Hello, newly diagnosed and overwhelmed!

Hi everyone. I'm Natalie. I found out that I am autistic a few months ago at the age of 36 (although I always felt I was different). I am struggling to understand what this means for me although I am very relieved to have the diagnosis. My main struggles are with sensory stuff - noises, smells and bright lights are awful and I can't go shopping, and trips to cafes or restaurants take a lot of forward planning! I get very overwhelmed by new things, changes to plans and decision making often results in a massive melt down. I'm actually very empathic and am struggling with people assuming that I'm not because I'm autistic.

I love nature, wildlife and birds in particular - I love going birdwatching at my local nature reserves. Any other bird enthusiasts out there? I also love listening to my favourite music, rock and metal but really can't tollerate most other types of music.

I'm hoping to join in discussions here and hopefully learn something.