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Did you think you were autistic before someone suggested it?

Stuart333

I'm curious whether you can see it in yourself. I thought I was right and everyone else was wrong.

I suspected I was different, but squashed it, I was just extra normal. I couldn't figure out why I was confused and had bouts of depression,

I just wanted to know what was holding me back, why I had some atypical depression, and whether there was something up with how I communicated.

But there was no need for an autism test. I wasn't autistic surely.

Except the psychologists thought otherwise, 3 of them. I even argued with them, a sign in itself probably.

So did you guess, before someone suggested a screening test? Maybe the internet makes it more likely these days, but you need a reason to go looking.

Parents

  • No, I didn't think I was autistic and nobody suggested it. When I was in my mid fifties I watched a documentary featuring an autistic woman and I saw similarities to myself. I didn't really know what autism was, so I researched it, did the AQ 50 test and scored 42 - what a shock that was. I discussed it with a doctor who specialised in mental health and had some experience of ASD screening - he agreed with my suggestion, but advised that getting a formal diagnosis would not change anything and I wouldn't get any support because I was able to work. I still don't have a formal diagnosis, but I understand myself and my differences now and relate to others here.

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  • No, I didn't think I was autistic and nobody suggested it. When I was in my mid fifties I watched a documentary featuring an autistic woman and I saw similarities to myself. I didn't really know what autism was, so I researched it, did the AQ 50 test and scored 42 - what a shock that was. I discussed it with a doctor who specialised in mental health and had some experience of ASD screening - he agreed with my suggestion, but advised that getting a formal diagnosis would not change anything and I wouldn't get any support because I was able to work. I still don't have a formal diagnosis, but I understand myself and my differences now and relate to others here.

Children
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