I got diagnosed yesterday at 57, today I feel very anxious and vulnerable.
Was wondering how other people felt after a late diagnosis.
I got diagnosed yesterday at 57, today I feel very anxious and vulnerable.
Was wondering how other people felt after a late diagnosis.
It’s like I can’t seem to practice the techniques to slow down a racing mind, I try and do them but the irritability and sticky thoughts just overpower and therefore the vicious circle continues.
I also think getting diagnosed as a child would have helped but as I said, it can also make you more of a target for bullies. Not long before I had a diagnosis I got bullied and manipulated by the manager and now I’m frightened to even go to work because of a repeat and knowing I have autism doesn’t really help. It’s like a 50/50 chance you either get someone who cares or someone who abuses their power.
I was diagnosed age 50 in June. I still haven’t got myself together yet, my special interests have taken a back seat and I haven’t been very active here since. I feel like perhaps I have been trying to shed as many things as I can that take up my time for the moment.
I felt the same as you describe, it does get easier as time passes but as I said I’m a way off at present.
Nice to meet you and I hope you feel better soon
I got diagnosed in my 60s, about 10 months ago.
I was delighted at first as autism explained many of the things that I blamed myself for. Later, I got angry at some of the things that had happened to me in the past, even though autism wasn’t fully recognised, especially in girls, when I was growing up. Diagnosis has been a good thing for me as it has removed much of the guilt.
Thank you!
I've been thinking about my life too, would things have been better had I been diagnosed earlier, I guess maybe in some ways. As someone outwardly high functioning growing up around adults who seemed to think that intelligence was the magic wand that solved all issues. I have a deep suspicion that if there was anything about me that would prompt a diagnosis I would have still been told that being bright I would be fine. A childhood diagnosis would have been helpful for later life, but I'm not sure if it would have been as wonderful as I imagine.
I totally get the racing mind, and letting go of the past can be a nightmare, my brain ambushing me with memories!
After discovering accidentally, that the autism spectrum seems to describe perfectly my life long problems i felt shocked to the point if meltdown. I was and still am very much into space and aliens. I watched an interview between David Grusch and Joe Rogan, Grusch talked about Mussolini UFO case and also about retaliation for his testimony for the congress and then Grusch mentioned his mental health issues, that he was diagnosed high functioning Autistic. At that point i stopped the video and got intrigued what is this high functioning autism. When I checked the female characteristics i had to throw myself a cold high pressure shower. First I dismissed it i thought it was my delusion, but then a month later Youtube attacked me with autism and I found very informative videos from Paul Michalleff. Now I have a therapy and my therapist has also suspicion that im autistic. I don't know if I get tested and diagnosed or not, but this is the first doctor who takes me seriously and not only "1 pill per day and think positively". I was treated many times by professionals this way.
I’m only in my 20s but I got diagnosed a few months ago and I have had such a mix of emotions. Like relieved to know what was different about me but upset because I was and still am different and also worried about how I’d cope in the future, especially when I can’t slow down my racing mind and distressing thoughts/past events. I often wonder if I got extra support in schools would I have been more successful, or would I have got bullied even more so than usual?
I hope you feel better soon and feel free to post as much as needed here as we are very welcoming and supportive!
I'm not formally diagnosed, but after discovering I was almost certainly on the spectrum I felt shocked and confused, however after doing lots of research and learning about autism I gradually relaxed and found my true self. It takes time, and I wish you well on your journey.
Thank you, I'll look into your recommendations 
Congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community!
Following a diagnosis, it can be common for us to experience a lot of emotional dysregulation - I certainly did!
Besides perhaps feeling some relief about now having an explanation for our past difficulties, this can also include working through a phase where we experience anxiety, confusion, uncertainty, so-called "imposter syndrome", and/or (backward-focused) anger, frustration, grieving, and more. So please don't worry - it's normal!
As for many others here, my own diagnosis turned out to be much more of the start of a new journey, rather than a conclusion full of instant solutions for my difficulties.
The NAS has a great set of articles focused on "after diagnosis", including one covering how you might feel during the subsequent days / weeks / months. You might find them of interest and/or helpful:
NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis - includes perspectives from other autistics
NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis including:
Therapy (or counselling) is often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you prefer, depending on where you are in the UK, you may instead be able to self refer for talking therapy on the NHS.
Before arranging it, you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, which includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with advice on choosing the right therapist or counsellor - all from an autistic person's viewpoint. Several of us here have found it very helpful:
The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy
Finally, I'll just mention a couple of books that I and others have found helpful early on in our post-diagnosis journeys:
Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask!
How to Be Autistic (free download currently available via this page)
