Agreed. Excellent article, and sympathies to all of you. I'm nearly 50. I've excellent academic qualifications, but have a precarious employment history. I was bullied from the age of 5 until I was 15 at all my schools, and have experienced workplace bullying. This led to anxiety problems a few years ago, and my realisation that I am Aspie. My Dad said that some of my behaviours and abilities in early childhood had struck him (a psychology student) as unusual, but in those days (late '60s), I don't think professionals even thought about the 'high functioning' end of the spectrum. When I raised the subject of diagnosis, my GP suggested I contact the local NHS Mental Health helpline, but that did not strike me as an appropriate route to follow. I also don't like the idea of having to wait for a "call back" from them: I prefer to speak directly to someone when I call them.
My late maternal uncle was also undiagnosed, although (being male) more overtly symptomatic to modern eyes. We used to get on well, as he could tell the story of pretty well every film he'd seen since the mid-30s. But, quite simply, for his generation (b. 1930, Northern working-class), autism wasn't on anyone's radar, and he was just considered "shy" and socially awkward.
Both your stories sound all too familiar. For my sons, help came way too late and we ended up having to get private reports in the end. Tragic when you consider what a difference early intervention could have made.
For my brother; God rest him, way too late also. He too took his own life when overwhelmed by a workplace bully.
Years ago those with Autism; diagnosed or not, were probably commited to asylums. Awful when you look back.
Hopefully, articles like this will help raise awareness though.
An interesting article. It comes too late for many of us.
I am in my 60s and undiagnosed. I doubt that the nhs will ever deal with the enormous backlog of undiagnosed women. They will as ever concentrate on children.
Too late for my daughter too. After being treated for severe depression, given lithium and a range of other drugs, they arrived at ocd and personality disorder. To me, that is a real no hope diagnosis. We watched as an intelligent, able woman's life disintegrated around her. She eventually took her own life five years ago.
A failure for the nhs, a tragedy for our family and a waste of a life with so much to offer the community.
I wonder what percentage of the UK suicide statistics, are autistic, diagnosed and undiagnosed.
