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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

  • I was told 7 years ago by a professional that I had high traits of ASD, I was not ready to listen then.

    It was only when a member of my family was diagnosed, and info-dumped me about it all that I gave it some more thought and could clearly see all the signs pointing towards neurodivergence, so I started looking at ADHD and ASD. 2 months on and I have piles of information about myself and neurodivergence and am currently enjoying putting together the puzzle. 

    I like you thought was right and everyone else was wrong and to an extent still doRofl

    I explained it to my therapist in our first session that I felt like an alien, as no one else on earth seemed to think about things the way that I did. 

    With the evidence mounting now I do wonder why it took me so long to even look into it, all I know is I spent my entire formative years wondering what was wrong with me and being told that things were easy I just had to try harder, tying shoelaces for instance. But with other things I was always told that I was beyond my years, I could debate adults with reason and logic by the time I was 9 or 10 but if I did corner them in the exchange they would simply call me troublesome or naughty and hand out a punishment.

    Point is I was always focusing too much at what everyone else was saying, pointing out these traits as failures and the last thing I wanted was to just be a rubbish human so I ignored the signs. 

    I am midlife now just starting my journey for answers but this has been my experience.

    In answer to your question No, I didn't even think about it before I did, but I am now glad I didThumbsup

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  • I was told 7 years ago by a professional that I had high traits of ASD, I was not ready to listen then.

    It was only when a member of my family was diagnosed, and info-dumped me about it all that I gave it some more thought and could clearly see all the signs pointing towards neurodivergence, so I started looking at ADHD and ASD. 2 months on and I have piles of information about myself and neurodivergence and am currently enjoying putting together the puzzle. 

    I like you thought was right and everyone else was wrong and to an extent still doRofl

    I explained it to my therapist in our first session that I felt like an alien, as no one else on earth seemed to think about things the way that I did. 

    With the evidence mounting now I do wonder why it took me so long to even look into it, all I know is I spent my entire formative years wondering what was wrong with me and being told that things were easy I just had to try harder, tying shoelaces for instance. But with other things I was always told that I was beyond my years, I could debate adults with reason and logic by the time I was 9 or 10 but if I did corner them in the exchange they would simply call me troublesome or naughty and hand out a punishment.

    Point is I was always focusing too much at what everyone else was saying, pointing out these traits as failures and the last thing I wanted was to just be a rubbish human so I ignored the signs. 

    I am midlife now just starting my journey for answers but this has been my experience.

    In answer to your question No, I didn't even think about it before I did, but I am now glad I didThumbsup

Children
  • in reply to Gadfly
    Gadfly said:
    It was only when a member of my family was diagnosed, and info-dumped me about it all that I gave it some more thought

    That's so sweet. Authentic Autistic communication in action. You probably got little hints and nudges from NTs over the years, but it took an ND to just lay it all out for you in a way you could easily understand.

    It took me 22 years from diagnosis to acceptance, so don't beat yourself up about it taking 7 years. There is so much more high-quality information available directly from Autistic people now than there was back then.