• Replies 19 replies
  • Subscribers 80 subscribers
  • Views 633 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

New here and waiting for ADHD and Autism assessments

Curious Panda

Hello,

I am new here. A 38 year old female who is waiting for assessment/diagnosis.

I have spent the best part of my late 20s and early 30s diagnosed with anxiety and varying levels of low mood / depression at different "blips" in my life.

I am on medication for the anxiety, but more and more I think it likely I have had neurodivergent burn-out from years of masking. My reading and research has led me to spotting similarities with my own experiences and traits with symptoms associated with neurodivergence. 

My biggest question is had I known or had just a clearer understanding of my neurodivergence, what could I have been/what could i have achieved? Anyone else experience these questions too?

I look forward to contributing to the community.

Best wishes,

Curious (one word that best describes me) Panda (my favourite animal)

Parents

  • Welcome and I hope you find lots of help and encouragement,

    You asked "what could I have been/what could I have achieved?" 

    I have had similar thoughts over the last 5 months, since my autism diagnosis in my early 70s. Actually "What could have been" doesn't matter to me now. I was an undiagnosed person for 70 years who struggled very hard to be neurotypical, had numerous burnouts, episodes of deep depression and anxiety, etc. Nothing will change my past but I feel I should remember it. 

    Now, I have been an autistic person person for 5 months (but actually for over 70 years).  Now I understand all the important stuff like:
    - why I am so untidy
    - why I have meltdowns and burnouts
    - why I get a buzz from things that are smooth to the touch like glass marbles, or food that is smooth to the mouth like jelly, ice-cream. Mmm  
    - why I have happily climbed mountains but am still nervous of the dentist
    - why I can hear approaching, planes, cars, etc. before anyone else
    - why I can tell that the atmospheric pressure in dropping
    - why I do not like loud noise, bright light, strong tasting foods, etc. 
    - why I don't form meaningful and/or longterm friendships
    - why I all these hyphens are evenly spaced
    - why there is no-one quite like me
    - and more

    So what "I could have done" doesn't matter that much. For me, who I am is a great thing to both understand and be! 

    Hoping you too, have a great journey into your future.

Reply

  • Welcome and I hope you find lots of help and encouragement,

    You asked "what could I have been/what could I have achieved?" 

    I have had similar thoughts over the last 5 months, since my autism diagnosis in my early 70s. Actually "What could have been" doesn't matter to me now. I was an undiagnosed person for 70 years who struggled very hard to be neurotypical, had numerous burnouts, episodes of deep depression and anxiety, etc. Nothing will change my past but I feel I should remember it. 

    Now, I have been an autistic person person for 5 months (but actually for over 70 years).  Now I understand all the important stuff like:
    - why I am so untidy
    - why I have meltdowns and burnouts
    - why I get a buzz from things that are smooth to the touch like glass marbles, or food that is smooth to the mouth like jelly, ice-cream. Mmm  
    - why I have happily climbed mountains but am still nervous of the dentist
    - why I can hear approaching, planes, cars, etc. before anyone else
    - why I can tell that the atmospheric pressure in dropping
    - why I do not like loud noise, bright light, strong tasting foods, etc. 
    - why I don't form meaningful and/or longterm friendships
    - why I all these hyphens are evenly spaced
    - why there is no-one quite like me
    - and more

    So what "I could have done" doesn't matter that much. For me, who I am is a great thing to both understand and be! 

    Hoping you too, have a great journey into your future.

Children
No Data