Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
I very recently received my diagnosis/confirmation which has been a huge relief and also already answered a lot of questions. During the assessment they picked up that I'm very skilled at masking and how exhausted it makes me feel. It would be nice to try and start breaking down those masking barriers with others but not sure what that will look like. Not sure what I'm asking, but I think I'd be grateful for any advice from anyone who's had an adult diagnosis and what next steps I could take.
Thank you!
I received my autism label in Feb this year (age 51). I have been reading books about autism in adults, autism in women, late diagnosis, and making notes on them. I have found videos to show my family, friends, manager and colleagues what my main challenges are. I particularly find value in the books that share lived experiences. And the main thing I am learning is when to say 'no' to avoid being overwhelmed etc. I find understanding how others talk about their masking, I learn about what I am masking. After all, I didn't realise why I was adapting my behaviour in the first place, so sorting it all out requires a lot of introspection and reflection. The experiences of others helps me starting to work it out. I don't want to change completely overnight, but am introducing small things, one at a time. I'm finding a big part of it is just telling people I am autistic and then explaining what autism is. I feel I can do that, now that I have read a lot about how diverse the autistic community is.
Thank you - I like the idea of sharing videos with others as it's not always easy to explain certain things. I also need to remember that things won't change overnight but I am already feeling a lot more comfortable in myself and that is saying something huge as I've never been comfortable in my own skin.