Lived Experience Forum

[kevdeaf_24]

Hello all, 

I am hearing impaired and have autism spectrum disorder. I perceive the world in a negative way and tend to have all-or-nothing thinking patterns. My counsellor is currently assisting me in addressing various challenges, such as improving my self-worth and self-acceptance, while also guiding me towards personal growth.

I struggle with interacting in social settings, including difficulties starting and maintaining conversations, as well as dealing with problems such as conflicts.I became depressed and found myself feeling angry towards people without disabilities because I struggled to accept myself and my self-worth was quite low in the past. With the help and guidance of my counsellor, I began to take pride in who I am, and my anger gradually diminished as I started to understand my disabilities and allowing me to move forward in life. 

I am in the process of learning to get rid of negative judgments toward other people because I tend to get angry or frustrated with people whom I don't like, mainly due to their actions in which I find it annoying or provoking, even though they did not target me as I do take it too personally sometimes. This is mostly due to my ASD thinking brain, and I need to learn to change my perspectives in order to function well in the society while regulate my emotions appropriately.

I did feel that I was not being understood because of my ASD, and I get frustrated when someone tells me to change my thinking. My perspective of the world in the past has been seen as wrong, and my mind tends to live in a world of fantasy, such as imagining relationships without any conflict occurring. I am also working on learning and accepting the harsh reality of the world. My counsellor told me that I am not a disabled boy, but a young man with a disability. I need to be able to accept and deal with negative situations, such as coping with breakups, for example.

I am very pleased to have a counsellor who can assist and guide me through every challenge I face, helping me grow and become a mature young man.

[RiverSeal]

Hey @kevdeaf_24, thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with the Forums community!

The Forums and a great place to meet like-minded people who share similar issues with mental health and social interactions. You are demonstrating your determination and resilience in reaching out here and sharing your story. You are appreciated as you show up here and we are a community who support each other. 

There are some other great places to post and meet new Members if you would like to check out this post: Looking for a space to connect with others? Find a... - SANE Forums

Thanks again for sharing your experiences with your peers!

Take care 

RiverSeal 

[Gwynn]

Hi Kev, sometimes the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. I’m glad you’ve found someone you can trust, and that you’re seeing yourself as a person capable of dealing with negative situations.

What kinds of things do you do to add joy to your life? That’s kinda helpful for me.

[tyme]

Welcome to the forums @kevdeaf_24 ,

We are so glad you have trusted the community to share your thought process in terms of how you view the world.

I like the point @Gwynn made about the hardest thing in the world is to live in it... in many aspects, this is very true. I can certainly relate.

I guess life is not about getting 'rid' of negative thoughts and only having positive thoughts, but to perhaps view thoughts as 'helpful' or 'unhelpful' at that particular time? What do you think?

[kevdeaf_24]

Hi @Gwynn,

Thank you for your response! 

I discover joy through participating in several activities that I have found to be mentally healthy, such as rollerskating, gardening, and bushwalking. Engaging in these activities helps maintain my happiness and well-being.

[kevdeaf_24]

Hi @tyme,

Thank you for your response!

I think it is important to acknowledge that we can control our thoughts, and what you mentioned about thoughts being helpful or not can be quite effective when dealing with how we perceive the world. However, there are times when we need to challenge our thoughts rather than ignoring them in order to achieve better outcomes, as this includes self-evaluation

[tyme]

100% @kevdeaf_24 ! I certainly don't think it's always helpful to ignore thoughts. Rather, I feel it's about acknowledging they are there and recognising the weight they carry.

How have you been anyway @kevdeaf_24 ?

[kevdeaf_24]

Hi @tyme,

I have been quite well, and I am currently studying for Certificate 3 in Horticulture. I have completed many assignments for my course, so it has been a busy and tiring week. I am having another counselling session in a couple of days for a check up with my mental heath status. 

Overall I have been great and I hope you are too!

[tyme]

Hey @kevdeaf_24 ! Thanks for the update. I'm so glad you have been able to focus on your assignments. It sounds like a very interesting course!

I'm glad that overall you feel great. I do too!

I'm not saying it has always been great for me, but my mental health is in a really good place at the moment.

Any plans for the weekend?

It's so lovely and sunny where I am, so I hope to go for a walk later.

[kevdeaf_24]

I don't have anything planned really. I might do some chores, shopping and have a rest after a busy week.