So, some of you might already be informed that I applied for funding, here in Australia, where we are blessed to have a tax payer funded thing, called the NDIS, which stands for National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Last year, in sheer desperation, I called the National Autism Hotline asking for help and they advised me to apply for NDIS. So, I promptly did, and finally the funding has come through!
It doesn't usually take so long but I applied just before they initiated a complete systems overhaul. Word on the street is that they have been utterly inundated with Autistic people and their families wanting support and they might be going to create an Autism specific system in the future, but, for now, they are it. Which, sounds as if we are exceptionally fortunate, just to have, because most countries seem to offer much less, if not, no support. So I feel incredibly fortunate.
I applied through a "psychosocial" lens, as I had had previous (mis and incomplete diagnosis's) of mental health conditions, but, due to knowing I was on the spectrum, but, not having official diagnosis, I went ahead, got a loan and purchased my official ASD and ADHD combined diagnosis. It turns out I qualified as ASD2 and that gave me access to the NDIS.
So I have been waiting since early December, when I got word I had been approved solely on my ASD2 diagnosis, for my "planning meeting" which I had last Thursday. Then, last night my email of my plan came through!
This gives me funding to purchase 6 hours of support each week, an occupational therapist to access my needs to further detail, a plan manager who pays the bills, a support coordinator, who helps me find the right supports, some transport costs, and a lump sum to buy devices. I will be purchasing some loop noise cancelling tech, yay!
.
They will help me get my license so I can eventually get myself around. Get to things like music therapy, movement therapy, and to go and get some training to get work.
Oh and I get a "Recovery Coach" which I don't know much about yet.
I an very excited, as I've already looked up support workers in my area and there are some really compatible sounding ones.
It's gotten harder and harder for me to leave my house on my own and to function within the home. This is due to a combination of factors, including long term untreated, unsupported, undiagnosed ASD and ADHD, a lot of traumatic experiences, long covids (2 bouts, in 2 years) a huge load put on me by my (all neurodivergent) family, being poor and disadvantaged and having to live in troubled and violent neighborhoods and my extreme sensitivities.
I'm 51 now and to have this support coming through is enormous, in giving me hope for my future. On my goals list, which they work off, I have the goal of wanting to do advocacy for Autism, ND and mental health conditions; I've had symptoms of a lot of them, including psychosis, mania, depression, eating disorder, drug and alcohol, chronic anxiety, been non verbal, been SAed and DV'd, teen drop out, homeless, as a teen and adult, teen mother and mother of multiple ND children, including schizophrenic and high needs ASD with intellectual disability and having had a lot of narcissistic abuse, and I am "2e" which means Twice Exceptional, in that I am disabled, and at the same time, very bright, gifted and talented (particularly in the creative arts and performance/entertainment~music and dance, more specifically).
So I thought, why not share my journey with the forums?
I have had some interim support which has been AMAZING. I've gone to an art and craft group, yoga, had support to get to doctors, dentist and naturopath for my ADHD (which is helping A LOT) am going to a music therapy group (10 week group with a performance day at the finale) and help with shopping and getting to a personal trainer/exercise physiologist.
So there you go, I know it's not much comfort for those who have no access to such but, hopefully, it can provide some vision for other people in other countries, of what can be achieved and how to help us Autistic peeps, as, if you check out our life expectancy stats and such, are very horrifyingly poor outcomes, a lot of the time, with some exceptional highly successful Autistic people, and a lot of us struggling with a multitude of mental health comorbs (which is a misnomer in its name, as all mental health conditions have a physiological origin), poor relationship outcomes, under and unemployment, suicidality, lower life expectancy and the like.
So, just to end on a more positive note, my life has been an uphill struggle with most of the horrible things that happen to autistic women, in particular. Autistic men often struggle to meet partners, but more commonly, us autistic women end up being abused in relationships and being heavily exploited. and so I wanted to let people know that, sometimes,especially, when you do A LOT of self development, you can end up being a shining light of hope for others, even when your life has been very, very challenging, due to being born with this condition.
I have never stopped working on my deficits, so even though I am diagnosed with ASD2, I've overcome my extreme communication deficits, my depression and chronic anxiety, my anorexia that led to brain damage and psychosis, my self harming and suicidality, my drug problems and my loneliness.
