Hi everyone!

Hi TheLoneStranger

I'm a recently diagnosed 52 year old.
Still trying to get head around the idea of being autistic. Having shifts in mood about the whole thing.
Have been off work since diagnosed - this is now my 3rd week off, hoping to return next week.

WELCOME!

Gary

Thanks. How were you diagnosed?

Not sure exactly what you mean by "how were you diagnosed", but I'll try to answer your question.

I was contacted by our local NHS Mental Health Centre around a week before my assessment.
The assessment was with a psychiatrist and took 2.5 hours, consisting of the following 

• 1 hour general discussion about me
• 1 hour "ADOS" tasks which is more of a practical session
• Diagnosis given
• 30 minute post diagnosis discussion

Hope that helps  

Forgive me GPK26 but whenever someone asks why I want to be assessed for autism I feel frustrated beyond belief. Whilst a diagnosis of Autism will no doubt prove challenging it would go a long way in explaining why life has been so difficult and work and human relationships so extraordinarily challenging to maintain. It feels like something I "have" to do not something I "want" to do.    

Ah, yes that makes sense...
As per my previous comment, I was diagnosed on the NHS.

I first approached the notion that I may be autistic around 18-24 months ago with my GP who offered no real assistance other than to send me a referral form to fill in. I really struggled with the form, so didn't both taking it further at that time.

I then ended up in a bad way mentally which resulted in being sectioned a couple of time (just overnight stays in secure unit) and this brought up the idea of autism again. One of the mental health support workers went through the referral form with me, but unfortunately she wasn't much use. It seemed that it was the first time that she'd seen the form. The form was submitted and rejected.

More mental health struggles followed and yet again the autism question came up. A different support worker went through the form with me. This time it was accepted and I was told that I'd been added to the waiting list for assessment and that I'd probably be waiting for 2 years or more.

More recently, a couple of months ago I had another mental health incident which resulted in being interviewed by a mental health nurse in a regular hospital. Not sure if it is coincidence, but within a couple of weeks I received a letter advising that my autism assessment would be the following week.

Yes, absolutely it is difficult, time consuming and extremely draining to have to jump through all the hoops for NHS assessment. I believe that I was fortunate in that I didn't to wait years and years to be assessed.

Has the diagnosis made any difference - YES and I am still in the early stages of acceptance / realisation of what it means and how I plan to live the rest of my life.

Is it worth paying thousands for a private assessment? Only you can decide that.
A friend even offered to pay for private assessment for me, but I declined.
What I would say (or ask) is why are you looking to be assessed? 

Without wanting to sound too negative, is a diagnosis going to make that much difference for us when you consider our age? At least with the younger generation there is a lot of support to help them navigate their lives, whereas we have had to deal with this for decades, probably without evening considering or knowing that we are autistic.

Ah, yes that makes sense...
As per my previous comment, I was diagnosed on the NHS.

I first approached the notion that I may be autistic around 18-24 months ago with my GP who offered no real assistance other than to send me a referral form to fill in. I really struggled with the form, so didn't both taking it further at that time.

I then ended up in a bad way mentally which resulted in being sectioned a couple of time (just overnight stays in secure unit) and this brought up the idea of autism again. One of the mental health support workers went through the referral form with me, but unfortunately she wasn't much use. It seemed that it was the first time that she'd seen the form. The form was submitted and rejected.

More mental health struggles followed and yet again the autism question came up. A different support worker went through the form with me. This time it was accepted and I was told that I'd been added to the waiting list for assessment and that I'd probably be waiting for 2 years or more.

More recently, a couple of months ago I had another mental health incident which resulted in being interviewed by a mental health nurse in a regular hospital. Not sure if it is coincidence, but within a couple of weeks I received a letter advising that my autism assessment would be the following week.

Yes, absolutely it is difficult, time consuming and extremely draining to have to jump through all the hoops for NHS assessment. I believe that I was fortunate in that I didn't to wait years and years to be assessed.

Has the diagnosis made any difference - YES and I am still in the early stages of acceptance / realisation of what it means and how I plan to live the rest of my life.

Is it worth paying thousands for a private assessment? Only you can decide that.
A friend even offered to pay for private assessment for me, but I declined.
What I would say (or ask) is why are you looking to be assessed? 

Without wanting to sound too negative, is a diagnosis going to make that much difference for us when you consider our age? At least with the younger generation there is a lot of support to help them navigate their lives, whereas we have had to deal with this for decades, probably without evening considering or knowing that we are autistic.

Forgive me GPK26 but whenever someone asks why I want to be assessed for autism I feel frustrated beyond belief. Whilst a diagnosis of Autism will no doubt prove challenging it would go a long way in explaining why life has been so difficult and work and human relationships so extraordinarily challenging to maintain. It feels like something I "have" to do not something I "want" to do.