Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello!A brief history:Mediocre student with learning difficulties diagnosed with Dyspraxia aged 14 (1992) - although back then it was called Apraxia. Did a lot better at University - came top of my class 1:1 (age 21)Spool forward stay in education for a bit crash out training to be a teacher (age 28) - which on reflection - wasn't the best career given how much I had struggled in school I had found a way to engineer putt myself back into that environment. "You do you B's backwards!" shall live long in the memory. Not the best big brained decision I ever made. Unemployed for a bit - retrained in science. Came out as gay (age 29)Got a job at a Research Biotech startup (age 30) - been here for the last 13 years. (now Age 43) I get made redundant on Friday along with everyone else. But fear not - I have found a new job starting next Tuesday! Last November I thought I might have ADHD so got tested and it was confirmed Moderate Inattentive ADHD interestingly I was told I had flagged up several Autistic triggers as well so would I like to be tested for Autism as well. "Sure" I said....April 2024 - confirmed Autistic. So now I'm just trying to figure out what that means and what I do with that information. At worst it's neutral - I now know this about myself. I suppose the difficulty is explaining it to others when I don't fully grasp it myself. Other stuff. I live by myself, have a few friends, enjoy computer games, gardening, and playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends.
Welcome and congratulations on your diagnosis!
You may find Reframing Autism's Welcome Pack a useful early resource:
https://reframingautism.org.au/service/welcome-pack/
NAS also offers various resources, including for post-diagnosis support:
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/post-diagnosis-support/autistic-adults
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance