Recognising when to ask for help can be challenging for many  autistic people. Regularly checking in with your disability support advisor can be beneficial. They can help identify problems and, if they cannot solve them, they can assist you in contacting someone who can.

If any of the following apply to you, it indicates there is a problem, and you should seek support. This list is not exhaustive, so your signs of stress or worry might not be included, but it will give you an idea of what to look out for:

• You miss lectures and/or tutorials because you do not know where they are.
• You are deliberately avoiding some or all lectures or tutorials.
• You feel panicky most of the time.
• You come out of lectures very stressed or feeling you have not understood anything.
• You are unsure what to do for a piece of work, so it is not getting done.
• You keep putting off doing something.
• You are using your chilling routine or distracting activity more than usual.
• You think that everybody else is doing far better than you.
• Your anxiety behaviors are increasing in intensity.
• You keep getting emails from university staff telling you that you haven’t completed an essential task or asking you to make contact.
• You get confused trying to work out how to use the university email and online help systems.
• You cannot find the online resources you are supposed to use.
• You do not know when the lecturers have their ‘office hours’.
• You do not email people spontaneously and avoid answering emails from lecturers, tutors, or support staff.
• You think you are organized, but others still complain to you about things you have not done on time.
• Your notes are in a pile on the floor, or stuffed in your bag and never, or rarely, read.
• You would like some help but do not have time for meetings with your Disability Advisor.
• You are too busy to do anything else but your work and do not feel you have time to relax.
• You are feeling isolated and lonely, and it is affecting your work.

If any of these things are true for you and your work is not getting done, this is the time to seek help. Contact your Disability Advisor to say you need to see someone for help. Sending an email to these staff or asking in person are both good ways of making contact to ask for help.  If you cannot do this, get a parent / carer or friend to do it for you.

This article was adapted for use in TUS Athlone from the original article at  University College Cork