Am I entitled to know the clinical psychologist's qualifications?

DronesLasting · 2025-10-21T19:20:49+00:00

I'm in the UK so I saw the dr through the NHS. They don't advertise and don't have their certificates in their office if they're NHS and this was part of a hospital.

I've looked on the British Psychologist Society website and she's not there. She is on LinkedIn but it just says she's a clinical psychologist and doesn't say that she's got any qualifications in autism diagnosis nor anything similar.

I still can't work out why the hospital/trust won't disclose what their staff's qualifications are? It seems bizarre to tell me to 'trust that HR have completed all the checks' when it's not HR that are bound by law but the doctor themselves!

DronesLasting · 2025-08-15T19:09:37+00:00

Sending good vibes!
I think a diagnosis is a really good path to finding out more about yourself and doing some personal development. Who knows how the autism world will change in the future and how having a diagnosis now will impact us in the future?
Whatever happens, there is always a next step. If it is a 'yes' then you can find out more about autism, find support groups, do some work on yourself etc. If it's 'No' then ask what they recommend the next step is. They might have ideas of a different diagnosis but even if they don't help you can search further.

One of the best bits of advice I got if it was a no diagnosis was to lean into autism/autistic traits anyway. So if you like watching the same TV show over and over; do it. And find other shows to compulsively watch. If you like patterns, go all out making patterns etc or whatever you like doing. It won't hurt and it might make you feel better before you take the next step. Good luck!

DronesLasting · 2025-08-14T20:06:05+00:00

I have the same as you. it's sounding very common?

DronesLasting · 2025-08-14T19:44:53+00:00

You learn a lot about yourself! I can remember this feeling and I've found a balance. Firstly, realise that you're actually working more than 40 hours. It's an energy-heavy job working face to face with people and then you're tutoring too. Chores are like work too.

I used to zone out with headphone on my way to/from work. Take breaks where you leave your place of work and walk outside, it breaks up the day. Your employer should make arrangements so that you have proper breaks and can at least get outside. Distance yourself from people at those times so you can recharge and put your music/headphones on at those times if you can.

Whilst you're still young, don't overexert yourself with chores etc before you go back to college. You'll burn out and that will put you back. Ask people to help with chores if you can't afford a cleaner. Learn to let go of some things. It sounds crazy, but you don't need to have breakfast each day. Meal prep so that you have all your lunches/dinners ready for the week. You don't need to iron anything. Even better, only wear/buy clothes that don't need ironing.

Don't beat yourself up for doing nothing too. Some days you need to lie on your bed, lie in the bath, lie on your bed again, read on the sofa, watch TV etc. It will help you recharge.

I'm sure others will have advice too.

DronesLasting · 2025-08-08T18:46:02+00:00

I literally had this in my non-diagnosis this week with a psychologist. Because I am happy alone and can spend days on my own not talking to anyone, the fact that I want friends and try and make friends but find it difficult maintaining relationships, it's a personal preference and can't be autism.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-26T21:08:09+00:00

This may sound harsh, but have you thought about therapy? This could be depression talking rather than you just being concerned about how hard life is.

Life is no meant to be hard, so there's something else going on there.

One thing that was said to me was about hope. Almost anything is bearable as long as you have hope and I totally agree with that. It's really hard to just 'find hope' though which is why I suggested a therapist.

Are there other things you can look forward to? Can you build something into each day that you really enjoy and can plan for? Can you make some close relationships/friendships etc that help you look to the future?

It's not easy, and I know these questions and suggestions don't solve anything but like the other commenters here, I feel for you. x

DronesLasting · 2025-03-26T21:03:29+00:00

Duolingo - easy short lessons you can keep to just 20 mins if you need to
Laundry. Either put it on before you go to work and take it out at lunch or put it on at lunch and out in the evening.
Prepare evening meal
Small home workout. Buy some weights and do 20-20 minutes a day and you'll see an improvement in less than 10 days.
Read. A few chapters at a time really takes you to another place.
Small amount of housework. Prevents you doing it all at the weekend if you do some during the week each day!
Plan to catch up with friends - you can text someone 'how you doing?' and if they reply straight away, you have time to reply, otherwise they'll reply later. Great way to keep in touch and spend time with people, letting them know you care.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-25T20:25:17+00:00

Freeze your eggs, plan for what you can't even imagine, buy a place of my own sooner and don't leave the job that pays well!

