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Freshly diagnosed and unsure

Pianocake

Hey!

After 2 a year referral process, I recieved the diagnosis that I am autistic. I have done research before being diagnosed and have been reading some things since then.

However I'm still unsure of how I feel and how to unravel who I am. I read the book How to Be Austistic which I thought was a lovely book and easy to read especially as someone who struggles with reading but I just don't really know what to do and feel quite overwhelmed. I think I'm lacking focus on what I need to do to discover who I am really and truly. 

Just a 35 year old female struggling with where and how I fit in.

Any advice and help would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks!

  • Congratulations. It must be difficult when you have acted and adapted for so long who the human is underneath all that? Recently diagnosed myself at 40 F so just filling my head with books to help navigate the next step. Right there with you. I have joined my local councils autism service which involves booking a place at the local meet ups and online workshops they are running. Apart from that this has helped me immensely there's always someone here who can relate or give constructive advice. Good luck!

  • in reply to William

    No, I work for an American company. But that does look interesting!

  • Good morning from America, Pianocake!

    Congratulations on your diagnosis! That’s so exciting!

    I’m a 34 year old M with ASD/ADHD. Reading’s always been a bit tricky for me, too. I actually do better reading textbooks that I do novels. One book that helped me was Dr. Megan Neff’s “Self-Care for Autistic People,” which is actually a pretty easy read because she breaks up her ideas into page-long, bite-sized chunks. I highly recommend trying that book and see if you can digest that one, too.

    One thing you could do with your newfound identity is help others. Research Autism and use that to support others on here or otherwise. I took my diagnosis and decided to try out a job where I help persons with disabilities find employment. It’s a little tough, but it’s been a way to fit in with my diagnosis.

  • Hello Pianocake. Do you eat cake while playing the piano? Or do you eat the piano, whilst eating cake? Or do you have a cake, that is decorated to look like a piano? Or do you have a cake that is made out of piano? Or do you have a piano th… where’d she go? Pianocake? You there? Oh *looks over at her, whilst she opens her jaws like a cobra, to devour the entire piano*