New here. I Diagnosed at 31

Hi,

I just joined. I was diagnosed with Autism in January 2019 when I was 31. When I was a child I had a lot of issues with my speech and talking too fast and mumbling, had problems with eating and finding foods I liked the taste and texture of, I didn't like loud noises and found it hard to be in social satiations and preferred to be on my own doing my own things among other things.

For most of my childhood I had problems with social anxiety and found it hard starting conversations with people and even using the phone made me nervous so I found it hard maintaining friendships and often felt lonely.  I didn't know what was causing my issues, nor did my parents. 

When I was 12 I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia as I had problems with my coordination and used to have issues with bumping into walls and doors which since my diagnosis, I got help with and my coordination has improved greatly.

In 2018 I was watching television and saw an interview where two teenagers with Autism were being interviewed and what they said and how they acted seem to parallel me and the way I acted. I told my mum and she started to think maybe that is what I had as well. I did some more research on Autism, then decided to ask my GP if I could get a test. The first time I asked, I was referred to someone who just told me that it wouldn't matter if I did have a test as there wasn't any help for adults with Autism and that went nowhere. That was frustrating.

A few months later, I decided to ask my GP again and said  that he could see that I had some traits that might be Autistic and that the person who said it wouldn't matter if I got a test or not was wrong, and referred me again. A few weeks later I got a test and I found out that I did have Autism. That was such a relief to finally know why I am the way I am. I was given help for a year until the Pandemic started. A woman came to see me once a week and told me about my Autism so I could understand it better, then gave me help in doing some things I liked to do.

In 2021 I thought I might also have ADHD as some of the issues I have, seem to conflict with some of my Autistic traits. I sometimes have the ability to hyperfocus, but there are times when I can't focus on anything and get distracted easily or I would lose concentration in what I am doing and my mind would start to wonder and I'd find it hard to regain focus. I also have issues with not being able to sleep at normal hours of the night. I can get a full 7-8 hours sleep and a good sleep, just I can't always do that before 4am which isn't good. I sometimes feel like I have too much energy when I know I don't, among other things. I talked with the woman who diagnosed me with Autism and she sent of a letter, referring me for an ADHD appointment.

That was in mid 2021 and I am still waiting for an ADHD test. Last I have been told is that it could take up to 4 years before I can get a test! That is very unhelpful. I would like to be tested as back in 2021 when I first thought I had ADHD, I was taking driving lessons but had to stop as I found that after a certain point in the lessons, my mind would start to wander and I could no longer concentrate easily and you have to keep your concentration to be able to drive. I ended up having to stop with lessons.

I used to suffer social anxiety, found it hard talking to people and being in social situations. Now I don't find I am mostly no longer nervous in social situations and feel  more confident than I used to. I still struggle with certain things. I find it hard to initiate a conversation with someone or maintain conversations and I sometimes feel I can't get the words out I want to say. I was looking up Dyspraxia one day and read about Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia, which I was not told about when I had my Dyspraxia diagnosis. 

I sometimes know what I would like to say to someone but find it hard getting the words out I want to say and I sometimes mispronounce the odd word wrong, I wonder if I could have Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia.