Advice on going for late diagnosis

Well done, sounds like it confirms what you felt/suspected, and hopefully that can reassure you until the assessment.

Don't dwell on 'mild', the assessment will root around and give you a better idea.  Autism tends to be variations in abilities/difficulties across a range of aspects.  The Autism Wheel describes this : https://themighty.com/2020/03/autism-spectrum-wheel/

I don't know but my assessor who was extremely experienced said cbt wasn't effective much for AS people. I beg to differ as it has really helped me to a certain extent but I had to really have an open mind. I think it helped me more for GAD and general worry. I think some talking therapies are more about accepting yourself rather than trying to change who you are. My report mentioned CAT or ACT to be beneficial but so far I haven't been able to find anywhere that offers these.

Yes a referral was the first step for me :) best of luck I wish you all the best on your journey 

Thank you everyone, I bit the bullet and spoke to a GP this afternoon. He was really lovely (and happens to also be a psychiatrist). He spent a lot of time with me and said there would be no harm in referral, in my area it's 2 - 3 years...

He mentioned there are several possibilities (Mood Disorder, Personality Disorder, Schizoid type issues) but said that I did seem to present with what he called 'mild' ASD/ADHD. I was glad he took them both seriously - I played down the importance to me of the ADHD a bit as the ASD seems to me to have the more impact, but I am happy to have both looked at (no idea how that works, it's not usually concurrent with the children I work with).

I did wonder if he is slightly too into the stereotypes as he mentioned my good eye contact, which is of course the result of years of self-training. However maybe the fact I've been able to do that DOES mean it's mild... As you can tell, I have the Overthinking down anyway... ;)

Technical question, am I now on the ASD pathway? Even if I don't know where and when it will lead anywhere?

Thanks.

Gill

Hey I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder this year and I am 26

I have found my diagnosis has given me peace and helped me find an explanation for my behaviours and things I struggle with, since my diagnosis I have found a much better inner peace.

I was advised it can be beneficial to look online to find articles and speak to others with autism to help me. 

Always here if you need someone to talk too or have any questions 

It's nice to be able to talk in a place where I won't be judged 

I would go for it.

I felt old at 48, but the psychologist said I’m never to old, and that his current client was mid 70’s!

I got my diagnosis 3 days ago. Mixed feelings, but I needed to see it in writing.

I was diagnosed at the Lorna Wing Centre in Essex, as after a screening apt at my local autism assessment centre they just said I was anxious! My GP obtained out of county funding through my local CCG for a 2nd opinion assessment,  and I then went to the Lorna Wing Centre. I know they have been inundated with referrals and have temporarily closed their waiting list. Good luck wherever you decide to go.

I’m curious (my autistic son is having CBT now and I’m on a waiting list for it) - how does  therapy more designed for Autistic people differ? Because my son is finding his CBT not very helpful too.

Hi, thank you so much everyone. I took on board the thing about not hurrying (though - 61 years!!) and what I've done is written to my surviving siblings to ask them if they have any memories of when I was little that might be useful to someone trying to get a picture of me back then. 

I've spoken to my GP practice. They don't have anyone with ND specialism but they were really encouraging about me booking a appointment to speak to someone. So they've obviously come across it before.

Is it worth thinking about the Lorna West centre rather than local places? I don't know a lot about it other than that it is possible to be referred there...

Thanks! 

i would say ---- do it, get the assessment. i'm in the us, and was diagnosed at 62. i think it would clarify a lot of your strategies, maybe allow you to add some, eliminate others. until i got my diagnosis, therapy was almost utterly useless. most, or maybe all, the strategies previous therapists used were designed for NT's. people on the spectrum are just so different, imho, and seems like they have to learn how to cope in this NT world. typical therapists are not equipped to deal with that.  my therapist now, all the therapy is aimed at my ASD, LD, ADD, sensitivities, communication issues...etc. 

it's allowed me to accept the parts of me that otherwise i ignored or was oblivious to. 

sounds like you have a number of strategies in use - that's great! 

Hello Gill. I was diagnosed as autistic 2 months ago at the age of 57. It has helped to explain why I have struggled so much with social issues all my life, and it has given me the strength to ask for the support which I need to move forward. 

Hi, I’ve had my forms for over 3 weeks now and finally finished them this morning. There are now 4 pages attached as well. I didn’t know how many things are different in my life that I had believed were normal for the last 54 years. Now the waiting game!

