Published on 12, July, 2020
I've recently, as a mid-twenties woman, been diagnosed with autism. Although it feels like a part of me has finally been recognised I have been masking my whole life and now I feel a little lost and confused. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice about resources and next steps for someone like me to feel a bit more comfortable with the diagnosis?
Thanks for tagging me in your comment!
Hi. Welcome to your autistic community!
It’s natural to feel a whole range of emotions about autistic identification, you are not alone.
Below I have linked to some resources and videos which you may find particularly useful given your stage of autistic discovery:
Aucademy - autistic experience education platform. Very comprehensive and brilliant place to start exploring your autistic profile and community:
Aucademy YouTube channel:
https://youtube.com/@aucademy6195?si=99FBgKvPMtKxTD5P
Six common reactions during autistic discovery (article and video format).https://aucademy.co.uk/2022/01/20/six-common-reactions-during-autistic-discovery/
The above link may particularly resonate with you.
Aucademy website:
https://aucademy.co.uk/
I hope this helps!
Me too (but 60-year old man). Just diagnosed and want to know what to do with that information and how to understand my own autism better. There surely must be a page here addressing that question, but all I can find here is a page about benefits and accommodation in education and employment. Useful, but nothing on getting mental health care or support.
Hi there. Welcome to the forum. Have you seen our other thread on books?
https://community.autism.org.uk/f/women-and-girls/35552/books-books-books
I am currently listening to the audiobook of Neurotribes. There are also lots of good stuff on social media, but I am 52 so not really on top of those things. Maybe Ausomely Autistic you can advise.
Take care of yourself.
I was diagnosed at the age of 50 and it came as a huge relief, finally I was able to stop balming myself for my "weirdness" and mentally give back a lot of the criticism I'd had throughout my life to the people who it belonged too. I wasn't given any help or support just left to get on with it, even 12 years ago women with ASD was still unusual, it was thought that seeing as I'd got to 50 fairly unscathed I was OK. I am OK, but I'm not, there are some areas where I still really struggle, I have terrible foot in mouth syndrome and often try and use my other foot to try to remove the first one. I still fear saying the wrong thing. Some resourses may be available locally to you, you'll have to check out whats nearby.
I think the most important piece of advice I could offer, is to use this diagnosis as a starting point, dont' let it define you, let it empower you to be the person you want and need to be. So what if other's want you to be a certain way and do certain things in a certain way, they're not you and this goes for anybody regardless of any diagnosis. Society expects certain things from all of us and I think most people struggle some of the time. Allow yourself room to grow, I'm still growing and I'm old enough to be your mum, life's journey will be easier if you don't hem yourself in by whats expected of you as a person, a woman, or a person with ASD. Another thing I'd say is get used to the idea that the only constant in life is change, many of us fear change, but change dosen't have to be bad and even when it's something we'd rather not happen, we all still have power with it, we can shape how the change effects us,