Hi. I've been trying to get assessed for two years now. A couple weeks ago, I got put onto a 25 month waiting list. While I was prepared for the long wait, it hit me a tiny bit harder when I saw it written on paper. For context, I'm nearly 19, a university student and have been advised and given quite a lot of help in the past couple of years for what most my teachers and counselors are convinced is ASD or ADHD.
Having finally been placed onto the offical waiting list, I'm becoming quite nervous about what exactly goes on. I've had mixed responses from people saying that the nhs doesn't respect diagnosing females as much as males (though it might have just been their experiences) and that it's a lot harder. I'm nervous, already annoyed at how long it's taken to even get put on the list, and just thankful I've had support when a lot of people haven't.
What was your experience like if you were diagnosed after the age of 18?
If you're also comfortable, how did you explain it to your parent? While my mum has been helping me go through all this, my dad doesn't really understand any of it, other than labeling me as just 'a slightly odd child' growing up.