Recently diagnosed with Autism at 55 years old.
It's been a struggle for a few years and then I lost my job last year after 24 years with same employer due to increasing absence involving a legal battle. In the end I was worn down and somewhat forced to leave. My diagnosis came almost a year after.
My experience was a gradual decline in my ability to cope and handle day to day. I became ill more frequently and more fatigued. I could feel a decline in myself and felt the world getting more and more hostile.
At the moment I am struggling with the benefits system. I think I am still in some sort of burnout stage so the idea of reaching a point where I feel confident that I could be in a job seems a long way off.
On a positive note I have discovered so much about myself since diagnosis. My past life suddenly makes sense. So I am still on a journey of self discovery at the moment and it is a bit of a struggle in itself.
Am hoping to reach a point where I feel I know my place and feel accepted to some degree.
