Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, I’ve just been diagnosed aged 25 and I feel this has made things worse as I now know what I thought was just social anxiety (so possibly treatable) is actually autism and so will never go away. Looking back at my life, I realise that autism has had a huge negative impact - I’m unable to do things such as join sports teams or go to parties/social events without experiencing extreme anxiety before going, and then wanting them to be over the whole time I’m there. This has lead to me having no friends at 25 years old which is beginning to take a toll on my mental health. My mind feels like it’s in a constant battle with itself where I want to join in and enjoy playing sports, etc. but when I actually think about doing it, the anxiety kicks in and I end up back where I started. Does anyone else feel the same or have any advice on dealing with the diagnosis?
At age 53 and having been diagnosed later in life in 2021, online towards the end of Covid lockdown, I can relate, as my life before my diagnosis and before my redundancy after 17 years in 2019, although relatively stable, seemed to be falling apart and without a post diagnostic assessment, which I feel is vital in assessing level of autism and appropriate supports required going forward - living alone in the U.K. and being separated from family in Ireland due to Irish Covid restrictions did not help either - your experience just shows how much pressure your generation are under too