Getting assessed as an adult

I had the assessments last year (45 year old female). I had all te questionnaires to fill in first then the two assessments. As my parents are still around my mother came to the first assessment. Then the second assessment was spent playing. Hmm yep, playing. Naturally I was anxious about the whole process. I carefully did not learn too much before hand because I had read whilst there are common traits Aspergers/Autism we each have our own unique set of difficulties in with it. I had been referred for Aspergers but came back as Autism. Well Atypical autism 2.3rds autistic which puts me on the ASD spectrum and does explain various parts of my life (having read up since). I have had a year's worth of appointments finding out how autism affects me and found an adult in the community whom I can turn to when in my own distress. Little things can trigger moments for me  I am used to the medical world being born with heart issues and really find social talking hard to do trying to explain what is wrong.  I think it depends where you are at in life? If you finding things hard and at a brick wall then the diagnosis and support helpful and liberating. Even the suggestion was liberating for me. It don't resolve anything but people go more than half way to help me now when I turn to them. They have a starting point of how to help me. I have a starting point at being able to begin to say what is wrong. It maynt be anything actually wrong. Just too much, overwhelmed with something. Autism explains all that. It like a comfort blanket for me as I found it liberating rather than a threat.  So it really depends where you are in life as an adult. If you feel you benefit from support of understanding yourself or needing others to understand you then yes go for the diagnosis. Having got so far as you have I would continue with the diagnosis anyway. It took over a year to get the assessment appointments.  The psychologist who did my refereal told me to get my hands on anything I can to help that is asperger's even if it don't come back as that, to live life as though it is that. It didn't come back as apergers, but ayptical autism. The card I carry is also like a comfort blanket. I never used the card formally. I had put one contact on it with their agreement and when they had moved on it gave me reason to look elswhere and feel throughly supported by the named contact. They have seen how they can help me and I am accepting their help too. I was anxious about the assessment/diagnosis. But I had desperately wanted the diagnosis as it was a way forward for me.  At times I hate autism because of the way I react but it has brought me more in touch with people whom I have met but didn't know and they are helping me in ways I would never have thought before the diagnosis. It don't resolve anything at all. Just allows others to know how to help me where I need help :-)

Cupcakes73 I recently watched a video on YouTube by Nick Walker on neurodivergence- he discusses the idea that all people who have 'mental health' issues or developmental conditions like autism are neurodivergent, ie. different from the norm who may need a different lifestyle to NT people.  Not sure if that's a good explaination.  It's long but very interesting to watch.

I previously was aware of having an anxiety disorder, although never sought diagnosis as I was just about able to manage it and battle through, and the small amount of help I did receive didn't seem to be get to the bottom of it so it seemed useless.  When I read up on AS it made so much more sense to me that I decided to go for an assessment.

I'm waiting for an assessment seen my gp as I was diagnosed with bipolar 21 years ago I never believed this was me, have read a lot on autism and a lot of what I have is the same

I think that the main thing that would be helpful for me would be the support/coping skills groups.  I have social and practical difficulties in the work environment and I think it would be good to get some support for this and also would like to meet other people similar to me.  This is partly as I would like to socialise more (although I am married and have a few friends from childhood but who I rarely see) and also to gain an understanding of how other women cope.  I would love to have children but I don't think I could cope with the emotional side nor with the sensory and time demands, especially having a lack of a full social network.  So I hope that I could meet other people who have been in a similar situation to share ideas/advice with.  However I know that these are specific things that I am looking for so I am unsure as to whether going through the whole process would be worthwhile for what I need.  I suppose services to adults vary by area?

I would eventually like to set up some sort of group/network/raise awareness in my area, so I suppose if I had a diagnosis that would 'validate' me to do this (although I am fairly certain I am on the autistic spectrum and know other professionals in the field who agree, it's not the same as having a diagnosis- and I suppose that if I don't get one I will be wondering about this forever...!).

i will also add, it is perfectly ok to tell them to ask factual questions. They will adapt the questions if necessary. (I had alot of stuff in the so-called questionaaires that just were topics, not questions. Just stating things like social life. Early childhood. Coping with day-to-day life, etc. Had to tell them i dont understand what they want me to say to them and asked for specific questions instead, much easyer:) )

basically the things they want to know is about early childhood- for example if you had any delayed developements, and social or behavioral issues, how you did at school, how you cope in social situations, how are you with making friends, if you have any sensory issues and why you think you need a diagnosis in the first place. (Is the condition having major effects on your everyday life and if you think having the diagnosis may benefit you in any way- like you mentioned, access of support being perfectly valid)

Hi, i am 25 and had my final assessment a few months ago. I think the amount of tests and professionals may vary very much depending on where, how and by who its done. Personally after i got the referral from the gp, i only had 2 people doing my assessment- an initial assesment of likelyhood via a psychriatist, then 2 appointments with a specialist. I declined the involvement of my parents(have already explained this elsewhere) Inbetween i just had a bunch of questionnaires to fill out each time(And as apparently me being on the spectrum was rather obvious according to them, i didnt even have to finish all of them). All in all it did take almost half a year for the diagnosis and another few months before being able to meet with the pat team and an allocated support worker to discuss the options of available support groups etc, still waiting on some of that. Got another appointment tomorrow. But hopefully in the end ill get the help i need.