Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
Diagnosed with autism on Monday this week at age 42. I am still trying to process this, I thought I would be relieved but mostly I'm just feeling overwhelmed at the moment. I haven't told anyone about the diagnosis yet, not even my husband. I'm feeling anxious about telling my family and not sure how I will cope with their reactions.
Just wondering how other people diagnosed as adults told their close family about their diagnosis? If it was me, I would want to be given all of the information in written form but not sure if this would be too much to start with. Any thoughts?
Hi, I was only diagnosed at the end of last year myself and it is a lot to take in. I just announced it to my husband when I got home from my assessment/diagnosis day, but I do also have a co-morbid ABI which means I don't hold back as much as others might when it comes to divulging important information. He then found and read my full diagnostic report when I left it on the kitchen work top two weeks later! I can understand that others might not be able to be quite as forthright about telling people as I was. Maybe wait until you have received your full diagnostic report and then tell your husband, that way you have written information to show him?
That's a good suggestion, although it may take another 4 weeks before I get the written report. I expect I will try and find an appropriate moment to mention it before then but then again having the report might give me some confidence in what I'm saying. Confused.