Hi

Congratulations on your diagnosis and welcome to the community!

There are plenty of late-diagnosed and self-realised people here, so you're in good company.

As a starting point, you might find these resources helpful - they include perspectives from other autistic people:

NAS - After diagnosis - including: 

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

Therapy or counselling are often recommended after a diagnosis, as a follow up action for your GP to arrange (you might find this in your report, in due course). 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)

Thank you very much for that. I will certainly check out those books, and the after diagnosis link. They gave me the results over the phone and left me with nothing, no guidance or support or further information they just said they would send the report in avout a month. Obviously I have tons of questions so your message is gratefully recieved 

You're most welcome! 

After getting over the initial impact (I was also told the result at the end of my assessment), my diagnosis turned out to be the start of a journey of self-led learning and adapting, aided by some initial NHS counselling.

I'd suggest taking extra care to be patient to, and kind with, yourself - and to take your time with processing everything.

Thank you :) I appreciate your input today. It meant a lot

Thank you :) I appreciate your input today. It meant a lot