I'm a 38 year old who is only now being referred for an assessment for autism and ADHD. Partly due to my amazing therapist and my new Doctor. Because I've always had severe mental health issues, both I and others have never assumed it was anything else despite the fact I'm also dyslexic and at school I was labelled as having behavioural issues rather than learning or neurological issues. As a child I experienced severe trauma and the environment I grew up in was not conducive to being given any support, least of all from my parents, so I learned to mask and be odedient at a very young age..not doing anything that would earn a reprimand from my parents (though that didn't completely stop them).
Anyway I've basically been masking my whole life and my doctor is referring me to be assessed..she is trying to work it through the Mental Health angle at the services (and mental health hospital) near me, so that I might not be waiting quite as long to be seen.
I trust her judgement but I've been to the hospital before a few times for crisis management and the staff there seemed very badly trained there and I'm reluctant to let them handle my assessment due to past experiences there.
