Heya,
I am a thirty-year-old female who, got diagnosed with autism and ADHD this year. My whole life I have been trying to be someone I was not, and after the diagnosis, I am experiencing what could be described as an identity crisis. I am reaching out to you because I hope there may be a kind & generous soul who has gone through a similar process and would be open to sharing their experience.
I have been masking well for years, but it has caused me a lot of distress and suffering. Getting diagnosed was a relief, but it also revealed what an empty shell of a human I am. I don't have a good sense of my values, goals, dreams, internal and external boundaries, etc. I feel like I borrowed all that from people I emulated and it's time to let go of that and find my authentic self (as corny as this sounds...)
I was wondering if anyone could offer advice about building self-knowledge. Anything that has worked for you or people you know would be wonderful. Questionnaires, books, tools, methodologies, philosophies, people to follow, I am open to non-secular perspectives too.
Thank you for reading my plea for help! <3