Hello, Newly Diagnosed, relieved and wanting to connect

I hope that you can benefit from this forum.  I was around your age when receiving my diagnosis, High Functioning Autism.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the diagnosis! It's an amazing feeling being diagnosed and the start to an exciting journey of self discovery.

Hi, I am recently diagnosed as well. I also would like to connect. Getting the diagnosis is indeed a relief, just finally getting the confirmation why are we the way we are.

Hello and wellcome to the community. I hope you find many friends here and wish you well on your journey of self discovery now you have a diagnosis.

Knowledge and understanding is helping me to slowly accept  this condition, I certainly feel much better about it now than I did at first.

There are numerous books published on autism, and reading has certainly helped me to learn and accept; however, books can be expensive, but ebooks are more affordable and, of course, libraries are free!

Ben

Much appreciated 

Gosh, thank you ben.

Things just get better it's such a supportive thing to write, I appreciate it a lot. So there is a gang of us late diagnosis individuals. I've never really been one for groups but feel so relieved to be here.

I have many questions. It is amazing to have a place to be able to ask those who know, and perhaps reduce my sense of isolation and oddness.

N

Coolercoats (I initially read Cooler Cats, and have a habit of picking up snippets of words, and finding some lyrics to worm around in my head, I am now singing cool for Cats. Is this just a meeting or an Auti thing?)

Good luck in two weeks. And as you say a clearer picture, I feel excited for you and thank you for reaching out it means ever such a lot. 

Thank you Bumper, I always felt that i missed lessons that others learnt. With frustration and sadness I look back at the amount of effort i put into trying to pretend to fit in. Years of studying behaviour just so I could learn how to connect with and be like normal people, I hear the shadow ringing of 'why can't you just be normal' from teachers and adults said to me as a child. It's a bittersweet joy to find this now. 

Is 55 now viewed as mid life? I hope so.... here to greater ease and self compassion for the time ahead.

N

Thank you for making me fell welcomed

Hello and welcome.

Ahhthatswhy........ Oh how well I remember that feeling. What an excellent screen-name.

Hello 'N', I was in your position about three and a half years ago, aged 67.

The one thing I've learned from this forum is that I am certainly not alone in receiving a late assessment / diagnosis.

I now have the answer to the great question regarding 'Ben', but oh how I wish I  had known earlier.

As ancient angst is resolved and perplexing puzzles are solved,  things just get better.

Hope you have a simiar experience.

Ben

Hi, welcome here to connect with others! I was diagnosed with the same symptoms as you at 42. The friends here have helped me a lot. I've gotten a lot better with this and I hope you do too.

__________

shell shockers 2

Hello I'm pre assessment....my assessment date is in 2 weeks.  I'm really late possible diagnosis too as I'm 51.  I feel I already have some understanding also...I've avoided social situations like the plague the older I got.  A diagnosis will finally join a few dots on the page and I'm hoping the picture will become clearer.  Good to see you on here.

Hi and welcome.  I'm new too.  At 55, I've spent many years wondering why I'm not like other people - knowing I'm autistic is going to help me look at my life in a more helpful way. I hope.  Being overwhelmed by sights, sounds, smells and people is something that sounds very familiar! I now know why I've been taking sandwiches to work my whole working life and avoiding the canteen at lunchtime...  

Hello  

Welcome. I've only just joined but feel like this is a great place to be.

I felt relieved when I was diagnosed to.

Hope you find what your looking for here ️