Hello all - totally new to the whole thing

Two months after I turned 68 I got my ASD diagnosis. I'm now watching and reading everything I can get hold of on ASD/Asperger's in females. I've certainly lived under the radar by creating personae / wearing masks and coping with the shutdowns and meltdowns through my poetry and artwork. I'm so looking forward to learning from the Community and being able to talk about any problems and anxieties I my experience as I try to face a society that is alien and threatening to me. And perhaps along the way I can offer my two-pennyworth of experience too.

  • Great to have you Gema. Diagnosed at 62 and so many questions throughout my life are now answered. At the moment I am going over my past with a better view of things.       i have found art and crafts have helped me so much with stimming and anxiety etc

    All power to you be your true self and be free.

  • hello and welcome, I'm 40s, F, recently diagnosed

    books I have found helpful: "Nerdy, Shy" Cynthia Kim, and her website "musings of an aspie"; "Aspergirls" Rudy Simone, and "been there done that, an aspie guide"

  • Hello, Thank you for replying. I'm coming to terms with my anger / frustration having been in and out of mental hospital since I was 18. I feel that all those years of self-harm and suicide attempts could have been lessened if I'd had the proper support and treatment. But at my age I need to crack on with enjoying life - there's a lot to catch up on.

    Totally agree with your sentiments. I took early retirement from teaching twice but I'm a believer in serendipity so ...

    Good luck to you too.

  • Thanks Martian Tom,

    Yep, it was pretty dire. At first it was brushed aside as "nerves", and by 18 I was in a mental hospital - diagnoses depression, psychosis, anxiety, borderline pd. I have been rollercoasting with anger / relief / frustration but you can't do that forever so we're getting on with living. Diagnosis has been great for my relationship with my husband - now when I feel like screaming and throwing things I can recognise it as meltdown and take myself off.

    I've found some great YouTube people, and have just bought two books on Autism and females. Thanks for your recommendation. I'll look it up.

    I mostly use poetry to voice how I'm feeling and Photoshop Elements to create surrealist-type images.

    Thank you so much for your welcome. It does really feel special being here.

    All the best,

    Gema

  • Hi Gema,

    I got my diagnosis in 2015, aged 56.  A lot more older people are getting diagnosed.  It wasn't known about when we were at school.  They had different names for it then - most of them unrepeatable!  I hope your diagnosis is a positive thing for you.  I know it is for me.

    Have you come across this yet?  You might find it interesting:

    Aspienwomen: working towards an adult female profile of Autism/Asperger's Syndrome

    I also write (fiction) and do some digital artwork.

    Welcome to the community!

    Best regards,

    Tom

  • I hope diagnosis has brought you something valuable. I was diagnosed when I retired at the age of 55 and it took me a year to get used to my co-morbid disabilities and understand the affect that autism had on my health. I am now back working again, doing what I love, but able to manage because I understand that there are many things that I cannot change and am blessed to have strategies to deal with difficulties instead. Good luck.