Assessment at 50

 found the diagnosis helpful, gave me answers to why I do things I do Bish The people I have told at work have been very supportive

JohnS mine was private, 1 single appt with clinical psychologist

Do you mind me asking what it entailed and how long it took? I have a letter from a private Consultant Psychiatrist to my GP diagnosing me with Aspergers but said a second assessment with a Psychologist was always useful. I think this second assessment is a morning or afternoon. But I don't know what it involves (I did write 8 pages of A4 explaining my experiences and life history) 

Had my diagnosis last month at 49.

I am currently going through the relief/confusion cycle. My assessor suggested that I inform work to ensure I get proper workplace adjustments where necessary and so far, whilst progress is a bit slow, my employer has been very supportive. Generally I have only told the people I work with directly and close friends/family as I felt they needed to know. So far so good.

One of the guys on here recommended reading Very Late Diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder): How Seeking a Diagnosis in Adulthood Can Change Your Life by Philip Wylie which I am finding very useful and informative.

I started figuring it out at 59, and eventually got a diagnosis as 61. At 63, I still get a daily cycle of very short-lived partial rejection to fairly complete acceptance by the end of the day. I was told that cycle would probably go on for about a year, but I suppose it is lasting longer because there is no one else in my expatdom who wants to know anything about it. But I have never completely rejected the diagnosis. I was very heavily convinced by the evidence I collected myself, and if anything I now have even more evidence. I can't use the NHS after all these years abroad. I basically had to refer myself to clinicians in other countries, and go private. It was actually quite easy to find clinics prepared to do that; in more than one country, but of course not in the country where I live. Here I was just fobbed off with anti-depressants for the usual anxiety and depression. I was told that autism was completely out of the question for me, and I reckon the medication prescribed was just a means to hiding me in the local system. I was never keen on starting that medication. Too much negative evidence around! So I dropped it quickly; even before I went abroad for diagnosis. The diagnosis, in the UK, was a relaxing breeze; but support, both in my country of residence, and in the UK, is almost non-existent. So, You might say I have created my own DIY coping strategies. I note those aren't really much different from my previous coping mechanisms (which, unfortunately also contributed to such a delayed realisation). Things could be a lot better, but the usual set of comorbidities have been quite easy to render fairly harmless. I suppose I'm quite resourceful for a person who most people wrote off years ago, in imagination terms.

I currently seem to be one of the older posters on this site, but I was inspired by hearing about a guy diagnosed at 73. And the clinician told me about having done assessments on people in their late 80s.

This site provides quite lot of support; as there is a wide range of perspectives on it. I note Plastic felt a diagnosis had contributed to the end of a career. I foresaw that might be a problem, and elected to retire just before diagnosis. But I reckon another career will eventually turn up, if I can find a 'place' that allows my imagination to flourish. It already is flourishing, really; I just have to use that ability to support myself (and family) at this stage. Not so easy, but very little ever has been that simple. :-)

I was also diagnosed as an adult, if it helps. 

Whatever the outcome, your assessor will almost certainly be able to identify where your difficulties lie and will offer the best imaginable advice on what-if any as autism has no "cure"- course of action you could take to deal with whatever type of spanner it is and where in the works it is situated. They aren't going to say something like " No, you're not autistic, goodbye," " NEXT1"

It will be good,don't worry, and......GO!

• I am 60 and had my assessment in January of this year, I was fairly sure that I was autistic but it was only when I had it confirmed that the implications started to dawn upon me. The process continues to this day and I fully expect it to stay with me, I view this as a positive development and am excited at the prospect of solving more riddles about myself  I am also extremely grateful to my GP for taking me seriously and recognising the appropriateness of my assessment request.The same goes for my assessor who. I have to say is the Only person I have spoken to in my entire life who has ever really understood me and I found what she had written in her assessment very moving.  
• The whole thing has been life-changing and it has given me a very real sense of optimism about my future because I am slowly unburdening myself of a significant amount of the guilt I feel about past failings.
• Look forward to it, opportunities for real change in our lives are few and far between so give it everything you have got,  I hope your experience will be at least as good as mine, good luck!

thanks

Yes, I was diagnosed last year when I was 37. It has brought me a lot of clarity about why I am the way I am.

thanks

thanks for sharing your experiences with me

45 years old and diagnosed on Monday. Currently still taking it all in so cannot advise on long term impact, but currently I feel massive relief. Currently I am not planning to tell work. If I do it will be selected key people and I will ask them to keep it to themselves.

Good luck, either way.

Then go for it - but in any post-diagnosis euphoria, think very carefully about who you tell.

My mum was in total denial and my brother and sister have used it as a bullying tool.

As I said - work was career suicide.

In-laws used it as a nasty bullying tool.

Friends were totally ok with it - and not really surprised.

for me i think it would explain why things have been the way they have, not sure how my work would respond 

Why do you want a diagnosis?    Post-diagnosis support is often non-existent so what do you think will happen?

There are huge pros and cons to you having a diagnosis - It's been useful to me to understand myself but, in my case, outing myself at work was career suicide.

i do worry a bit about what happens if i dont get a diagnosis 

I was diagnosed in my mid 40s.    It was useful to understand why I was having all the problems that were starting to overload me.

Thanks for your reply: is have a diagnosis helpful?

yes, mine was last year, middish 40s. Lots of us on here have been diagnosed as adults, often recently.