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Female 67 years old. Should I get assessment?

Ice Swimmer

Hi

I am trying to decide whether to get a formal  assessment or not.
Due to a number of events and conversation, I have reviewed my life and taken some online autism tests. In the tests I score highly. I have been shocked by how high, but I have a distrust of online tests, even though I believe I have only used ones which are offered by reputable groups with academic backing as far as I can tell.
I am 67 year old woman. If I was 20 years younger, I would definitely get tested as a diagnosis can help in the workplace. But, I am now retired and I can't help thinking that the meagre resources available should be used by those who will get the most benefit - ideally children. I have considered a private assessment but I have only seen 4 figure sums quoted, which is more than I can afford.
A diagnosis of autism would explain some character traits and a number of the difficulties I have had in life: accusations of being abrupt, finding social situations and making eye contact difficult, having hobbies, activities and interests that I focus on obsessively for a time, liking patterns which led to a love of Mathematics, being a "loner", disliking certain food combinations (e.g. custard and ice cream), meltdowns etc. It could also help with my mental health (hospitalised - including 2 sections - 4 times for extremely severe depression and anxiety + social care) and the type of support I get.
Parents

  • Thank you for the useful comments

    I went ahead and talked to my GP. After a short discussion she stated categorically that I am autistic, and empathised with the stress I must have been under all my life due to masking. She also, apologetically, offered me an assessment if I am prepared to wait 4 years.

    I keep finding myself reviewing my life in the light of this diagnosis. So much makes sense now. I do wonder who the real me might be. I have spent so much time masking that I do not know how not to.

  • in reply to Ice Swimmer

    How lovely that your GP was so sympathetic and onboard with your self diagnosis and is putting you forward for an official diagnosis :) I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

    I'm also in my 60s and I have to say I was stunned when my daughter suggested I might be autistic. Quite a few years ago I took an online test but with the benefit of hindsight I realised I was answering the questions as a masked person, still trying to fit in. I do find quite a lot of the questions ambiguous but answering them as I'm very slowly unmasking I get a very different result. 

    Seeing people of my age group coming to the realisation that they're autistic and getting a diagnosis is incredibly helpful to me because I keep questioning how on earth could anyone reach my age before finding out this vital information about themselves!  I feel less alone knowing I'm not the only one going through this so thank you for posting 

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  • in reply to Ice Swimmer

    How lovely that your GP was so sympathetic and onboard with your self diagnosis and is putting you forward for an official diagnosis :) I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

    I'm also in my 60s and I have to say I was stunned when my daughter suggested I might be autistic. Quite a few years ago I took an online test but with the benefit of hindsight I realised I was answering the questions as a masked person, still trying to fit in. I do find quite a lot of the questions ambiguous but answering them as I'm very slowly unmasking I get a very different result. 

    Seeing people of my age group coming to the realisation that they're autistic and getting a diagnosis is incredibly helpful to me because I keep questioning how on earth could anyone reach my age before finding out this vital information about themselves!  I feel less alone knowing I'm not the only one going through this so thank you for posting 

Children
  • in reply to Inula

    Thank you for this. It really helps me to read it. As I said above I am 60 and diagnosed in March after years of struggle anxiety and hiding. I am still coming to terms with it. It’s hard. I also wonder how I could possibly have lived all of these years and not known. I have lived a life of shame and fear thinking myself to be weird.