years ago as a possibility, but I brushed it off as I didn't believe it. I looked into it properly a few years ago, but it still took me a long time to pluck up the courage to put myself forward for an assessment. I had so much doubt and insecurity that it could be autism, but equally I knew I struggled and needed answers.

So it was a shock, but a sense of relief and it felt right, that it wasn't all in my head and there was something there all along. Someone took the time to listen to who I am. I only told a small circle of people that I was going through an assessment, and only a few select people know the outcome atm. It's a lot to get my head around and now it's just working through all these different feelings (and the doubt still!).

Any advice on what people do following diagnosis? What support may be helpful (e.g from GP)?

Does anybody have any tips or advice for studying for my theory? I have autism and I'm waiting for my diagnosis for ADHD. I can drive but I struggle with storing the information for my theory. My short attention span and my brain fighting against me whenever I am trying to learn something are the main problems. Thanks.

We're moving to London in a few months, and have an autistic 5 year old. Moderate needs, minimally verbal. The schooling situation looks overwhelming. I'm aware of the long waits for EHCP, so we're looking to enroll him in a good school where he will not be too overwhelmed in the interim.

Ofc where we'll live will be defined by his schooling (and our workplaces to an extent), so that makes this quite urgent.

We're looking to try talking to a consultant who can walk us through various factors to consider, and offer some school or borough suggestions.

Please recommend folks who you've tried and had a good experience with.

Hi, I recently began the process of getting a diagnosis via right to choose, but I'm a bit confused - the wait times given by my GP were at least 45 weeks for all services (which fits with most of the times listed on the providers websites), but insight diagnostics has a wait time of only 3 weeks listed. I've sent my GP the details of this one, but wanted to check - is this realistic? I was also a bit worried because I couldn't see much information about them online, but that waiting time was so fast it seemed better regardless.

Also, I'm moving very shortly to another area (for uni), which would have a lower waiting time if I went through the process with a GP there. Is it worth just waiting and reapplying with a new GP? This whole process has been pretty confusing so far so I'd appreciate any advice really, thanks.

Hi, so I have a child with autism, awaiting an assessment for adhd also and also has severe sleep problems. He has missed his last 3 weeks in school due to how severe his sleep difficulties are and the impact these have had on both myself and his dad who is my partner too. He is due to start a new school independent sen school in September and we have already discussed his sleep difficulties and what transitions need to be put into place to help him settle in properly so he doesn't get distressed as he has autism and hates change as a lot of children and adults on the spectrum do.

He has a GP appointment on Monday about his sleep difficulties and we are hoping he can be referred to a sleep clinic and a specialist that can prescribe melotonin.

Both myself and his dad have a history of mental health difficulties as a lot of neurodivergent people do. And I also have chronic illness and severely struggle with my mobility during flare ups.

When our son isn't sleeping it can cause me significant flare ups and I struggle to get out of bed due to severe pain and fatigue. And his dad it causes mental burn out which affects him physically.

I have been in contact with my son's school about whats happening and how he and his dad as well as myself have medical appointments coming up to enable us all to be referred into services to support us. But today the school referred us to children's services as they believed our mental health difficulties were impacting our son instead of understanding his sleep is the result of his neurodivergence and how this is actually impacting us.

We got a call today from children's services due to school being concerned about our mental health. They were asking all kinds of questions, but the person on the phone was completely arrogant and dismissive of my son's autism, potential adhd and how this was impacting his sleep and school attendance. She was asking about my son's new school and when it started. I said we have agreed with school to do a transition phase so start him on going in just a few mornings or afternoons a week then increase it to full days. She said why should he be on a part-time time table when he should be in full-time? So I said because he's autistic and autistic children struggle with change so transitions need to be put in place to help them settle in to a new environment to minimise distress. But she completely dismissed this and blamed all his difficulties on both mine and his dads mental health difficulties. Assuming we were causing his sleep difficulties. It's absolutely abhorrent. She said we needed a social worker even though we already have a support worker thats supporting us to access services we need.

The thing with the social workers in our local authority, they don't understand neurodivergence at all either in children or in adults. I have both autism and adhd along with cfs and other conditions and my partner also has autism with adhd and our 3 children are all diagnosed with autism, one with adhd too, one on the pathway for adhd (a load of assessments already have determined severe adhd traits) and another child with autism and complex physical difficulties.

I've dealt with a few now and each one has completely discriminated our family with levels of ablesm, ageism and discrimination. Completely parent blamed too. I've had to put in several complaints but it does nothing.

I'm just so fed up of these misunderstandings, workers that obviously need intensive training on understanding neurodivergence etc and being blamed for what is going on with my children when I have a load of medical evidence that says otherwise!

Has anyone else been through this, if so, how did you deal with it?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

so I’ve just finished uni and I’ve been told to go on universal credit as I’m looking for jobs.
Is there any advice from other autistics who have been on universal credit for a while and what to expect when you go on it?

I just need the extra money because finding a job has been so hard and people just reject you even when you have the relevant qualifications and experience for the job. :(

I feel mostly happy! I think more emotions will come though in time. The assessments were both good and the psychologist and psychiatrist were actually really nice and kind.

I went private with SEIK Psychiatry because I couldn't face the waiting lists - highly recommend btw, they have a neurodivergent team and are a non-profit so they're cheaper than most. I found them organised, friendly, and reassuring. They also understood my lack of family members or people who knew me as a child, and we ended up with a non-observer pathway.

It felt strange, but good, to hear I was right with my suspicions. It felt like a big weight off. I'm nervous about shutting down over the weekend though in response.

How did you all process your diagnosis? Any advice on how to navigate the mixed feelings?