Diagnosed this week (age 36) and struggling

Hi

I’m a 36 year old female and I was diagnosed with ASD earlier this week after 3 years on the waiting list. I strongly suspected that I was autistic and recognise how lucky I am to have received a formal diagnosis - I thought the diagnosis would come as a huge relief, but I’m really struggling!

The thing I’m struggling with the most is feeling like a fraud or as though my masking and ‘acting’ for all these years has misled people into not seeing the ‘real’ me. On the outside I appear to be coping with life; I’m married, own a house and have a full time job. However, I’m also very good at covering up just how much I struggle to cope on a day to day basis. I think this is a lot of the reason why I have struggled with my mental health and depression/exhaustion over the years.  I have spent my whole life researching and learning to try and act like others, and the person completing my assessment commented on how highly I scored on a Camoflaging assessment. I’ve been given the “but you don’t seem autistic” line a few times now and I’m a bit concerned that my work now don’t quite know how to view me and that they’re not sure who the ‘real’ me is anymore.

Did anyone else feel like this following a late diagnosis, or did anyone else experience any unexpected feelings following their diagnosis? I would love to connect online with others who were diagnosed as adults, even if we only message occasionally Relaxed

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