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Advice on going for late diagnosis

Speranza

I'd like to ask if any of you have any advice. I know it's a long process, and looking at the forms the GP would have to submit, I see they ask "What is the patient hoping to get from diagnosis?" The truth is, I don't know. It's a few years since I realised I wasn't neurotypical but hey, I'm 61. I know it's not unusual to be diagnosed later in life but... I have hundreds of strategies in place which had me fooled, let alone other people.

I've been in counselling for a while and have been addressing 'emotional numbness' and it keeps coming to me that this might just be normal for me if I do have Autism. As I also have anxiety (again, coped until my fifties without diagnosis or medication) I can see this could related back to something else undiagnosed.

Mostly it's the feeling of 'being other' which I know people on here will understand. However I have lots of traits which would belie an ASD/C diagnosis. If I met the 5 year old me I would be referring her directly for assessment, but I'm obviously great at masking after over half a century!

Do you think I am right to think about seeking diagnosis? I feel there is a lot of effort going on beneath the surface which might be easier if I had some explanations... or should I just leave well alone as for the most part I am fine and very few people would suspect on meeting me that this is going on.

I am not in the least bit bothered about possibly having that label, in fact I might be more worried if I didn't have it. But do I NEED it?

Your thoughts would be very welcome. I have my last counselling session soon and so it may be the point to try something different and go for diagnosis. What do you think? I also fit the profile for ADHD and I don't know how to go about raising both as a possibility... 

Many thanks,

Gill

Parents

  • 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

  • in reply to Speranza

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

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