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Autistic adults

TheCatWoman

I've often wondered if being diagnosed later in life has any bearing on how we deal with being autistic? I mean we've had a life before diagnosis and I wonder how being diagnosed later in life affects how we see past struggles. Are we more likely to feel that we're somehow imposters as another poster commented?

I just tried looking for a list of symptoms and from what I could find there only seems to be very simple lists of common symptoms, like avoiding eye contact. I think there must be others, a much longer list that professionals refer to when making a diagnosis. I got a load of AI generated generic stuff when I searched, but that could well be due to my lack of computer skills. Can anyone find a fuller list and post it? I think it would be useful, especially the less common things like hyper-mobility and gut disorders, although gut disorders do seem to be quite common.

I thin it would be good and helpful especially for us latelings to be able to see what other symptoms there are, that aren't so common.

Parents

  • looking at the list on the site Iain gave, I have a lot of problems with things like balance and knowing where I am in the physical space around me. For instance I can't ride a bike, I can't balance, I get vertigo quite a bit too, I can't stand on a chair to change a light bulb easily, I'm alright if I' next to a wall, but not in the middle of the room.

    I'm pretty clumsy too, I'm always covered in bruises where I crash into walls and stuff, and yet when I'm driving I know exactly how much space my car takes up. 

    I have serious problems with maths, but I can look at an object and tell whether or not it will fit in a space, I can guestimate really well too.

    These sorts of things seem to be autistic indicators but they never seem to get mentioned when you're an adult. 

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    I often walk into things as I misjudge space and I trip over things. When I used to drive I did find it hard to judge there too. The tripping thing is interesting though as my Mum used to trip over things and was not autistic, but I think my Dad was.

    One of the things I found interesting when I first came on here was that my difficulty with walking into a room and deciding where to sit, especially with hot desking was shared with others. I thought it was an issue just for me. When I first worked in an office it wasn't a problem as I had a set desk and although I didn't choose where I sat my allocated desk was in a corner.

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  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    I often walk into things as I misjudge space and I trip over things. When I used to drive I did find it hard to judge there too. The tripping thing is interesting though as my Mum used to trip over things and was not autistic, but I think my Dad was.

    One of the things I found interesting when I first came on here was that my difficulty with walking into a room and deciding where to sit, especially with hot desking was shared with others. I thought it was an issue just for me. When I first worked in an office it wasn't a problem as I had a set desk and although I didn't choose where I sat my allocated desk was in a corner.

Children
  • in reply to Homebird

    Picking a random desk is hard. Then when you pick one you have to move at least once or twice.

    I have the same issue with picking a parking space in a car park. When I was really stressed one time I could not pick one at all. I just sat there unable to choose.

    It's arbitrary and there is no way to choose.