Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, I've been recently diagnosed with autism at the age of 20 (now 21) and I'm still really confused and overwhelmed by everything. It's hard to come to terms with the fact that I'm autistic and I often struggle to recognize myself being different to allistic people - even tho I am which makes seeing my needs or even recognizing what my needs are even more complicated and confusing
I don't know if I'm really autistic or if I just think I am - At first I felt relieved about the diagnosis because it finally made sense, but now I just doubt myself. Especially because a lot of people that I talked to about my autism diagnosis (even a therapist), told me that I should be careful and cautious of a diagnosis. And I'm just really confused? They often tell me that it's just a matter of will power. This just gives me so much anxiety, like am I just pretending? Even if I'm not autistic I still struggle don't I? Does anyone relate or is it just me?
I hope this somehow makes sense. If anyone can help me with this I'd be super thankful.
Btw sorry if there's any mistakes, english is not my first language.
Hi yours is not a massivley late diagnosis, I am 54 and reciently diagnosed. I think many of us feel how you do. Am I a fraud, am I really that autistic, should I just get my act together, and things like that. I have been there so many times over the past few years. Only you can know how you are in your own mind. Learn to live with it, wish I had known at 20, find out who you really are, take your time.
Personally I have had good and bad times in my life, some I can now see are autism related, some just the hand that life as delt me. Since my diagnosis I have been kinder to myself, push myself less to do uncomftable things and made my wife accept that.