Only after a long struggle with severe mental illness and two suicide attempts, was Jas McIntosh finally diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2021.
"It was quite severe. I was in and out of hospital. I never really knew why I felt the way I did.
"I had a lot of trouble with the public mental health system — they thought I had a borderline personality disorder and that I was attention-seeking.
"It just made the whole situation worse."
She said the biggest problem was getting an appointment with someone who could give her a definitive diagnosis.
It was difficult to get diagnosed under the public system because it was "too overrun", and being assessed and diagnosed in the private sector was very expensive.
She eventually managed to see a specialist privately, at great expense.
"As soon as I got that ADHD and ASD diagnosis, it was pretty life-changing.
"It was the answer I had been looking for and the medication has really helped."
Now the 22-year-old is working to improve the health system to help others who are struggling to get neurodiversity assessments and diagnoses.
She has launched a petition to the Government, requesting affordable and accessible medical professionals who can diagnose and manage symptoms for neurodiverse people.
"We believe access to these clinicians is a privilege few can afford or access within a timely manner.
"The risk of not being diagnosed for ADHD and ASD can drastically interfere with a person’s quality of life."
She said research suggested mental illness disproportionately affected the neurodiverse community and was more severe without appropriate care and early intervention.
The petition has 1930 signatures at the moment and closes on July 1.
