Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi Everyone
I’m 35 and having done some reading over the past few days and online testing I’ve come to the realisation that I’m probably autistic
I think it’s quite mild and I’ve got good coping strategies as I don’t need any help really with my career, education or relationships. However working in the NHS I believe this means the chances of getting a formal diagnosis are pretty much nil and I don’t really want to get in the way of people more needing help and support
However, I now recognise that a wide variety of things I’ve always thought were either just me being weird or struggling with things that everyone else just gets on with, are actually quite classic autistic traits
I still think I’m processing a lot of this and don’t really know how I feel about it but I was hoping people might have advice on how to bring this up with people. I worry because a) I really struggle to talk about my emotions b) I don’t think people will take me seriously without a formal diagnosis and c) I think my parents will get quite upset. On the other hand though I want to be able to explain why I sometimes behave in ways that don’t make sense and seem hurtful to other people which I’ve never been able to articulate before
That’s it really, I’d love to hear from anyone that’s been in a similar position
Welcome. Self identifying is fine. Not everyone wants to go through the assessment process and not everyone needs a formal stamp. But if ever you do feel you'd benefit from diagnosis, don't worry about clogging up the system. Clogged up it may be but you are as important as anybody else.
As for telling people - I've encountered nothing but positivity from those who matter, but it can be a mixed bag and as you poke around this site, some folks you will see sadly haven't had a positive response from nearest and dearest.
We each have to judge who to talk to person by person I guess and it will always be a gamble.
But, hey! You know who you are and WHY you are, you can now start using that knowledge to make little things easier at least. And if you want moral support, you'll always get it here.