And I will be updating this thread, for any and all that want to come along and observe my journey from here on.
Last year, in sheer desperation, I called the National Autism Hotline asking for help and they advised me to apply for NDIS. So, I promptly did, and finally the funding has come through!
It doesn't usually take so long but I applied just before they initiated a complete systems overhaul. Word on the street is that they have been utterly inundated with Autistic people and their families wanting support and they might be going to create an Autism specific system in the future, but, for now, they are it. Which, sounds as if we are exceptionally fortunate, just to have, because most countries seem to offer much less, if not, no support. So I feel incredibly fortunate.
I applied through a "psychosocial" lens, as I had had previous (mis and incomplete diagnosis's) of mental health conditions, but, due to knowing I was on the spectrum, but, not having official diagnosis, I went ahead, got a loan and purchased my official ASD and ADHD combined diagnosis. It turns out I qualified as ASD2 and that gave me access to the NDIS.
So I have been waiting since early December, when I got word I had been approved solely on my ASD2 diagnosis, for my "planning meeting" which I had last Thursday. Then, last night my email of my plan came through!
This gives me funding to purchase 6 hours of support each week, an occupational therapist to access my needs to further detail, a plan manager who pays the bills, a support coordinator, who helps me find the right supports, some transport costs, and a lump sum to buy devices. I will be purchasing some loop noise cancelling tech, yay!
.They will help me get my license so I can eventually get myself around. Get to things like music therapy, movement therapy, and to go and get some training to get work.
Oh and I get a "Recovery Coach" which I don't know much about yet.
I an very excited, as I've already looked up support workers in my area and there are some really compatible sounding ones.
It's gotten harder and harder for me to leave my house on my own and to function within the home. This is due to a combination of factors, including long term untreated, unsupported, undiagnosed ASD and ADHD, a lot of traumatic experiences, long covids (2 bouts, in 2 years) a huge load put on me by my (all neurodivergent) family, being poor and disadvantaged and having to live in troubled and violent neighborhoods and my extreme sensitivities.
I'm 51 now and to have this support coming through is enormous, in giving me hope for my future. On my goals list, which they work off, I have the goal of wanting to do advocacy for Autism, ND and mental health conditions; I've had symptoms of a lot of them, including psychosis, mania, depression, eating disorder, drug and alcohol, chronic anxiety, been non verbal, been SAed and DV'd, teen drop out, homeless, as a teen and adult, teen mother and mother of multiple ND children, including schizophrenic and high needs ASD with intellectual disability and having had a lot of narcissistic abuse, and I am "2e" which means Twice Exceptional, in that I am disabled, and at the same time, very bright, gifted and talented (particularly in the creative arts and performance/entertainment~music and dance, more specifically).
So I thought, why not share my journey with the forums?
I have had some interim support which has been AMAZING. I've gone to an art and craft group, yoga, had support to get to doctors, dentist and naturopath for my ADHD (which is helping A LOT) am going to a music therapy group (10 week group with a performance day at the finale) and help with shopping and getting to a personal trainer/exercise physiologist.
So there you go, I know it's not much comfort for those who have no access to such but, hopefully, it can provide some vision for other people in other countries, of what can be achieved and how to help us Autistic peeps, as, if you check out our life expectancy stats and such, are very horrifyingly poor outcomes, a lot of the time, with some exceptional highly successful Autistic people, and a lot of us struggling with a multitude of mental health comorbs (which is a misnomer in its name, as all mental health conditions have a physiological origin), poor relationship outcomes, under and unemployment, suicidality, lower life expectancy and the like.
So, just to end on a more positive note, my life has been an uphill struggle with most of the horrible things that happen to autistic women, in particular. Autistic men often struggle to meet partners, but more commonly, us autistic women end up being abused in relationships and being heavily exploited. and so I wanted to let people know that, sometimes,especially, when you do A LOT of self development, you can end up being a shining light of hope for others, even when your life has been very, very challenging, due to being born with this condition.
I have never stopped working on my deficits, so even though I am diagnosed with ASD2, I've overcome my extreme communication deficits, my depression and chronic anxiety, my anorexia that led to brain damage and psychosis, my self harming and suicidality, my drug problems and my loneliness.
And I will be updating this thread, for any and all that want to come along and observe my journey from here on.
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