Couldn’t find a thread on this so thought I’d make one for any other people diagnosed with this just to share their stories/resources/have a chat. I wanted to keep the focus on adults rather than parents of kids with ASD.
I was diagnosed when I was 31. I waited almost three years for my diagnosis and had an 8-week course afterwards, but no other support. Never had I imagined I’d have autism, I was always told it was anxiety/depression from the age of 4 (which struck me as odd). That was until I met a girl on a course I was doing who had Asperger’s and suggested I seek diagnosis. I suspect I have ADHD but they didn’t dig on that during my diagnosis, just said I had traits.
I went back to the office today and trying to keep a lid on all of the negative emotions of “neurotypical expectations” but it’s hard. It’s held me back career/relationship-wise so much. Having masked for so long (draining), I doubt I’d ever tell my employer, for example, that I have Asperger’s. I’d rather be seen as the “quiet/antisocial one”.
My experiences are compounded by toxic relationships in child and adulthood so I’m still on a path of self-parenting to become my authentic (autistic) self.
What are your experiences?
I was diagnosed when I was 31. I waited almost three years for my diagnosis and had an 8-week course afterwards, but no other support. Never had I imagined I’d have autism, I was always told it was anxiety/depression from the age of 4 (which struck me as odd). That was until I met a girl on a course I was doing who had Asperger’s and suggested I seek diagnosis. I suspect I have ADHD but they didn’t dig on that during my diagnosis, just said I had traits.
I went back to the office today and trying to keep a lid on all of the negative emotions of “neurotypical expectations” but it’s hard. It’s held me back career/relationship-wise so much. Having masked for so long (draining), I doubt I’d ever tell my employer, for example, that I have Asperger’s. I’d rather be seen as the “quiet/antisocial one”.
My experiences are compounded by toxic relationships in child and adulthood so I’m still on a path of self-parenting to become my authentic (autistic) self.
What are your experiences?
so sorry to hear about your experience with trying to access support 
Have you tried community groups or anything else to help? It’s mad how it’s purely a diagnostic pathway.
I know autism is not a MH issue, ftr. The older I get, the less I care, but it’s hard when you live in this constant state of worrying about who you are, just to exist (salary).