Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi I'm Rob,
About four years ago I self-diagnosed with Asperger's, having seen some programmes on telly and then doing some online diagnostic questionnaires. Meanwhile I am still waiting for a formal assessment but I guess I'm not a priority in my sixties. I've survived this long so I don't need emergency safe-guarding!
But just today I learned that, as part of the whole autistic spectrum, there is a condition called extreme demand avoidance syndrome. At last I have a name for something I've struggled with all my life! And it is such a relief to know that this is just because my autistic brain is wired differently and not due to any weakness of character. As this is only an introduction I won't go into the whole EDA/PDA thing, but for those who have it too I am glad to know I am not alone! I have been so needlessly ashamed, struggling and often failing to be reliable like my father (pillar of his community).
Bye for now
Hello Rob,
I don't have PDA myself, so can't talk about that, but I do have a diagnosis of ASD which I received in my mid sixties.
Just knowing what it's called and having a label slapped on it made so much difference for me; so much of my past now makes sense and I understand myself a great deal better.
Hopiing things get easier for you.
Ben
Thank you for responding, it's nice to know that somebody else was quite old before getting a diagnosis. And I think just reading the experiences of other people here will help me as my confidence has taken a bit of a knock with realising I have Asperger's. I was at peace with myself before but now I worry that all my acquaintances thought I was weird all along but were too polite to say so!
It was a bit of an emotional rollercoller when I finally accepted that I was on the spectrum, but things soon settled down. We can't change what's gone, but understanding it helps me no end. I know what you mean about past aquintances, there are a few I would like to find and explain things to, but life has moved on so I guess it's best to leave it.