The accounts come from the now-defunct blog Cat World (Katja Schrödinger).
What changed after the diagnosis?
Twenty-two people responded.
Six people answered that nothing.
A selection of responses from the remaining people:
I am better. Now I know why I think differently, why I don’t have friends, and why I don’t understand people. I finally know who I am…. – Katarzyna
I have more slack for myself, I get less tense in different situations, and I understand myself more. besides that, my different behaviours have become more rational for me – since I have an ASD, they stop being 'strange’. – Reckless Sleeper
I accepted myself much more than before. Many problems that didn’t reach me suddenly started to make sense. I look for solutions to problems, I use the positive elements of AS. – Paweł
I’ve put a lot of things together in my head and I think I’m better able to behave among people since I realised what my strange behaviour might be due to. – Mary
I now understand that certain behaviours of mine are not random, but belong to a specific repertoire. Feeling that this has been identified, named and described makes me know myself better and more predictable – to myself and those around me. The diagnosis has improved communication with loved ones. – Olga
I gained peace of mind. Before, I was constantly wondering what was wrong with me and how to change it. I felt like a freak – the only one in the universe who can’t be helped and no one really knows what was going on or what I’m sick with. The diagnosis helped me come to terms with some things – it’s just that my brain works differently and some things I can’t change, I’m hypersensitive to changes in light – I now know it’s not a neurosis so there’s nothing to fight it, I just perceive certain sensory stimuli more strongly than others. It’s just my brain, working a little differently, but NORMAL. And that’s it 🙂 I’ve given myself a break from it and it makes my life easier. – Janina
A change of consciousness from 'I’m a zero, a nut, a retard’ to 'I have Asperger’s syndrome’. – Mia
Some have been helped by…
I now have access to support in planning my further development (meaningful work, studies), psychological support and general sorting out of daily activities.
I also assume that the diagnosis will be a big help for me in bringing my studies to completion.
In addition, previously I could only speculate about the background of my problems. Now that it has been confirmed by a team of specialists (although you can never be sure), I have let myself off the hook a little. In this sense – I am relieved and some of the burdens have fallen off me. There is hope that I won’t end up under a bridge. Besides, I’m already fucking tired of 'trying’ and it’s nice that I’m not left alone with this. – Marta
I’ve been going to behavioural therapy, thanks to which I’ve gone back to university, started making my own plans and generally changed more than I expected – definitely for the better. I’ve also completely stopped being ashamed of my various 'quirks’, which I didn’t understand before. – Szarosen
I have contact with the foundation and, however, some support from them if needed. I also have the paper, but I don’t ever want to use it for anything. – Statsfucker
Thanks to the diagnosis, the therapist’s approach to social anxiety disorder therapy with me have changed. My current therapist tries to explain social situations to me and only then do we figure out what makes me nervous. I have also learnt that I am the one with sensitive senses, not other people with low sensitivity. – Agnieszka
My family has calmed down for me. – M.
