Assessment at 50

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 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. :-)