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New Late Diagnose, new to the platform!

KuriouslyAutistic44

Bountiful Greetings everyone! I am 44 years of age; woman of color who just yesterday was told I am on the autistic spectrum as well as bipolar type 1. However, I am not sure about the second part when I relate more to being Autistic with ADHD. I am new to this platform and looking for people to learn from; educate myself with; and discover with. I am from the US and support systems here are kind blink especially in the Midwest.

I am super into Anime, wearing cozy fuzzy and colorful clothes, especially in the wintertime. I am highly creative so crafting; crocheting, doodling, artsy stuff I am ALL into. Nature is my jam and my sanctuary. The forest seems to be the only place I feel at ease, at home with myself and lovingly supported.

I have always felt alien or like I was adopted because my brain and being operated so differently. Life recently just have been super challenging to navigating and all the "falsehoods or mask" I've worn to survive this world has "worn out". So I am in the process of unbecoming in order to BE who I've always been. 

I would really like to hear your experiences with how you knew you were autistic, how did you cultivate healthy support systems, and what were some things you did right after you knew you were autistic?

Parents

  • Hi and welcome to the forum. Although it's UK based, it's nice to hear from our American "cousins".

    I'm a woman in my sixties, and when I was in my mid fifties I was watching a TV documentary about autism which featured an autistic woman and I thought "I'm like that!" This prompted me to research autism and I found the AQ50 screening test (which is used by medical professionals) and when I took it and got a result of 42, to say I was shocked is maybe an understatement!

    Around that time I was suffering with depression and anxiety, and I mentioned to my doctor that I suspected I was on the autism spectrum. He advised what tests I should do and asked me to send him the results, and he then agreed with me but said he didn't see the point of referring me for a formal diagnosis as I wouldn't get any support, because I was able to work.

    I then found this forum and read about other people's experiences and asked for advice, after which I decided not to pursue the formal diagnosis and to stay self diagnosed, or as we sometimes call it - "self discovered". I don't need or want an official label - I'm just me - but everyone is different and for some it is reassuring and affirming.

    I'm retired now, but I was still working when I discovered I was on the spectrum. I reduced my working hours, and later I requested and was granted adjustments to my working environment, so that I didn't have too much noise or bright lighting to deal with.

    I started to realise why I sometimes had meltdowns or shutdowns, I explained to people I was close to why this happened, and I learned to schedule my days to include space and time to recuperate. I also did my best to stop masking and people pleasing.

    In your post you said:

    KuriouslyAutistic44 said:
    I have always felt alien or like I was adopted because my brain and being operated so differently.

    I can definitely identify with this sense of "difference" - when I was a child, I also wondered if I was adopted and once when observing other kids playing at school I wondered if I was the only real child there and they were all robots. (Most autistic people seem to view it that they are the "alien", but I seem to see it the other way around!)

    I hope you enjoy chatting with us.

Reply

  • Hi and welcome to the forum. Although it's UK based, it's nice to hear from our American "cousins".

    I'm a woman in my sixties, and when I was in my mid fifties I was watching a TV documentary about autism which featured an autistic woman and I thought "I'm like that!" This prompted me to research autism and I found the AQ50 screening test (which is used by medical professionals) and when I took it and got a result of 42, to say I was shocked is maybe an understatement!

    Around that time I was suffering with depression and anxiety, and I mentioned to my doctor that I suspected I was on the autism spectrum. He advised what tests I should do and asked me to send him the results, and he then agreed with me but said he didn't see the point of referring me for a formal diagnosis as I wouldn't get any support, because I was able to work.

    I then found this forum and read about other people's experiences and asked for advice, after which I decided not to pursue the formal diagnosis and to stay self diagnosed, or as we sometimes call it - "self discovered". I don't need or want an official label - I'm just me - but everyone is different and for some it is reassuring and affirming.

    I'm retired now, but I was still working when I discovered I was on the spectrum. I reduced my working hours, and later I requested and was granted adjustments to my working environment, so that I didn't have too much noise or bright lighting to deal with.

    I started to realise why I sometimes had meltdowns or shutdowns, I explained to people I was close to why this happened, and I learned to schedule my days to include space and time to recuperate. I also did my best to stop masking and people pleasing.

    In your post you said:

    KuriouslyAutistic44 said:
    I have always felt alien or like I was adopted because my brain and being operated so differently.

    I can definitely identify with this sense of "difference" - when I was a child, I also wondered if I was adopted and once when observing other kids playing at school I wondered if I was the only real child there and they were all robots. (Most autistic people seem to view it that they are the "alien", but I seem to see it the other way around!)

    I hope you enjoy chatting with us.

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