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Building self-knowledge

NAS82657

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 

Parents

  • Wow. Bless you. You'll find all of the above here.

    I was diagnosed at the grand old age of 56. Unlike a lot of women though, I think masked less. My first day at school I was bewildered by this play thing other kids were doing, so I sort of stayed in my corner ignored them and did my thing until others took an interest in what I did.

    That said, I do have compensation strategies a ton to communicate.

    Personally, I think the key to the whole ''who am I?" business is to check yourself once a day, sit your wonderful Autistic empathy and logic and just ask yourself whether the key points are right or wrong. If it sits well, leaving you easy in your skin, go with the flow. If it doesn't, be that awkward so and so who says something and won't comply. The world needs awkward so and sos on occasion.

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