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Hello. Are there any people here who were born in the 70s and 80s, always different, now diagnosed with high-functioning autism? Like me?

AnnMarilena

I'm almost 50 years old, and I've always felt I was different. Even in preschool, at the age of three, I felt it clearly. But it wasn't a problem for me. I functioned very well. I asked my mother why the children at preschool were different from me. She didn't understand my questions. So I decided she was different too. As if it were natural that most people are different from me, although I don't know why. But I never wanted to be like those others, even at three or four years old. In a sense, I felt they were a separate species, even though they looked the same. To simplify a bit – like a dog and a cat. Both species, in a simplified description, have the same physical characteristics: fur, four legs, a tail, ears... But they're different species. And that's normal. That's how I felt in preschool. After that, it was different.

Parents

  • I was born in the 70s and I've always had a sense that I was the odd one out, in any social environment. I said to a friend once that I felt like an alien when surrounded by people. I'm glad to finally be diagnosed autistic, even though it came in later life for me. Finally I have the words to explain why I felt so different and I can now extend compassion to myself, instead of internalised criticism and hatred. I'm also now able to understand and meet my autistic needs much better than before. 

    My school reports were all the same....."not reaching her full potential" and  "could do more." I was naturally academic and had a good memory so was considered bright, able and capable by teachers. My social and emotional needs were completely unseen  and unmet and it was those primarily that held me back as I desperately struggled. 

Reply

  • I was born in the 70s and I've always had a sense that I was the odd one out, in any social environment. I said to a friend once that I felt like an alien when surrounded by people. I'm glad to finally be diagnosed autistic, even though it came in later life for me. Finally I have the words to explain why I felt so different and I can now extend compassion to myself, instead of internalised criticism and hatred. I'm also now able to understand and meet my autistic needs much better than before. 

    My school reports were all the same....."not reaching her full potential" and  "could do more." I was naturally academic and had a good memory so was considered bright, able and capable by teachers. My social and emotional needs were completely unseen  and unmet and it was those primarily that held me back as I desperately struggled. 

Children
  • in reply to Nat7146

    The dreaded 'could do better', of course I could if I'd have had my learning difficulties diagnoses, even the astigmatism in one eye, they were quite capable of finding those and giving corrective lens's, But of course, so much seemed to be discovered or recognised in the few years after I left school, it still seemed very class based and a post code lottery of who could or would be tested and working class girls were at the bottom of the list, as long as we could pop babies out and do housework tat was all that seemed to matter.

    That world is almost unrecognisable now, when I tell many younger people what things were like when I was growing up, they either look at me like I'm an historical object or like I'm lying or exagerating. I'm so glad it's different now, that being "shy" isn't seen as socially desirable in girls, that quite rightly people ask questions. I'm glad that a lot of the stigma has gone, no one says 'men don't make passes at girls who wear glasses' anymore, let alone beig treated like an axe murderer if you had a psychological or learning issue.