I’m going through the diagnostic process too (have gone past the first ‘hurdle’ to the next stage ) and I’m in my fifties too. I also held back for a while as I wasn’t sure what the benefit of a diagnosis would be (and was concerned there might be disadvantages such as driving insurance etc. I decided to go ahead though. Until I realised I was autistic (through parenting my son and his diagnosis and seeing that I had most of the same traits )  I often blamed myself for the fact that I found so many things difficult that other people seemed to breeze through. I felt so useless and such a failure. Now I realise it’s an intrinsic part of me and how my brain works - not  just a personal failing or weakness in me. 

Hi Gill

 I am 56 and after having what can only be classed as a Eureka moment, I started reading about Autism/aspergers in women. I can't believe either myself or family didn't connect the dots before. I requested my GP  refer me and I have just had a thick developmental questionnaire sent to me . Good luck reaching a decision, I am just hoping for peace of mind. 

I was in the same position as you at the age of 59. The diagnosis came as both a relief, (I finally can make sense of certain aspects of my life, and realise that I've managed to play a bad had quite well in life, rather than my previous (externally imposed) belief that I was playing a good hand badly. On the other hand, I now know I am carrying an issue that will never be resolvable, by simply learning to "straighten up and fly right" which has taken me two years to adjust to. (I've read elsewhere on this forum that some people require even longer to settle down post diagnosis). 

The BIG bonus, for me is that there is a whole load of "people crap" that I no longer have to put up with. When the bullying starts, I now just mock them for their bravery in "picking on the disabled". It does seem to shut that crap down real quick, which I like very much!

I just wish I had known in my twenties...

The only advantage to a formal diagnosis, is that it stops people questioning my autism. Normies only respect paper qualifications, so a DIY diagnosis from aspergersite.com which in my case was very accurate, isn't enough to convince some people.

At your age you should be entitled to be fast tracked through the system like I was, after I made the point that I have suffered for fifty years from living in a state of misinformation, and at my age I have not got time to waste in limbo waiting for a diagnosis. I got in and out of the system withing 3 months. The are dragging their feet about the ADD diagnosis that I requested though. Time to raise another complaint I guess.

Although, I might let that slide, and just self prescribe the appropriate medication. I've found in my case on multiple previous occasions, that the psych' profession are far better at "affixing labels" than they actually are at rendering any sort of useful assistance.

Hi Gill, welcome.

Its a journey, to get a diagnosis - if you rush into it you may not have a good idea of yourself and either not get diagnosed, or even misdiagnosed.  Take your time, you are now aware of some things but there may be more.  Write down things about yourself and difficulties you are aware of, involve others if you can who may know things you don't, and build a story of who you are that you tell during the diagnosis journey.

A diagnosis can help settle your mind about yourself, so that is the best way to approach it.  It can help access other things either now or in the future, so something else to think about - do your difficulties mean you need support.  There can be benefits to having it on your medical records.  Focus on positive reasons for a diagnosis for yourself.

I'm really glad for you Dawn. There must be a big difference between suspecting and knowing...

Thank you so much for responding. Actually I AM about to go into dispute re a contract coming to an end - the Union is involved - and I did think that being on a waiting list would have some slight clout. Although in fact I believe under Disability Law a diagnosis is not absolutely necessary, of course it might help.

I've been thinking for ages about the pros/cons. I have thought for years I may be Aspergers but more recently I've realised I very probably AM ADHD - I work with SEN children so I know the waiting lists are horrendous - 5 years in Sheffield at the moment, and that's children...

This is the Nth time I have been in counselling and we've hit a brick wall - this has happened before and it's probably what I would say to the GP: that my emotions are troubling me but I can't 'find' them. My concern is that I am so good at masking that I don't think I'd fit any of the criteria straight-forwardly. I have an incredible imagination and a definite Theory of Mind. But digging down, I haveacquired a lot of this.

I know you can only give thoughts on here, I need to speak to the GP and see if that helps my decision. Of course it depends on their knowledge. As I'm on my own pathway, I will have to see that as part of the process I suppose!

Thanks again, :) 

It's always a personal choice to go through this. But you do say there are issues you are having counselling for. You will get more out of such therapies for knowing for sure why you have the issues you are dealing with and your therapist would need to tailor the approach to autism for it to work well. You request could easily be justified on those grounds.

I was diagnosed at 56 and it has been the best thing ever. I feel better than I have in years just for knowing why

Hi Gill, Welcome to the forum. It is really complicated emotionally, isn't it.

I think most people would say that having a diagnosis has helped them be more a peace with themselves. I'm guessing that you are not looking for it because you are needing reasonable adjustments in your workplace or for PIP. That would be the other reason I think it would help with.

It's worth making a list of advantages and disadvantages for yourself to see whether it would help you. Of course, the waiting list is 2 years in my area, so you have plenty of time to change your mind, if you decide top go for it and then decide against it later.