Hi, newly diagnosed...

Hi, just thought I would say hello..

I'm newly diagnosed, a mother of three children and although I always thought I was different, it didn't really occur to me I might be autistic until my eldest turned 5 and I started to see similarities between us. My eldest is now on the pathway to be assessed in the next 3 years after fighting so hard for her for the best part of 7 years.

I was diagnosed two weeks ago and it's answered a lot of my questions on my difficulties I've faced over the years and still do and the things I've done in the past that I look back and think "that's not normal". But not really sure with how else it's made me feel. How has everyone else found being diagnosed later on in life? I'm 38 by the way. What positives (and negatives) have you faced since your diagnosis? 

Thanks for reading!

Parents
  • Hi

    I was also diagnosed recently after suspecting being autistic for the past 2 years, so I'm still trying to "find my feet".

    Some days are good / positive and others not so.
    I have done a lot of reflection over the past weeks, and do wonder how things would maybe have been different if I wasn't autistic or had a much earlier diagnosis.
    The way that I try to look at it is that all of that is in the past and cannot be changed - we can only MOVE FORWARD.

    TBH, I don't think that I have had a terribly bad life, in fact quite to the contrary.
    I have a very loving wife (without who I probably wouldn't be alive)
    We have 2 fantastic children, well actually young adults who are both doing really well.
    We have the most beautiful granddaughter and another one on the way.
    We have a nice comfortable home of which we own ~95% (chipping away at the mortgage....not long now) 
    I/we have a very small number of friends....people who we can rely on day in, day out.

    Back on topic (apologies), obviously the diagnosis DOES change things.
    I'm still me and you are still you.
    However, we now have validation and should embrace all that that gives to us.
    For me, to pick one of the [hopefully] many positives is that I now have protection in the workplace - something that had been concerning me pre-diagnosis.

    I wish you well with your diagnosis and am more than happy to chat openly on the forum or via PM. 

Reply
  • Hi

    I was also diagnosed recently after suspecting being autistic for the past 2 years, so I'm still trying to "find my feet".

    Some days are good / positive and others not so.
    I have done a lot of reflection over the past weeks, and do wonder how things would maybe have been different if I wasn't autistic or had a much earlier diagnosis.
    The way that I try to look at it is that all of that is in the past and cannot be changed - we can only MOVE FORWARD.

    TBH, I don't think that I have had a terribly bad life, in fact quite to the contrary.
    I have a very loving wife (without who I probably wouldn't be alive)
    We have 2 fantastic children, well actually young adults who are both doing really well.
    We have the most beautiful granddaughter and another one on the way.
    We have a nice comfortable home of which we own ~95% (chipping away at the mortgage....not long now) 
    I/we have a very small number of friends....people who we can rely on day in, day out.

    Back on topic (apologies), obviously the diagnosis DOES change things.
    I'm still me and you are still you.
    However, we now have validation and should embrace all that that gives to us.
    For me, to pick one of the [hopefully] many positives is that I now have protection in the workplace - something that had been concerning me pre-diagnosis.

    I wish you well with your diagnosis and am more than happy to chat openly on the forum or via PM. 

Children
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