Newly diagnosed adult female Newcastle 38 years old

Procrastinator who suggested that you got diagnosed? I chose to myself even though I had been pretty sure for the last ten years that I was autistic.

Your experience of social events is exactly the same as mine. For the last year I have limited them to two hours as I can't stand any more. I don't have people in my house as I can't control when they leave. Stupid things stress me out too but I am slowly getting my head around accepting this. My Husband accepted this year's ago and I am trying to too. Sometimes I get the wrong train home (the train I get every day twice a day) and get lost and cry. My Husband long ago accepted that he comes to collect me or stays on the phone and gives me clear directions home. When people query my diagnosis I think about this and laugh inside. People I work with would be shocked if they knew what my life is like away from work. 

I've only been officially diagnosed a few weeks but I am boundary setting every day. It's a great feeling to tell people what I will and won't accept/do. If only I could have done this 39 years ago! Maybe I could have lived the life I wanted, one I could be proud of. I wish you luck with your journey and I hope you receive everything you want in your life xx

Dear piggy77, I'm so sorry I never replied to your question. The notifications weren't turned on. Something must have majorly distracted me - and I forgot all about NAS.  Until I rediscovered it a few days ago :-) 

I wonder how you are two years on. Have you gotten used to your diagnosis? Have things changed?

To answer your two-year old question: it was my therapist who suggested it. (The adhd diagnosis 10 years prior was also sprung on me. The job center told me to get tested for "learning disabilities" at the hospital. I was convinced I had dyscalculia - it hadn't occurred to me that I had ADHD (as I thought it was for naughty boys).

I recall someone telling me I was in the grey zone between ADHD and ASD (but I didn't think more of it - as I only could think of the outward signs of autism and didn't fully understand the connection to my experience).

Then ten years later the therapist had obviously been itching to broach the subject with me - and I felt really surprised. I still struggle a bit with the idea that I come across "wrong". 

Your last sentence resonates with me. I am still grieving the life I would have wished for myself. And feel a failure for not being able to rise above it all and use my talents and positives in a good way.  Having said that - I am working hard on myself - trying to create a good life.

I had to laugh at your getting on wrong trains. It was the kind of think I did when I was working. I would race so hard to catch a train and then get on last moment. Stand there huffing and panting whilst the doors slam shut, only to hear the tannoy announcing some or other exotic destination that most definitely wasn't mine.

Oh that feeling. It is quite funny. Here we get a ticket saying: "lost traveller". I like that. It sort of fits for all of my life. Not just trains. 
 Hope you are well

xx

Dear piggy77, I'm so sorry I never replied to your question. The notifications weren't turned on. Something must have majorly distracted me - and I forgot all about NAS.  Until I rediscovered it a few days ago :-) 

I wonder how you are two years on. Have you gotten used to your diagnosis? Have things changed?

To answer your two-year old question: it was my therapist who suggested it. (The adhd diagnosis 10 years prior was also sprung on me. The job center told me to get tested for "learning disabilities" at the hospital. I was convinced I had dyscalculia - it hadn't occurred to me that I had ADHD (as I thought it was for naughty boys).

I recall someone telling me I was in the grey zone between ADHD and ASD (but I didn't think more of it - as I only could think of the outward signs of autism and didn't fully understand the connection to my experience).

Then ten years later the therapist had obviously been itching to broach the subject with me - and I felt really surprised. I still struggle a bit with the idea that I come across "wrong". 

Your last sentence resonates with me. I am still grieving the life I would have wished for myself. And feel a failure for not being able to rise above it all and use my talents and positives in a good way.  Having said that - I am working hard on myself - trying to create a good life.

I had to laugh at your getting on wrong trains. It was the kind of think I did when I was working. I would race so hard to catch a train and then get on last moment. Stand there huffing and panting whilst the doors slam shut, only to hear the tannoy announcing some or other exotic destination that most definitely wasn't mine.

Oh that feeling. It is quite funny. Here we get a ticket saying: "lost traveller". I like that. It sort of fits for all of my life. Not just trains. 
 Hope you are well

xx