Hi

Hello and welcome @FCH32

I firstly just want to acknowledge that it's no small thing to reach out somewhere new, especially when you're not having a great day. I hope that the forums can be a safe space to connect and talk about what you're going through on the bad days, and hopefully the good ones too.

I'm hearing that you're after some recommendations for groups and practitioners which can be a bit tricky on here due to our guidelines around anonymity and privacy (you can reach about them here) so we can't recommend specific ones, but we can try to point you in the right direction. You might like to take a look at the APS psychologist search for a psych specialising in ADHD. I did a search here based on the info you provided, but you can narrow it down further yourself.

Also just a last quick note while I've mentioned anonymity - we've just had to removed the mention of your name from your post, we use our usernames on here rather than our real names to maintain our privacy 🙂

Hi @Ru-bee and @FCH32

As you say, it is no small thing to reach out and ask for help. I totally agree and I have been there myself personally.

My story is very much a little bit different to @FCH32, while I am a neurodiverse person and I am very proud to identify as being a person on the autism spectrum, part of my trouble was actually finding people that were just interested, knowledgeable, and wanted to work with people on the spectrum. There is a small irony here, I think, while I am a person on the autism spectrum that doesn't necessarily mean I know everything there is to know about autism!

Earlier this year, I attended a 12 week autism support group. Thanks to that support group, I learned so much more about my autism. For example, one thing that I learned that I struggled a lot with is interoception. I understand that this might not be something people know. Here is a handy definition from Gemini AI:

Interception is our internal sensory system that allows us to perceive and understand what's happening inside our bodies, including sensations like hunger, thirst, and pain, as well as emotional states like anxiety or excitement. I have heard it described as the eighth sense! I remember from my support group 2 female participants sharing how they struggle to identify when they are in pain for example. One of the female participants said that she can identify when she is hungry and full, but she cannot sense physical pain. Myself, I can experience, feel, and notice when I am in pain but not when I am hungry or full!

@FCH32- I also hope the forums can provide you with some comfort and support. I have a very close friend who also has ADHD and XE identifies as being neurodiverse so I understand and accept your ADHD unconditionally.

That's totally okay @FCH32 they can be easy to miss when you first sign up 😊

Just wanted to add another quick tip, to tag members and make sure they get notified when you respond to members, just type "@" and then choose from the suggested usernames that pop up (or type it in if it doesn't come up) you'll know it's worked when it comes up in blue like @FCH32

Dear @FCH32 and @Ru-bee,

Yes - they can be easy to miss when you first sign up. Even I am still brushing up on my knowledge and awareness of the SANE online community guidelines.

I found my support group to be very helpful. I learned a lot about myself and I was very happy to hear how other people - particularly girls - experience their autism. I have had next to no exposure to women on the spectrum. So I am always happy to learn more in that regard!