Hi - 58 year old female here

Hi and welcome to the community! 

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

While you wait for your assessment, you might find these NAS resources helpful. They explain the main signs / symptoms / characteristics of autism, so could be helpful for identifying and noting down, ready for your assessment, any additional things that you might recognise in yourself:

NAS - What is autism?

NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic - includes over 60 signs

This article might also be helpful:

NAS - Autistic women and girls

It includes, for example:

"Autistic characteristics in women and girls may differ from those of other autistic people. They might seem to have fewer social difficulties than autistic men and boys, but this could be because they are more likely to 'mask' their autistic traits (though the stress of doing so can result in anxiety and overwhelm)"

You might also find the resources in the NAS's diagnosis hub helpful - they cover all stages of the process and include, for example:

NAS - What can I do while waiting for an autism assessment

Many of us have also experienced doubts about whether or not we're autistic; this is often referred to as imposter syndrome. We can experience it both before and after diagnosis, and not necessarily only for one period of time. 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

Hi and welcome to the community! 

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

While you wait for your assessment, you might find these NAS resources helpful. They explain the main signs / symptoms / characteristics of autism, so could be helpful for identifying and noting down, ready for your assessment, any additional things that you might recognise in yourself:

NAS - What is autism?

NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic - includes over 60 signs

This article might also be helpful:

NAS - Autistic women and girls

It includes, for example:

"Autistic characteristics in women and girls may differ from those of other autistic people. They might seem to have fewer social difficulties than autistic men and boys, but this could be because they are more likely to 'mask' their autistic traits (though the stress of doing so can result in anxiety and overwhelm)"

You might also find the resources in the NAS's diagnosis hub helpful - they cover all stages of the process and include, for example:

NAS - What can I do while waiting for an autism assessment

Many of us have also experienced doubts about whether or not we're autistic; this is often referred to as imposter syndrome. We can experience it both before and after diagnosis, and not necessarily only for one period of time. 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