How to find help
This continues regarding tools you can use to help yourself live a better life. The same goes for those who care for an autistic family member or care about somebody who is autistic.
Many times we struggle with problems that are too big to handle alone.
Yet we are afraid to reach out to others or ask for help from professionals or groups which may be able to provide information, training, or other support you need.
If you are afraid to ask for help by yourself, please try to get somebody to be your advocate, whether you contact an attorney, social worker, minister or priest or others in a church group, service groups, there are specialists who are waiting to serve your needs and help you find ways to make your life better.
If you have struggles communicating there are people who can teach you skills to help express yourself better.
If you have needs for housing, food, clothing, there are agencies and individuals who are willing to help.
If you struggle with problems with drugs and alcohol or other substance abuse, even over eating, there are professionals and support groups waiting with tools you need to succeed.
If you struggle with emotional overload or anger management issues, there are professionals and support groups available.
If you need help with almost any struggle, there is help available.
There are things standing in the way of getting help, though. First we have to know ourselves well enough to understand our struggles. Second we have to admit we need help with them. Third we have to reach out to others to find the help we may need to overcome these problems.
Which stage are you in? Do you know your worst struggles? What brings the most frustration or pain to your life? Do you know why? How can we sort it all out?
Therapists, Social workers, and psychologists can help us understand ourselves better. We can find information online, in books, self tests, or talking with others in support groups or online forums. Take time to think through the biggest problems you have now or have had in the past. Then know that you don’t have to work on those problems alone.
Your Doctor might be a good place to start. You can ask for referral to professional help if your problems can be helped by medical professionals.
You can call the local crisis hotline and ask what agencies they have on their lists that could help you. The more specific you can be about your struggles, the more likely they can be to match you up with somebody who can help.
Hospitals and churches usually have lists of helpful connections, as do all social agencies and usually senior citizens centers have resources available. These can be to help almost any issue from depression and suicidal thinking, mental illness, homelessness, hunger, domestic abuse, child care, respite for caregivers, health care, home help, anger management, substance abuse, sexual abuse, and many other issues.
There are resources available for learning better communication skills, finding help for specific chores such as cleaning, laundry, mowing or snow shoveling, helping with transportation to medical appointments or grocery shopping.
The list of helps available is long, and there are usually more resources available in larger urban areas than in small communities. If you are afraid to reach out, you can check a lot of things online, or perhaps you will have a friend, family member or other willing soul to help you search out answers to your struggles.
There is no reason to struggle alone when there are so many ways to find the help you need. If you struggle with overwhelming issues, feel lost and alone, even if you can’t be specific but only know you need help, there is help available.
Please reach out, you do not have to do this alone.
OldLady With Autism 