Hi - recent diagnosis at age 61 - just saying hello (waving)

After a 2 year wait I was recently diagnosed, and it is taking some time to adjust to it, such a mixturte of different feelngs, relief, regret, avoidance, disbelief, but mainly just relief. It wasn't just that I was weird all my life, there was a recogniseable, distinct, pervasive difficulty and there always has been. It wasn't that I didn't try hard enough, it wasn't that I was lazy, or just didn't want to mix with people or do a 'normal' job, but there are other more positive things too...the synaesthesia type experiences I have had, sensitivities to energies, my being drawn to workshops and groups where I could learn to make eye contact, to hug and enjoy physical contact, and many many more things I can now begin to place as to why I did this or why I was interested in that, or why I would have my own version of a meltdown. Thank you to the community for existing and hi to everyone. I look forward to learning and understanding more/

Parents
  • Hi Timetraveller, I am new on here and wonder how you go about getting a diagnosis as an adult, I am 50 and have managed throughout life but always job flitting and never really reaching the potential I showed early on.  I have a 19 year old son with ASD/ADHD and the older he gets the more similar we become.  Even he has noticed and often comments that we are the same person just a generation or two apart.  I have often wondered if my mannerisms and personality are shaped by autism but have no idea where to go to get that kind of advice, with my son we started at the health visitor and ended up at CAMHS. But where do you start as an adult.  Sorry if I ramble, I write like I think so it tends to be all over the place. 

  • Go to your GP (doctor), ask to do a screening questionairre - explain that you have some concerns and would like to know if the diagnosis might be relevant for you. If the findings of this are sgnificant they should refer you for an adult assessment - the wait can be a long one, mine was 2 years. It is possible but expensive to go privately. Hope this helps.

  • Thank you, I got talking to someone else on a different thread and they pointed me in the same direction,.  I did th AQ10 and Aq50 questionnaires and scored high on both so will probably go down that route. 

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