"Patient with autism and anxiety not feeling supported"

My adult child was in hospital and we were feeling unsupported.

They have 2 life threatening illnesses, depression and iatrogenic anxiety have been under control for quite a few months.

This was only their second admission in the adult hospital.

Recently, I stayed back because they asked me to due to their anxiety worsening as I went to leave.

The day nurse did say they weren’t sure how night staff would react.

Night nurse: What's wrong? You were fine last night.

Is this the best way to speak to a patient with anxiety?

I was really fed up with being seemingly treated like an over protective parent. And Im sick of seeing them being treated like a sook or a bother. Anxiety isn't recognised or given much in the way of support in any hospital we have been in be it a paediatric or adult hospital and absolutely no-one knows what iatrogenic anxiety is.

I don't even have any documentation to prove half of the illnesses they have and feel. It's also disappointing when other parents state that they stay in the room for the duration of the admission with their children who are older and aren't even on the spectrum and here I was sleeping in the car in the car park.

I'm still waiting to hear if my application for Guardianship was successful but I am not sure that it's going to be helpful.

I believe we are told all our children's lives that no two patients with the same condition are alike. I believe our adult children are told "you're an adult now, you can make your own decisions" which I feel is essentially saying "don't listen to your parent".

Yet, in my opinion, when you tell them what your regime is and what you prefer to do you are overpowered and have no say in your treatment whatsoever.

It is very hard for a patient on the spectrum to make quick changes with no explanation as to why. This was all sorted out in another hospital but it took a long time to get to a place where their special needs were accepted and catered for, and that took loads of feedback.

How is a patient with autism supposed to survive an admission when they're constantly told they're an adult and have rights and choices, but clearly have absolutely no say in their treatment?

This patient is so incredibly confused and due to expressive and receptive language delays has no idea what they can and can't say and often can not find the words.

Is it so hard to understand that they just feel like they’re constantly being lied to?

Just to add, one night a different nurse had come in to do obs and had just let us know that one of their children suffers anxiety, and that is all, and this nurse showed them the empathy and compassion they so rightly deserve.