Published on 12, July, 2020
Are there any other people out there diagnosed late in life?
How has it affected your perception of yourself and the life you've led?
My ASD diagnosis has made me feel a lot calmer, and that my likes and dislikes have a justification.
It's also put many of my life experiences and difficulties into a context.
I now know why I have seemed different all my life, with the exception of a few people I know who are maybe odder than me ..
Thank you everyone for your replies to this which I am finding very interesting.
Autonomist, thank you for the link to the video. Unfortunately I wasn't able to watch it as the combination of written words and spoken words made it inaccessible to me.
As a linked aside, I can't really watch video easily nowadays. I haven't watched TV for over 20 years.
I much prefer to read. Are others similar to me?
Would a written transcript help? If you click on the three dots below the video there is a 'show transcript' option.
I note you say nowadays, which implies that it's something you used to be able to do more easily but can no longer do. Autistic regression is something that is mainly talked about as happening during childhood but it can happen later in life too. I know there are things I used to be able to do more easily but can longer. I had attributed that to autistic burnout, which can result in regression. Another reason why much more research is needed into ageing in autistic adults.
There was a discussion on here a while ago about subtitles. It turns out that quite a lot of us, myself included, use the subtitles while watching TV and video, even though there is nothing wrong with our hearing. I think that seeing the words written on screen makes it easier for my brain to process.
I also find that I rewind and replay a lot when watching any type of TV/video content. My brain struggles to process what has been said and I sometimes need to repeat it several times before it finally goes in. Unfortunately in real life most other humans don't have a rewind button!
Radio 4 was being pumped into my head for the past 25 years to keep my brain soothed and occupied. Not so much now due to an upsettingly huge drop in quality in the last 6-8 years - and my new self-awareness of that that has all been about.
Youtube is fab due to its breadth - but 85% of the time I only listen and don't watch. Ads can be bad for populist material, but much of the content I seek out is pretty interruption free. I NEVER let the algorithm choose the next thing for me to watch = therein lies the path to hell !
TV - hate browsing / finding a new show or good film. Love it when something reasonable is found with a sizeable back catalogue of seasons, then stick with it and savour in moderation. Very rarely as a binge.