Published on 12, July, 2020
I am trying to come to terms with this after finding out over a year ago. I'm a high functioning female I'm lucky because my workplace is supporting me with reasonable adjustments ie my workload, but this is making me feel worthless like I'm being carried my colleagues are great & don't feel this...I sometimes wish I didn't know, but then it's answered alot of questions from my childhood & adulthood. I am v close to my family but any mention of this hits silence...iv been assured by friends its maybe because they don't understand or know what to say. I understand this but I feel v isolated. I have joined this group in the hope that others understand...I have alot of traits for both ASD & ADHD.
I was in a similar position having found out when I was 60! I'm also high functioning and grateful that I am, as I have friends who barely function at ALL save for in their own special field. Please try and embrace it, as it makes sense of everything that you experienced in your childhood and youth (You're still young!) and now you know WHY things happened or didn't happen, and why people's reactions to you when you said or did something.
Knowledge is power! I had a sim ilar reaction from my family, and trite comments like "Well, we're all on the spectrum" comments from friends who don't understand. I found one friend who I knew would be open to discussion, and one family member who has agreed to speak to the other members in a gentle way.
You now have the pieces of the jigsaw to live the rest of your life as YOU. Being autistic is a GIFT, not a disability. Who do the other lot go to jwhen they want a job done thoroughly??? When people come back in a negative way, I say in my head...
LET IT REMAIN THEIR PROBLEM.
Thank you