Late diagnosed autism or adhd

[whatisforteamum]

If you are late diagnosed with ADHD assessment or autism are you glad you didn't know before?
I only got diagnosed this summer and while I did find socialising and crowded places difficult I'm glad I just carried on in areas I could cope.
I read about the grief of late diagnosis yet in convinced I was better off not knowing.
How about you.?

Thanks for posting OP. My child is going through the diagnostic process. Once complete I might do the same.

Currently I’m angry that my non- typical traits were brushed over when I was a child, and that I had to struggle without support and a permanent sinking feeling that I was “different”. Although I feel I missed out in childhood, I’m not sure about the benefits to me as an adult.

I’ve only heard positive stories from people who pursued late diagnosis but I’m unsure.

I realise this doesn’t help OP (sorry).

I’ve been diagnosed with both as an adult. I really wish i had been diagnosed as a child as my childhood and school experience was awful and maybe I could have got some support. I’ve always felt like a failure as I couldn’t cope with life as a child and as an adult I can’t live alone successfully and I’m way too reliant on DH. Now im diagnosed I’m beginning to accept that it’s maybe not all my fault and some things are out of my control.

My diagnosis has helped explain things I suppose, but other than that it hasn’t made any difference and so feels a bit pointless in a way. I don’t know what I expected though.
I did it privately and I suspect what would really make a difference is medication but I can’t afford it.

Overthebow similar with DH.I would be overwhelmed by all the responsibility and he now drives as I had to stop.
My late df pushed me as a young adult and so I've always worked and bought a house and had dcs.
I can't help thinking diagnosis would have hindered this.
Maybe it would explain agoraphobia and eating disorder though.

I’m a little less of a harsh critic of myself nowadays…but I do feel I learnt (with a lot of effort and a fair bit of angst) some resilience and coping strategies I maybe wouldn’t have done with a childhood diagnosis (I’m that old they weren’t available back then, I was diagnosed as gifted at 10 though).
My children have diagnoses and they’ve grown up with more confidence than I ever had, the world scared me tbh…I hid it well, but it did.

Granny teapot I partly got diagnosed for my adult dcs.
I think my DD has ADHD and ds perhaps autistic traits.
I always thought he was bullied at school as he was so very quiet .
Like you say we didn't know then.

I went to University, got a great job, married and had a kid. Then I burnt out when she was 3 years old. I was off work for nearly 2 years and am now back on very very reduced hours (lucky to have a company who are so supportive). But I am a shadow of my pre-burnout self.

The diagnosis has helped me to seek appropriate help privately and to get adjustments that have helped me to go back at all.

If I had had a diagnosis earlier perhaps I would have been better at managing myself and I could have avoided becoming so ill.

I don't blame anyone though. High masking female autism just would never have been spotted in the 80's and 90's. I was just the weird, smart kid who was a fussy eater, had weird interests and got overly freaked by exams and change. I was lucky to have supportive parents, teachers and friends so my school years weren't too bad.

I know what you mean about powering through. But I understand now that it doesn't have to be all or nothing, and I'm better at making myself do stuff so as not to get overwhelmed. I'm awaiting assessment for both adhd and autism.

When I think back to my school days, the signs were there. I was bullied for having a monotone voice, a non expressive face and for copying others. I have also had intense obsessions with things and people throughout my life. I'm not diagnosed but my eldest is, youngest is on the pathway. Having the knowledge I have now, I can see there are many others in my extended family who are clearly ND. Some know, some haven't got a clue. I'd like to be diagnosed but not sure if I have enough faith in the NHS and don't have the money for private!

I do wish I'd been diagnosed younger. I knew i was different in some way in my teens, and hated myself for finding acting normal so hard.spent my twenties in and out of mental hospital and never managed a job. Finally diagnosed aged 47.
If I had known younger, I would have had an explanation and strategies to manage it.

I didn't get my autism diagnosis until I was in my early 50s.

I really wish that I had been diagnosed as a child. When I first approached my gp, he asked if I was sure I wanted to go through the assessment process because I seemed to be doing well in life (I have a partner and dc and a decent job) and that if I was diagnosed with asd, it was unlikely that any support would be available.

I'm really glad that I did go ahead because it helped me to understand myself.

It would have been helpful to have known years earlier. It would have explained to me and to others why I found some things difficult and some situations stressful.

I'm still waiting for the autism assessment my ADHD assessment listed autistic traits.
My DH doesn't want to know about it as he is older than me and doesn't keep up with development in diagnosis.

Reallifeclanger I'm sorry to hear that you were bullied.😭

I was diagnosed earlier this year.

I wish I'd known a long time ago. It explains so much about why I've struggled and I don't think I'd have had so many burnouts and shutdowns if I'd known I was autistic.

i wish i would have known years earlier i had ADHD my life could have looked a lot different

Chips and peas how did it affect you symptom wise ?

Being undiagnosed just brought trauma, abuse and addiction my way, so no I’m not glad I didn’t know before. Before the penny dropped and I realised I was full of self hate, destructive behaviours and incredibly vulnerable. Being diagnosed was absolutely life changing for me.

Can I ask if anyone diagnosed has tried medication, and how they have found it?

I'm diagnosed with autism and take paroxetine to help with my anxiety and the intrusive thoughts I used to get. It took some getting used to but it's made a massive difference long-term.

Left what are your traits if you don't mind me asking?

I wish I'd known sooner, like "as a child" sooner. There's so much harm I suffered that could have been avoided.

Think childhood sexual assault and bullying because no adults in charge recognised that I didn't have the social skills or awareness of other people's ugly motives to detect and avoid abusers. Think self-harm and suicide attempts because I kept getting social interactions wrong and thinking it was my fault and feeling so unbearably guilty.

Sorry to read this.
I hope you are feeling ok now.