Diagnosed at 71

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 so many things, this can also include experiencing so-called "imposter syndrome" and/or (backward-focused) anger, frustration, grieving, and more. So please don't worry - it's been a normal part of the process for many of us! 

You might find these resources helpful:

NAS - How will I feel after receiving an autism diagnosis - includes an example of someone else discussing their experience of imposter syndrome. 

Psychology Today - Why do I feel like an imposter after my autism diagnosis? - 6 ways to overcome imposter syndrome after a later-in-life autism diagnosis

Authentically Emily - Autistic imposter syndrome

More generally in respect of your diagnosis, you might find the other NAS articles here helpful as a starting point - they include perspectives from other autistic people:

NAS - After 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 are often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you prefer, depending on where you are in the UK, you might instead be able to self refer for talking therapy on the NHS. 

Before arranging anything, you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, which includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with 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

Finally, I'll just mention a couple of books that I and others have found helpful early on in our post-diagnosis journeys:

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

How to Be Autistic (free download currently available via this page)

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 so many things, this can also include experiencing so-called "imposter syndrome" and/or (backward-focused) anger, frustration, grieving, and more. So please don't worry - it's been a normal part of the process for many of us! 

You might find these resources helpful:

NAS - How will I feel after receiving an autism diagnosis - includes an example of someone else discussing their experience of imposter syndrome. 

Psychology Today - Why do I feel like an imposter after my autism diagnosis? - 6 ways to overcome imposter syndrome after a later-in-life autism diagnosis

Authentically Emily - Autistic imposter syndrome

More generally in respect of your diagnosis, you might find the other NAS articles here helpful as a starting point - they include perspectives from other autistic people:

NAS - After 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 are often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange. If you prefer, depending on where you are in the UK, you might instead be able to self refer for talking therapy on the NHS. 

Before arranging anything, you might find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, which includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with 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

Finally, I'll just mention a couple of books that I and others have found helpful early on in our post-diagnosis journeys:

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

How to Be Autistic (free download currently available via this page)