Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello, Im fresh off the diagnosis. Amazed, relieved and overwhelmed. Im having help to integrate this understanding of myself. But i want to connect with others. please say hello. I have always overfelt everything, light, smells, sounds, peoples emotions and not had a clue why i am so exhausted all the time from it. And now ahh that's why.... I am autistic.
Im 48, female, I will always get overwhelmed but this is my first step into connecting with others.
Please say hello
N
Hi N, welcome to the forum and congrats on your diagnosis. I'm mid 40's too and currently on the waiting list (approx 2 years to assessment), but I've found this forum such a great place for support and feeling like I've found a tribe I belong to. Looking forward to getting to know you
Hi Tamsyn, hope you don't mind me replying here but I noticed you mentioned 2yrs to assessment. I'm 51yr old and was given a 3yr waiting for assessment from local NHS services which shocked me. I oke with a specialised therapist who suggested I looked into the NHS Right To Choose service, I'm so pleased I did as I have my assessment interview booked for next Thursday. I've only waited appromately 3 month in total. You should look into it...you send a pre written letter into your GP requesting your right to choose and they must refer you. Fingers crossed you can get assessed well befe the 2 years.
Hello Tamsyn
Thank you very much, It means so much to be able to talk with others. I feel i have watch life from the outside wondering how people manage the normal things, why I can't seem too. Now I know why and now it's time to understand and accept this difference. Ohhhhh there is tribe like me, how very exciting.
I do feel I need to clarify. I'm also on the waiting list (about 1 year in, also have 2 more to go). I'm on the waiting list for the Maudsley.
But I have had an autistic screening with a specialist psychologist who I saw privately. Which is enough for me but they have pushed me to go for the full diagnosis as I have medical/health issues and I can't always follow the doctors in real time, I'm hoping that the autism diagnosis from the NHS will mean that the doctors give me a little more time and consideration when they're speaking with me.
I spoke to my dad about it, and it seems I was diagnosed when I was eight years old. And the psychiatrist told my parents not to tell me as I was evidently of low cognitive ability. Which I think reflects the views of autism in girls 40 years ago.