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Sense of Identity

JMD

I’m 64 and have been telling people about my recent autism diagnosis. So many of them have responded with - “it’s just the same you, but with a label”. Or “I think we’re all on the spectrum”. Or “ But you’re really confident and obviously high functioning.”

I am beginning to realise that nobody knows me at all. It wasn’t a surprise that I’m autistic but it is still a seismic shift for me to really see and feel myself fully unmasked for the first time. I feel like I am hyper aware of my autistic traits, feelings and responses. I didn’t feel like I was functioning well before (despite looking like I was to others), but I feel even less functioning now.

I think I need to know that other people have experienced and felt what I am experiencing and feeling. Anyone?

Parents

  • Congratulations on finally getting your diagnosis. I can absolutely relate with this - when I first told my family and partner about getting an asd assessment I was questioned at first and also had the experience of ‘we all feel like that at some points’ or ‘thats not autism’. It was very frustrating to me but I realised that I hadn’t shown them the true extent of how I feel in certain scenarios because of being high masking. 
    Over the coming months I started to unmask and this showed the impact rather than me getting frustrated at trying to explain myself and not be validated or understood. 

    It’s a long process and I have only just recently been diagnosed myself but this is for me and only me. People can choose to try to understand and educated themselves on what helps you and what doesn’t or just think this is a label but ultimately that isn’t going to change who you are moving forward. 

    Looo after yourself

Reply

  • Congratulations on finally getting your diagnosis. I can absolutely relate with this - when I first told my family and partner about getting an asd assessment I was questioned at first and also had the experience of ‘we all feel like that at some points’ or ‘thats not autism’. It was very frustrating to me but I realised that I hadn’t shown them the true extent of how I feel in certain scenarios because of being high masking. 
    Over the coming months I started to unmask and this showed the impact rather than me getting frustrated at trying to explain myself and not be validated or understood. 

    It’s a long process and I have only just recently been diagnosed myself but this is for me and only me. People can choose to try to understand and educated themselves on what helps you and what doesn’t or just think this is a label but ultimately that isn’t going to change who you are moving forward. 

    Looo after yourself

Children
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