Women with autism, anyone?

[ProfessorPickles]

I think I may be autistic and I'm feeling extremely anxious about going to see my GP. From what I understand, the signs of autism in women is different from in men meaning a lot of women go undiagnosed as they learn to mask their symptoms and I'm terrified that I will get laughed out of the room because of this.

If you're a woman with autism, how did you first realise? What were the signs?

There appears to be a very limited amount of information online about it and I'm keen to learn more. From what I have read, it immediately made a lot of my life and behaviour finally make sense.

I have an eating disorder that has links with autism, OCD type behaviour and have learnt to mimic others in social situations. I remember actively standing and watching other people (girls in particularly) at school and mentally taking note on how what they said and how the others reacted etc in order to learn how to be a part of it myself.
I really struggle to understand the feelings and intentions of others which leads me to feeling frustrated and down. I sometimes feel like I'm just here to observe everyone else living and enjoying their lives but I can't quite be seen or heard.

I've never fit in with anyone in my entire life and have always been so different. I feel like autism could be the reason why.

Any responses would be great, it would be good to have someone to talk about this with as I'm currently reluctant to in RL!

Hi, I strongly suspect I have ASD too, I have 2 dc's who are diagnosed. I'm not sure I feel the need to get a diagnosis, I am who I am, I have OCD tendencies, suffer with anxiety and bouts of anorexia. I have had help for the anxiety but my therapist said that anxiety is hard to treat in thought with ASD.

Hi Lovemusic33, thank you for your response!
I can understand why you don't feel the need for diagnosis as it is who you are, I feel like that too at times. But then at others I feel like if I got a diagnosis I could hopefully gain a better understanding about why I am like this and I think it would help my family understand why I am the way I am too.

I think understanding why I'm different would allow me to be a bit kinder to myself!

Look up the Girl with the curly hair. And the curly hair project. It's all ran by a woman with ASD. The Facebook page is good.

Thank you for the suggestion Untidy, I've followed the page!

My dd has HFA and everyone including my GP is pretty convinced I have it too. GP would refer me happily if I want.
However since we go dd's diagnosis I don't really feel the need. I've lived with it this long. A diagnosis wouldn't undo what's happened over the years and I'm armed now with the understanding that actually I'm doing pretty well. I can equip myself to deal with stuff and focus my energy and inside knowledge on ensuring dd has a happier time at school than I did.

Hello OP, i'm not sure if you know this but there is a long running thread for women how feel they may be autistic in the "Mumsnetters with special needs" section.

It's full of support and advice about where to start if you want to get a diagnoses.

here it is www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnetters_with_sn/2668895-Neurodiversity-support-thread-for-women-with-suspected-diagnosed-or-self-diagnosed-autism-ADHD-and-other-NDs

Hello! Yes, I was diagnosed in January, thanks to MN. I read the Tania Marshall guide and it rang bells. GP agreed to refer me and I was diagnosed (some 18 months later). Do come join us on the thread. There's a variety of us on there. Some with a diagnosis, some waiting, some happy to self-diagnose.

Thank you for the suggestions and support, it means a lot to me. I'm going to book a doctors appointment in the morning.

The problem is we don't have any regular GPs at the minute, as they're only temporary until someone new takes over the surgery. It is very disappointing as a doctor who was there before was fantastic and I know he would've listened to me, I'd have no problem going to see him about anything.

So tomorrow I will be telling a stranger! I'm really unsure how I will even tell them, I suppose I might have to write out what I want to say and why etc.
This is very scary! But will hopefully be worth while

Just at the doctors now waiting to go in, fingers crossed it goes well!

Good luck!

Good luck, I hope it goes well for you. I'm in a similar situation and considering asking my GP to be referred for an assessment soon. Did you bring notes with you?

Hope it goes well.

I was diagnosed with autism at age 32. I first suspected it a long time ago (about ten years), but realised it was very likely once my DS was diagnosed with autism and I spent a lot of time reading up on it and attending training days about it.

I had no issues getting a referral because of the family history and also because I have had a lot of MH issues which were rooted in the undiagnosed autism, so a lot of my difficulties were documented. I think it is harder for less severe cases who don't have their issues recorded in medical notes. It took about 2 months for me to get a diagnosis, as I was already in the system.The diagnosis was important for me personally, for my identity and also getting support for study, and it's also been useful when dealing with benefits (I get PIP) and other official bodies like housing.

I hope the GP appointment went well OP.