Hello

I know it is good to focus on the positives, and you come across as happy in your liberation from suppressed love of all things Taylor.

I try to focus on the positives too — not always easy and sometimes I need to deal with things that don’t seem to have a positive side. I’m interested in various things, yet I have to encounter some unsavoury elements in pursuit of satisfaction. E.g. I’m interested in what is going on in the world at the moment. It is important to me to be aware of things, but the news is filled with relentless and horrific accounts of human suffering, and seeming inaction by those who could stop it. 

My other interests are generally conducive to happiness and satisfaction. 

One technique I used to do years ago (and I’m thinking of restarting) is to take a page a day with two columns. In the first column write the not so good daily experiences and in the second column the good experiences. I make sure that I note more positive than negative experiences. At the end of the day, draw a thick line under the first column. The line is a tangible sign of letting go before bedtime. If there are things that need to be dealt with, they can go on a separate list until the morning.

I always focus on the positives or at least what are positives to me like I can learn much in such a short time period if the subject is something I love like when I finally embraced the fact i LOVE Taylor’s music I learned every fact I could about her as a person that I didn’t already know and was all like YES WHALE 

same with skateboarding every time I feel that passion for skateboard take the foreground in my mind again I learn so many new skating facts and discover new skaters but still fall back on my OGs of Tony hawk,Rodney Mullen,chad muska Ryan sheckler etc 

Yeah, I feel that too. I think it's worse because I'm in my fifties and it's hard not to wish I'd found out sooner.

It's great being able to read and share experiences with other people. I was very apprehensive about joining online support but I'm glad I did. I'm hoping it will help me to become more accepting of my ASD diagnosis.

Welcome to the community.

i was diagnosed last December and it was a massive relief. A few weeks later I had moments of sadness and regret about being an autistic person, but that doesn’t happen so much now. I have had depression and anxiety for many years, so the diagnosis is helping me absolve myself of some guilt. 

Thank you, these look great resources! 

Yes I don't know how I'm supposed to feel either. It's like I'm glad there's an explanation for all the little difficulties through the years but at the same time it's like I'm starting all over again. 

Hi and welcome 

Yeah I agree with that, relief but difficult at the same time. I am only just recently diagnosed and I'm not sure how I feel, it changes all the time. I also don't know how I'm meant to feel.

This space is a great help!!

Hope you settle in here and it helps

Congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community! 

Following a diagnosis, it can be common for us to experience a lot of emotional dysregulation. Besides perhaps feeling some relief about now having an explanation for our past difficulties, this can also include working through a phase where we experience confusion, uncertainty, so-called "imposter syndrome", and/or (backward-focused) anger, frustration, grieving, and more.

So please don't worry - it's normal, and it can last for quite some time, not least because - especially for late-diagnosed adults - there's a lot to look back on through this new lens. 

As for many others here, my own diagnosis turned out to be much more of the start of a new journey, rather than a conclusion full of instant solutions for my difficulties.

I know your diagnosis was a while ago, but if you haven't yet seem them, the NAS has a great set of articles focused on "after diagnosis", which you might still find helpful:

NAS - How you might feel after a diagnosis - includes perspectives from other autistics

NAS - Other advice covering post-diagnosis including:

• Talking about and disclosing your autism diagnosis
• Emotional support for family members after a diagnosis
• Formal support following an autism diagnosis
• What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

Therapy (or counselling) is often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you haven't yet had this - or if you're planning more in the future - you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book. It discusses various types of therapy and counselling, and offers advice on choosing the right therapist or counsellor - all from an autistic person's viewpoint. Several of us here have found it very helpful:

The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy

This book also taught me some important principles and enabled me to make some immediate, helpful changes - perhaps you might find it useful, too:

Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask!