Just wanted to say hi.

Hi to all you lovely people, I think I am going to feel at home in this forum as I can relate to a lot of what is discussed.

I have not been assessed or diagnosed with autism but recently had an enlightenment.

I am male and fifty four years old. I read an account of a lady who was diagnosed at fourty plus years old. Pretty much her life was much like mine. I was overcome with emotion as I read her struggles. First happiness then anger then a feeling of loss? Basically I cried my eyes out and blubber like a child. My mind was desperately trying to come to terms with the realisation of why I had struggled all my life to just co exhist in this world. I do not intend being formerly diagnosed. It has changed my life in that I find myself being more me. Instead of constantly adapting to fit any given situation. Honestly I don't really know who the real me is?

so that's me in a nutshell.

Parents
  • Hi, step mother of a newly diagnosed ASD 16 y/o girl. Her big sis is diagnosed ADHD. Both girls have a diagnosis of dyslexia. I have a diagnosis of DCD/dyspraxia. My partner's psychologist thinks that he's likely dual diagnosis ADHD/ASD. I've got more family on the spectrum than not.

    Whereas my family worked out that you supported each other to function inspite of difference, my SOs family was not great and without his Dad would have never done as well as he did. His ex has been actively oppositional and disruptive of the girls getting help. So a new diagnosis in my family of origin is greeted with "what's the plan", but with SO and his girls we've had to work through the grief of missed opportunity and misunderstanding.

    I say that a diagnosis needs to serve a purpose. So the girls get support at school because of the diagnosis...and that's why getting it formalised was important. My SO and I are reflecting on whether getting his ASD diagnosed serves a purpose above and beyond his existing ADHD diagnosis. My DCD diagnosis was quite by accident through a work colleague having an interest in adult presentation of the condition...but I wouldn't have sought one from scratch as I already had good coping strategies.

    I would recommend any of Tiny Attwood's books on ASD to get a full understanding of your insight. Be kind to yourself in the process.



Reply
  • Hi, step mother of a newly diagnosed ASD 16 y/o girl. Her big sis is diagnosed ADHD. Both girls have a diagnosis of dyslexia. I have a diagnosis of DCD/dyspraxia. My partner's psychologist thinks that he's likely dual diagnosis ADHD/ASD. I've got more family on the spectrum than not.

    Whereas my family worked out that you supported each other to function inspite of difference, my SOs family was not great and without his Dad would have never done as well as he did. His ex has been actively oppositional and disruptive of the girls getting help. So a new diagnosis in my family of origin is greeted with "what's the plan", but with SO and his girls we've had to work through the grief of missed opportunity and misunderstanding.

    I say that a diagnosis needs to serve a purpose. So the girls get support at school because of the diagnosis...and that's why getting it formalised was important. My SO and I are reflecting on whether getting his ASD diagnosed serves a purpose above and beyond his existing ADHD diagnosis. My DCD diagnosis was quite by accident through a work colleague having an interest in adult presentation of the condition...but I wouldn't have sought one from scratch as I already had good coping strategies.

    I would recommend any of Tiny Attwood's books on ASD to get a full understanding of your insight. Be kind to yourself in the process.



Children
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