Hi

Just to say hello - I was diagnosed with ASD before Xmas, and am 46. I wasn't surprised by the diagnosis, but have been going through a range of strong emotions since, especially sadness for things past. Anyway, I don't know anyone else with ASD, as far as I am aware, so I thought I would say hello. 

Parents
  • Hello there and welcome. I am the same age as you and was diagnosed last year. At first it didn't make much of a difference to my life but over the past few months it has really helped me to a) accept myself for who I am and b) make decisions about things I like and don't like doing without guilt. I realise now that I have struggled for a long time and I can relate to the strong emotions. It is something that I am grappling with too. I think that it is great you have been diagnosed as the more you know about yourself the better things can be in the future. 

Reply
  • Hello there and welcome. I am the same age as you and was diagnosed last year. At first it didn't make much of a difference to my life but over the past few months it has really helped me to a) accept myself for who I am and b) make decisions about things I like and don't like doing without guilt. I realise now that I have struggled for a long time and I can relate to the strong emotions. It is something that I am grappling with too. I think that it is great you have been diagnosed as the more you know about yourself the better things can be in the future. 

Children
  • Ooh that sounds exactly like me! I am also 46, just diagnosed and just realising who "me" is!

  • Thanks for this and yes, I too have realised how much I have struggled over the years and now I'm very relieved that I can say it's not my 'fault' at all. I tend to feel very large emotions, take on other people's feelings and amplify them. I am also hopeless at organisation in the 'real' world, and have been hiding it for years, but this, I realise has also had a very positive effect, as I realise I can see things some people don't. So all in all, I think there has been a lot of positive things from the diagnosis so far.