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 ..
Hi Debbie,
I got my diagnosis at age 56. I had pretty much figured out that I was autistic by the age of 25, the only reason I got a formal diagnosis was as a part of my retirement plan, it got me a full pension and social housing. (Australia) I'm a high function polymath so I knew from a very early age that I wasn't "normal".
My diagnosis did surprise me though, when they listed me as Level 2. I said "I didn't think I was that bad." and they all just smirked at me. Like you though, I did feel a sense of vindication when I got that diagnosis.
Cheers,
Andrew.
Thank you Andrew. That is very interesting. Two things have really surprised me in what you write:
1. That you got a full pension and social housing. As far as I know, here in the England, unless a person is registered disabled (which I believe would be tested on ability to cope, not just a diagnosis) there is nothing like that available or actually, anything at all, even a bus pass? (I am talking though about a state pension, not a private company one).
2. I didn't realise that there are levels that are actually given to us. I thought it was just going to be 'on the spectrum' but maybe here that is the case? I'd be interested to find that out if anyone knows.
I was told in my final online assessment by the psychiatrist that I am on the spectrum and he just used the word 'moderate'. I am still waiting for a letter from them with all that I was told in writing.
Thank you for sharing your story (and everyone else who has).
In Australia it's called the Disability Support Pension, a lot of people whinge about how impoverished our pensions are but I find it to be quite a tidy sum of money. But then I don't go out and socialize very much so I spend very little.
Different countries run different systems, in Aust. they rate you as being on one of three different levels. Level 1 is most people that would describe themselves as Aspergic, as I did until I got my diagnosis. Level 2 is severe but not needing full time care, level 3 is for people that need supervision and assistance.
I was surprised reading through this forum that they do an online diagnosis in Britain, my diagnosis was by a panel of 3 sociologists and psychiatrists face to face, it took a couple of hours. I wouldn't be able to do an online diagnosis, I struggle to parse information in video and audio, I'm fine talking to people in real life.
Perhaps that's part of their perception of me being disadvantaged, I don't use mobile phones or watch TV or listen to the radio. I also don't go to GPs, there's very few times I have that I found them to be of any use, most of them are just glorified drug dealers. When I wanted an autism diagnosis I went to the recognised body in my state, AutismSA, in person, and told them what I wanted. I had to wait for a year and it cost me $500 but it was worth it.
I might be autistic but I have never seen myself as being disadvantaged.
I cheated the system a bit to get social housing, simply by being homeless and living on the streets for a while.
Happy Sunday to you too
Weirdly connected to all animals, almost always preferred than humans. Found my true love human/angel at 19 and been blessed as swans ever since. Never read novels. I read a huge amount of daily news. Omnific thinking and propensity for obsessive research into ANYTHING that grips me by whatever means necessary.
God bless your visiting cats - your little angel guardians for a while, AI would imagine.
Happy Sunday.
I actually did do that. I was involved with a 5 year study on autism in adults and the constant questioning of many aspects of my life stirred up all the old ghosts. Writing it all in a book exorcised a lot of those ghosts and made answering questions a lot easier, I could just copy and paste from my book.