Did a diagnosis of autism help you, as an adult?

[DickJagger]

Not sure how to word this right. I've always been different to other people. Known that I act and think differently but I have rubbed along OK. Have a couple of friends. Get on with people at work in certain circumstances. A new colleague said to me the other week, 'you present as very autistic'. I'm not going into if that was rude or not! It made me think, oh, is that it?

I could list all my....quirks but I don't know if that would help.

I am more interested in knowing if, as an adult, you were officially given a diagnosis, did it help you?

Thanks.

If it is pertinent I am 42 and a woman.

I don't know if listing all my 'things' would help!

Absolutely. Gave me access to support workers, an understanding of why i have never been able to work and the opportunity to learn how my brain works and why social communication is so difficult. Why I am different from the majority.
I too was in my forties when diagnosed.

Thanks for replying. That's very useful.

Do you find life easier to navigate now? If you don't mind me asking that.

Although from your OP, it seems maybe you dont need support? So it depends if you would like it to further understand yourself
Although I think maybea diagnosis is only made if it affects your functioning. Does it?

Yes it's easier because I have support workers supplied by social services to help me with shopping, to accompany me to medical appointments and to make phone calls for me and help with paperwork etc.

My sister got a diagnosis as a teenager. It has been incredibly helpful to her.

I think I am also autistic but don't feel a need to get a diagnosis. I don't have need of support services and don't think there is any benefit to me. Having the awareness that I probably am, and understanding myself better as a result, is helpful though. So I think a diagnosis can be helpful but not strictly necessary.

I don't know. I mean, i've got to 42! My life has been, and is, hard. But it has always been the same, do you know what I mean?

That is why I am questioning it. Would a "label" help me? If it helped me access people or services that could help me find an easier way through life then great. But would it? At this age?

I only learnt the term "masking" through mumsnet. I wasn't aware I was doing this thing until I read about it. Then I sort of went, ohhhhhhh. Now I get it.

It's also helped me with learning what I need including sensory needs, strategies to deal with overwhelm, meltdowns etc.

I have a sibling who is very likely autistic but with very different presentation. He has a high powered job and manages very well, so he hasn't needed a diagnosis but uses the knowledge to understand himself better.

Following this with interest. I'm on the waitlist for assessment for ADHD and ASD. Initially from a friend pointing it out and since then 2 independent therapists that I've seen for unrelated issues have suggested I should be assessed. I've always been weird, but never really considered why. Just tried to fix the issues as they've been pointed out.

I don't have the answer to your question, but I suspect the main benefit would be from self awareness and an ability to then 'fix' or improve anything that's causing you issues day to day.

In my case even the idea of me potentially having ASD or ADHD has really helped me and my husband in our relationship. I'm more likely to recognise when I'm being chronically inflexibile/un reasonable and explain it to my husband in a way that I never could before.

It also would explain why I had to work so hard on EQ at work. I've done so much training at work around reading people, active listening, how to present yourself for success etc. Not to mention hundreds of hours on behavioural psychology, child development etc. Effectively building skills that I'm naturally rubbish at.

The main thing I'm looking to get from assessment and any potential diagnosis is that I can access tailored CBT for a number of my issues. I get overwhelmed to the point of meltdown on a near daily basis. Often being rendered speechless/in tears from seemingly innocuous things. Not to mention the high levels of anxiety from basic life things. If I can address that (and many many hours of standard CBT hasn't made a dent in any of it) then I'll be much happier as a person. Time will tell.

Well it helped me get services when older than you, so it may well do. I guess it also depends what's available in your area.

Re PP and CBT, yes, I have been told it would only work for me if specially tailored to an autistic way of thinking. No specialist practitioners in my area though.
I do think self understanding is something people deserve so it may well be worth it for that reason. It makes me a bit less hard on myself for all my difficulties.

I am glad to hear that you have been able to find coping strategies.

Curiosity101

Thank you for replying to me.

I read your post with interest.

I hope that you get the CBT that you need. I really do.

Yes. It has helped me be forgiving towards myself. I don't feel so pathetic about not being able to do things other people take for granted. I understand myself and my difficulties better - knowing there is a reason for them and I don't just need to 'do better'.

For me, it has not brought in any external support. But that wasn't what I was looking for anyway.

This feels quite relevant to me. I feel like I need an "excuse" for being so shit at life.

I am glad you are feeling better about yourself.

It made me feel a lot better. I am in a similar position to you and it made me feel like maybe the difficulties I've experienced and continue to experience are not just down to me being crap; sometimes, it may be down to differences in my brain as well. It makes me go slightly easier on myself then I have done to date, which many people have told me to do.

That sounds good! I would like to understand myself more but I feel like I am too "old" (I know I am not old, but you know, too old to change).

I appreciate all the replies, genuinely.

I will list a few of my "quirks".

I don't like change. I get terrible anxiety if there is a change in my day to day routine.
I don't like being touched or hugged or patted. I can touch my husband but I can't hug my mum or sisters.

I have trichotillomania.
Chronic anxiety.
Can't turn my brain off. If I wake at 3am then my brain is ON.
I can't stand disorder. I can't cope with seeing someones bracelet too far down their wrist. Makes me itch inside.

I can't stand noise. More, background noise, slurping, chewing, eating.
Can't stand crowds.
Like being alone.
Can't tolerate certain fabrics.
Can't tolerate certain clothes because of if they aren't tight enough/loose enough.
Fixate on subjects.
Tell people (without them asking) about my subject.

Fucks sake.

I was diagnosed 2 years ago at age 34. It gave me support in my OU degree. And it allowed me to request a reduction of work hours on disability grounds, which has been granted. In a sector that really only employs full time.

That is a snapshot. I did think (and still do) that that is just me.

I would love someone to say no, "you have this". You can help yourself by doing "this".

Oh well done you! What are you studying?

I'm studying economics, in year 5 of 6. I've had a weekly 1-1 tutor funded with a disability grant since last year and my grades increased from 40% to 70s%

All they taught me was how to learn, what a marker looks for in an essay and how to read the question, rather than mis read it as I always did.

I’m in my late 30s, externally look like I’m functioning just fine… and 90% of the way there to an ADHD and ASD diagnosis. Even at this stage I feel kinder to myself and faster to stand up for things I need. As in, if I’m nearing overwhelm and someone turns up to slurp their hot tea near me, I prompt them to fuck off or I do.

Oh you go! Fantastic!