What was your epiphany? how did you know/think you were ASD?

Throughout my life, from an early age, I struggled: with school, with friendships, with social situations.  I had this thing in my head for many years that I was somehow 'different' and I didn't know why.  I used to worry all the time that people were secretly conspiring about me or gossiping about me behind my back.  I knew I was intelligent (Mensa-tested IQ of 148 at age 22), so I couldn't understand why I had problems with learning certain things that would seem to be a matter of simple commonsense.  I just came to accept that I was odd.  But I didn't really know why.

It all came together for me about 6 years ago, in my early 50s, when I was seeing a therapist after having a suicidal breakdown.  Over the weeks, she delved further and further back to my childhood and my behaviour and developmental issues.  Then one day, she asked if I'd ever considered if I was on the autistic spectrum.  She encouraged me to take the AQ test.  I was astonished at my score of 42.  Now, at last, I thought I'd gotten to the root of it all.  My diagnosis confirmed it.  But it was that day, in that room, when she made that suggestion... then, later, taking that test.  That was it.  Eureka!

Throughout my life, from an early age, I struggled: with school, with friendships, with social situations.  I had this thing in my head for many years that I was somehow 'different' and I didn't know why.  I used to worry all the time that people were secretly conspiring about me or gossiping about me behind my back.  I knew I was intelligent (Mensa-tested IQ of 148 at age 22), so I couldn't understand why I had problems with learning certain things that would seem to be a matter of simple commonsense.  I just came to accept that I was odd.  But I didn't really know why.

It all came together for me about 6 years ago, in my early 50s, when I was seeing a therapist after having a suicidal breakdown.  Over the weeks, she delved further and further back to my childhood and my behaviour and developmental issues.  Then one day, she asked if I'd ever considered if I was on the autistic spectrum.  She encouraged me to take the AQ test.  I was astonished at my score of 42.  Now, at last, I thought I'd gotten to the root of it all.  My diagnosis confirmed it.  But it was that day, in that room, when she made that suggestion... then, later, taking that test.  That was it.  Eureka!