- Nothing about you changed on the day of your diagnosis. You have a word for it now.
- There is nothing you have to start right away, and no deadline. Support exists, and you can take your time finding what helps.
- The first weeks are for letting it settle, not for fixing anything.
- You don't have to tell anyone. That decision can wait as long as you want.
- The cards below are optional. Do them in order, skip around, or stop.
What people often feel
Adults describe a wide range of reactions after a diagnosis, often several in the same week. All of these are common.
ReliefGrief for the years beforeAngerDoubt: "am I really?"CalmExhaustionNothing muchCuriosity
Doubt is especially common for people who masked well. Your assessor saw what they saw. You can reread your report on the days the doubt comes back.
Today's card
Each card takes about 2 minutes. Mark it done if you want to keep track. Days 7, 14, 21, and 28 are rest days on purpose.
All 30 days
The whole list, if you prefer to see everything at once. Tap a day to open its card.
Your report, in plain words
Assessment reports are written for clinicians, so they can read like they're about someone else. These are the parts people ask about most.
| In the report | What it means |
|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | The medical name for being autistic. It is the same thing. |
| Level 1, 2, or 3 | How much support the clinician thinks you need right now. Level 1 means "requiring support." It describes support needs, not intelligence or worth, and it can change. |
| Deficits, impairments, symptoms | Clinical words for differences. Many autistic people find them harsh. They are standard report language, not a judgment of you. |
| Co-occurring or also diagnosed | Other things found at the same time, like ADHD or anxiety. These are common alongside autism. See Do I have ADHD too? |
| Recommendations | The most useful part. These are the supports the clinician suggests. You can use them when asking for accommodations. |
If something in the report doesn't match your life, you can ask the assessor about it. You are allowed to ask questions about your own report.
What you don't have to do
- Tell anyone. Not your family, not your job. You can decide later, or never.
- Change who you are. A diagnosis explains how you work. It is not a list of things to correct.
- Read everything about autism. Many people read a lot at first and then feel flooded. A page a day is plenty.
- Join a group. Some people find other autistic adults helpful. You can do that whenever you want, or not at all.
- Feel a certain way about it. There is no correct reaction.
When to get more help
Talk to a doctor if, for 2 weeks or more, you feel hopeless most days or can't take care of basic needs. If you've been exhausted for a long time, the burnout page may help too.
If you have thoughts of not wanting to be alive, call or text 988 (US, any time). You can text if talking is too hard.