Hello Everyone

Hello

I'm also in my 40s (just about!) and new here too.

thanks. Do you mind if I ask what prompted you to get assessed? Please don't answer if you'd rather not. It was suggested to me by a therapist.

I have had constant issues throughout my life with feeling overwhelmed in very social settings, schools, workplaces, episodes of burnout and depression. In my 30s it was suggested I was bipolar II but that never rang very true (nor did it ring true to my wife who works in mental health). My wife had been suggesting I take some online autism assessments for a few years but I'd always dismissed it because I didn't think that what I knew about autism fitted me particularly well. It turns out, I didn't know an awful lot about autism!

All of the tests suggested a strong likelihood of ASD so I thought I should investigate further. My mum developed Alzheimer's in later life and I thought if I do have autism it really should be on my medical records as it may impact my future care. I took my test results to the GP who referred me to the autism assessment people. I've been through the screening process and placed on the waiting list for assessment. 

I've since read extensively about autism and the more I understand, the more it fits my own experience. 

I have had constant issues throughout my life with feeling overwhelmed in very social settings, schools, workplaces, episodes of burnout and depression. In my 30s it was suggested I was bipolar II but that never rang very true (nor did it ring true to my wife who works in mental health). My wife had been suggesting I take some online autism assessments for a few years but I'd always dismissed it because I didn't think that what I knew about autism fitted me particularly well. It turns out, I didn't know an awful lot about autism!

All of the tests suggested a strong likelihood of ASD so I thought I should investigate further. My mum developed Alzheimer's in later life and I thought if I do have autism it really should be on my medical records as it may impact my future care. I took my test results to the GP who referred me to the autism assessment people. I've been through the screening process and placed on the waiting list for assessment. 

I've since read extensively about autism and the more I understand, the more it fits my own experience. 

Funnily enough, I had a couple of similar experiences.

In 2004 I was working as s teaching assistant when our new intake included 3 kids with ASD/aspergers diagnoses. I tried to find out a bit about it because I really didn't know anything but the internet was obviously very different because I had a bit of difficulty but I do remember reading one description that made me think 'that's a bit like me'. But then I thought 'don't be one of those "I'm a bit OCD" people, you don't know what you're talking about'. 20 years later it turns out I was right.

Like you, my wife had been saying she thought there was something different but wasn't sure what it was. I'm not great at noticing my moods or behaviour patterns so it's really useful to have her reading the assessment questions and saying 'that's exactly what you're like' or 'you do that all the time'.

Is there anything you've read that you would particularly recommend in terms of unserstanding yourself better?