Barriers to Care for Ourselves and Our Children
I'm bad at the rate your experience (mental health, etc) questionnaire things regardless of whether they're 1-10 like a pain scale or always/sometimes/never. I can't ever decide what the"right" answer is when answers to questions can vary by context. I've been told by therapists, psychologists, and a psychiatrist that I tend to underreport my experiences. I try hard to remember that when filling these out.
None of that prepared me for filling out those forms for my AuDHD daughter today. Questions like "my child seems afraid when there's no reason to be afraid" are horrible. We're trying to support her and to access additional services because our at-home support isn't enough at the moment. Who am I to determine that there's no reason to be afraid? She has one - usually one she can articulate. It might not make sense to me, but it's still a reason to her and that is valid! So the answer is "never". Except that is probably not the real question. Cue overthinking. My husband is autistic. I'm diagnosed ADHD but quite certain I'm AuDHD. We initially misinterpret it together, but he manages not to overthink and to try to interrupt my overthinking spiral. It feels critical I get it right so people take her seriously because her growing concerns are serious!
I just really want there to be straightforward questionnaires for all of us. If we're screening for AuDHD or associated anxiety, etc, can we please have neurodivergent-friendly questionnaires? If we're interpreting literally and under representing our experiences, that's not benefiting us at all!
Sorry for the book. I don't feel comfortable in the autism parents sub and as a (likely) AuDHD parent of an AuDHD girl, I feel seen here.