Hello

Hello, I am 56 years old and am undiagnosed, but waiting for an NHS appointment - it's been almost 2 years since my self-referral - appointments have now been suspended during the Covid crisis.

I have struggled with autistic traits all my life, finding it difficult to make and keep friends, being anxious about new places and situations; during my teens at school, I rarely spoke to anyone for 4 years.

I have always seemed to make a quicker connection with with non NT people, and NTs have often seemed hostile, dismissive or excluded me, which has always hurt.

Since a young age I have felt lonely and isolated and can be seen as miserable or angry. Social media can increase these feelings if I get too involved.

Since my early 40s I have made a career from helping people with disabilities of all kinds make and record their own music. I also met and married my soulmate, who completely gets who I am and what makes me tick, which has enabled me to be more self-aware about some of the anxiety and confidence issues I have and how I try to fit in to the world.

It has been quite a journey to get to this point, and to begin to admit to myself and others that I am NT.