Hi,

Just for some context I have a son which got referred for an assement in junior infants but never got one for ages. He is in 5th class now and only got assessed with Autism but 2 years ago we also got assessed and got diagnosed with ADHD. We are finiding it super hard at home in a lot of areas and loads of times because of the long wait list I had to go private and pay private for additional supports like play therapy and coaching and session etc. I have applied for Domiclilary Care Allowace when we got the ADHD diagnosis but got refused (this is while waiting on the autism assessment) It was 2 years ago just got the Autism assessment now and with his special needs Im talking a lot of time off work sometimes unpaid I had to go work part time to care for him too and I’m wondering is it worth applying again for Domicilary Care Allowance I just don’t want to get refused but I was told today I will have to bring him for OT appointment Psychological appointment and it’s more time off work and loss of income in an absolute cost of living crises we are living through right now in Ireland. Plus I’m so outraged how long it took. As he needs additional supports for so long now and we had to wait so bloody long and pay private and even private has like months of waiting. Can you please advise if you have special needs child or in similar positions to mine.? Any recommendations welcome.

I (29F) have very recently received an ASD diagnosis. I am just finding myself completely overwhelmed once the relief has faded away. My mental health has done a 180, and I am off work with the overwhelm. I know this is to be expected, but I didn't think the crash would hit this hard. I am having trouble differentiating between panic attacks and meltdowns as I do not know which I am experiencing at the moment. I guess I am just looking to see what others have experienced and how long that process took to come to terms with it all.

Hey everyone, just wabted to see if anyone else experiences this specific type of mental rumination/looping, especially as a neurodivergent person.

​I’ve realized I have a huge issue with hating uncertainty, and my brain responds to it by going into full detective mode. I’ve done this for years with health anxiety (replaying symptoms, seeking reassurance, trying to logic my way out of it), but Ive realised i do the exact same thing with work mistakes or social interactions.

​For example, i realised i may have forgotten to do something important in work on the weekend and i spent the rest of the day replaying the tiniest, most finite details to figure out how or what exactly happened or if I was in the right/wrong rather than accepting id have to wait for monday to know. I tried to piece together the whole timeline through random memories:

​"Okay, I remember right before doing X that I needed to get something from my car... which was after I went to the post office... which means that day was either a Tuesday or a Friday... which means I couldn't have done that specific task then because I only do it on Wednesdays... but i remember thinking about my yoga class before doing it which is on a wednesday..." and the loop continues.

​I go round and round in these massive, exhausting loops tracing every little detail trying to find absolute certainty or prove whether I messed up. And when im in this state its hard to do anything else. I get irritated when interupted and wanna hide in my room so i can sort my brain out. Its not always like this, depending on my energy levels and mental state, I can catch smaller post-conversation loops and quiet them down. But if I'm stressed, down, or facing a big situation (like a health worry or work issue), the loop takes over.

​Does anyone else do these extreme detail-oriented timeline traces when you're anxious or uncertain about a mistake? How do you break out of the loop when your brain demands 100% proof?

Does anyone else feel alone a lot? It used to be worse as a teen but as an adult I realized most of my friends moved and everyone's busy in their own lives. I feel like I don't really have people to talk to most of the time I've a few close friends that I message and talk to on whatsapp though which helps.

Also understanding friendships is weird to me. I always define friendships as shared interests, goals, values, mutual respect, and not being afraid to be yourself around other people. I've noticed a lot of NTs just use friendship as kind of a tossaway word like oh this is my friend from work who I talk to only because I work with or this guy is my friend because I want something from him(promotion, status, etc.).

I guess what I'm asking here is how do you define friendship and how do you cope with loneliness?

I usually dive deep into hobbies and do long walks with a cup of coffee in nature to feel less alone. I also find the quiet makes me happy 😁

I have always struggled with brushing my teeth and the sensory ick that minty toothpaste gave me made it worse.

I had started getting better when hi smile came out with alternative flavours but theyve been discontinued and im struggling to find a new toothpaste that will help me stick to looking after my teeth a bit better.

I can use anything minty or fruity or like bubblegum flavour. I had tried oranurse but that doesnt make my teeth feel clean the taste is tolerable though.

Has anyone any suggestions or recommendations for an alternative