Published on 12, July, 2020
diagnosed at 62. it's been extremely difficult - losing many of the few friends i'd accumulated. i'd always been extremely anxious at work, and was a mid level tech. i think i was mid level only because i 'looked' and 'acted' like a tech guy, lol... so, kind of a charade. found out i have many extreme sensitivities, but that kind of allows me to make sense out of why i've been so anxious my entire life. i've also developed some stereotypical asd (don't mean to offend anyone) habits or mannerisms post-diagnosis. weird! like, i'll literally immerse myself in new hobbies, just inhaling them (currently surf fishing) like a ravenous maniac... the few remaining acquaintances i have ... i guess they have to accept my asd. it's part of who i am, and i try not to bore them w it, but i feel i'm a different person now, frankly, than i was pre--diagnosis.
oh, and i found out although i've always been completely taciturn in my life, now i can go on and on....... so i have to watch that. oh, and i'm a yank, from california. hope that's ok.
Welcome aboard! (I'm a bit of a Raspian myself, at 64.) Diagnosis only three years ago after I self-identified two years earlier. Everything you say here makes sense to me. However, I see no need to keep feeling like an imposter after I officially retired. There are a 101 things I would now like to volunteer for or even restart work to do. I'm not really a different person, but I do have a much better idea how work-related stress, anxiety and depression can be dealt with. I sort of imagine that California has its fair share of reemployment and volunteering ops for older people. That's not true here, so I'm having to look in some fairly unconventional directions to find interesting stuff to do.
I don't think anyone here will worry much that you are not in the UK. I'm in South East Asia myself (but of UK origin.) Adults on the spectrum here are probably best-advised to remain silent about their condition. People here don't want to know anything about Adulthood ASD, so it is all self-help here really. I manage fairly well, but could really do with a few extra folks to talk to outside of the house.
ty senor.. wow - i think? it's really rare to be diagnosed in one's sixties, or nearly, as we were. volunteering is cool. i tell my nephews and niece that when you volunteer, they *always* treat you nice. (almost always, some places simply.... stink. and just stop volunteering there.) california does have many, many volunteer opps - one can simply look on craigs list, for ex. my volunteering has been: feldenkrais for seniors, tax prep, teaching chess, serving lunches to japanese seniors. you mentioning you're from a former UK place - hey, i forgot! we were too!!! lol a lot...............
The diagnostician's comment was that people in their eighties had been in the same assessment room. Actually, there are quite a few people our age on this site. And they generally have quite a lot to say, and seem to be mostly upbeat. I find many of my issues quite amusing.
omg.... amazing... i thought i was one of the few........................ glad they are here and upbeat... my diag has been so difficult, i thought maybe they should've lied about it, and said i was NT.... i'll look forward to hearing from others - esp those who are older.