Did you receive a very late autism diagnosis/realisation?

Debbie said:

(and yourself, as there is definitely only one you).

Actually, there is an infinity of infinities of me !

Now, how petrifying does that sound !!

Number said:

You do realise Debbie, I am going to need to have a LONG lie down after this burst on my banjo today.

I hope that you and your banjo rest well.

You only have one banjo so look after it (and yourself, as there is definitely only one you).

Oh yea - I hadn't spotted the first instance of the "never." 

However, my point/question still stands.........is anyone getting weird duplicate or triplicate copies of their responses in PM's?

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You do realise Debbie, I am going to need to have a LONG lie down after this burst on my banjo today.

Number said:

Interesting - your use of the word thrice!  Are you getting triplicate responses to your posts sometimes too?

SpikeyMark said 'never' 3 times in the post you are replying to.

SpikeyMark said:

though (even though I clearly just did...thrice!)

Interesting - your use of the word thrice!  Are you getting triplicate responses to your posts sometimes too?  It is mainly happening in PM's......some people who I communicate with show me a screenshot of their screen (with some of their replies showing in triplicate) whereas my screen looks normal?

Diagnosed at 62. Partly my fault. I was living in Essex , and  the mental health workers were very unsupportive re  my belief there was more going on than just severe mental illness.My persistence  annoyed them so much that my dx was changed from schizoaffective mixed type to personality disorder NOS then paranoid personality.

Why partly my fault? My 'daughter' wanted me to move near her after her mother died . I kept declining, autistic anxiety re change. It took plans to knock the high rise I was living in down for me to agree to move. I first saw the psychiatrist in Wiltshire in October 2018. My 'daughter' was with me. She initiated  the talk about autism . 7 months later I was diagnosed with Asperger's/ASD.

Fair point......you are one of the lucky ones!  

I find things like this / that VERY VERY VERY confusing and frustrating.....and nor do I condone rule-breaking so much either.  Accordingly, it was a chore/upset/aggravating to make that choice to set up a second account for myself.

However, in the absence of ANY useful communications from the "higher ups" at that point in time, I elected to break the rule to get something done for myself.

I wonder how many of our members have just been left bemused and have not been able to summon the "will" to try and reconnect here?

Perhaps some clear "banners" or a new section/page on these pages [CAREFULLY WORDED] might enable them to find their way back?

I never did. I was super lucky to be able to catch a mod at the right time and ask them to fix my account. I actually find things like that confusing. Never say never, though (even though I clearly just did...thrice!)

Sparkly-Temporary Account said:

please don't end up getting stressed to the point of becoming unwell.

Thank you, and rest assured I won't.

I am motivated to speak up, not stressed at all.

You'd spot a "stressed" Number from space, probably......but certainly from 100 miles away ?!!

Pipe said:

You hear that society is more aware and nondiscriminatory these days but  its not. People fear what is different

I think a lot of this is because we force society to be more accepting in a legal sense while not really addressing the underlying prejudices that remain.

When I was diagnosed in my mid 50s a few years ago I experienced lots of prejudice from family and co-workers when I disclosed the situation. They seemed to fall into 3 camps:

1 - so what? These were more or less accepting but because I had been masking for years they thought I was just making it up. Very few knew anything in detail about what autism meant.

2 - no you're not! These vocal minority thought they knew me and were annoyed that I was claiming to be something else - possibly something lesser in their eyes. This group mostly moved from friends to partial enemies over it.

3 - oh god, is it infectious? This group who I could get on well with before stigmatised me and wanted nothing to do with me as if I were infectious or somehow dangerous to be around.

The people around me were of all ages but the older ones were by far the worst.

With the benefit of what I know now, I would have kept my diagnosis to myself.

Debbie said:

Wherever you be, may we sparkle with thee.

That's so lovely Debbie. Thank you. 

The rules appear to have less impact in this place than the bugs and bots and general chaos at the moment......so I wouldn't worry too much about that.  Clearly, the rule is not being enforced.....moreover, I suspect that us regulars now ALL have multiple accounts?!

Sparkly-Temporary Account said:

Until it is sorted, I will continue to use this (my temporary) account.

Wherever you be, may we sparkle with thee.

Yes, I have noticed that you are being uncharacteristically more outspoken on certain matters. I don't see it as a bad thing because it's lovely that you care so much. However, whatever you do, please don't end up getting stressed to the point of becoming unwell.

I can sign in to my original account fine, and it seems I can also post. However, the issue is that there is a rather distracting banner spanning the width of the page that I cannot seem to permanently get rid of. Needless to say, the Community Manager has been made aware. Until it is sorted, I will continue to use this (my temporary) account.

I think they should remove the rule about multiple accounts until this has been settled once and for all.

Number said:

Does anyone else care

Yes, all of us contributors, I should think.

Sparkly-Temporary Account said:

In certain situations I am now not afraid to speak out if I know I might struggle with something, or find something downright impossible, and to say why.

Yes sister - you may note that my normally benign disposition is rather shifting on it's axis in accord with your words, regarding our "new forum" roll out.

Do you know why you are still a "temporary account," despite being a stalwart in this place?

Does anyone else care that Desmond #Desmond79,  #Desmond1979  (also a stalwart) is still in the same position?

Debbie said:

How has your diagnosis/realisation affected you?

For me, I think it's helped to explain things I have struggled with in my life. In certain situations I am now not afraid to speak out if I know I might struggle with something, or find something downright impossible, and to say why.

I remember that I did briefly go through a phase of feeling overwhelmed... until I realised that nothing had actually changed and I was still the same person that I'd always been.

One thing that I find impossible not to wonder is whether my life would have turned out any better if more had been known about autism when I was a child, and whether I would have been any happier.

Sometimes I feel slightly resentful that I was considered to be shy and a bit of a loner, and was left to fall through the cracks. However, I also think I've done well to make it to middle-age without having had relevant support in place as a child.

Yes, in my view, the world could do with a lot more people like AH.

We are survivors