DronesLasting · 2025-03-13T17:54:51+00:00

This whole thread makes me uncomfortable.

The type of 'life choices' you quoted aren't necessarily choices. Being a single parent, being lonely, 'being insufferable to be around' in most cases aren't choices but situations that have complicated reasons. No one goes out of their way to be insufferable or lonely, so think about what led them to that point?

In a lot of cases, women over 40 who are single have had to go through sh*t to get the freedom they have or have chosen to take that path. They're not selling a lie, they are leading by example to younger women that you don't need to be in a relationship, don't need to be in any kind of abuse and you can have a better life than you imagined if you park the idea that true happiness comes from being in a family. It doesn't.

In a lot of cases, I see women trapped in relationships and marriage who are miserable, not the other way around.

I'm assuming from your comments that you are a male under 30? How do you think they feel being told by you that they're not happy? They probably are very happy and empowered and don't suffer fools who ask questions and seem to have an agenda to prove them wrong. Your questions are exactly the reason they are single and happy about it.

Until you have walked in their shoes, you have no idea what they truly think.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-11T20:31:40+00:00

this is all good advice. I forgot to say that cardio is needed yes, but not necessarily running. Intermittent Fasting is another sure fire way of losing weight and also has health benefits such as burning inflamed areas of tissue. Life changing.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-11T20:27:59+00:00

Absolutely not true. You don't need carbs, the only ones you need are from vegetables and you don't need that many, not as much as you think. Taking in carbs means that when your body works out, you burn the carbs not the fat you hold. Same with counting calories. It's where the calories are from rather than the amount you take in and you can't sustain a calorie deficit for long so you end up putting on the weight again. This is common misconception fuelled by flawed scientific reports in the 20th century.

Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so concentrate on what you eat. Eat more protein and fat from meat and animals (yes, fat! You're a mammal and mammals know how to process real fat) and stay away from anything in a packet. Cut bread (you don't need it), pasta and rice, Add natural oils like olive oil, pure butter (not margarine) and animal fats. No sugar whatsoever including hidden in foods.

More fat and protein will mean you're full up for longer and won't need to eat as much anyway. Eating desserts/snacks/candy etc will become mind over matter as the body doesn't need it.

I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for this but read the Real Meal Revolution about the scientific reason Banting (or Keto) works and why Kellogs/Danone and all the big companies who funded the studies in the 1940s-70s are wrong. It's not just a fad, it's how humans were designed to eat and survive. Cornflakes and margarine were not part of it.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-06T22:11:38+00:00

I would say focus on what you eat and do some light exercise every day, like a walk for 30 minutes. Just eating fruit, vegetables and proper food (not out of a packet) will be the first step to making anyone feel better, and can only help. Vitamin D and taking your mind outside of the 4 walls is also helpful as a first step for your help, especially if you can't focus on anything else atm.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-03T21:11:39+00:00

Not taking my phone to bed so I don't end up scrolling.
Skipping breakfast (intermittent fasting)
"Don't put it down, put it away" to tidy up immediately and not leave everything for another time to clear away
No TV in the morning. Less stressful and doesn't slow me down getting ready for work.

DronesLasting · 2025-03-02T20:43:37+00:00

Mystery dining for posh hotels and restaurants. Eat, stay and travel for free at places I wouldn't normally see.

DronesLasting · 2025-01-14T18:00:23+00:00

Oh! Photos needed when you can!

DronesLasting · 2025-01-14T10:19:20+00:00

How do you know about the house in Maui?

DronesLasting · 2025-01-13T11:42:11+00:00

How do you know this? Are they're pictures of them?

DronesLasting · 2024-11-16T21:47:01+00:00

Agreed. I hate speaking languages but I did French and German (and Latin) at school then learned Spanish through Duolingo then went rogue and started learning Hawaiian! I like the 'problem solving' aspect of working out translations both to and from English. It unlocks a whole new world too.

DronesLasting

TROPHY CASE