Hello

Hello everyone

What a lovely forum this is – so supportive and willing to share and offer advice.

I’m 67, undiagnosed but with really high scores on several online tests. My life experience from childhood to present times has always told me that I just don’t fit and I have to say that I labelled myself as some sort of weirdo eccentric. The questions in the tests I’ve done actually answered some of my questions in that the form of the questions seemed tailor made to fit my experiences and responses. I have literally never thought in this way before. An example – I don’t like spontaneous. I like to know what/where/how, draw up a list (or several) and make preparations. I’ve always said “I’m a Virgo – we like to be organised”. It has never occurred to me that this might be a facet of my wiring. I find some comfort in that.

I’ve found the lockdowns a huge relief from having to be social and have often said that I love life as a hermit – people think I’m joking but I’m really not. I live alone and I’m retired so I can live in my own little world with my routine undisturbed by outside pressures. I feel like this is the life I always wanted to live. I think what prompted me to take the tests was the prospect of the restrictions ending and feeling quite uneasy that life would change and I wouldn’t like it. Having finally found a way of living that suits me, I don’t feel I want to be submerged by something that I don’t find helpful to my wellbeing. Which made me ask myself why do I feel this way when so many others are champing at the bit to get back to “normality”? A bit of googling led me to this site.

I’m going to see my GP to talk about an assessment at some point but, in the meantime, I’d like to do some fruitful research so I’m fully prepared. I take information in best through the printed word and I wonder if anyone can recommend any books that might be useful to someone like me.