Autism diagnosis as an adult

One of my close friends had the diagnosis in her forties. She is married, has a career etc, nothing changed for her with regard to her life if you see what I mean, but it helped her in many ways in understanding how she relates to others, and I know she wishes she had done it earlier.

Not a diagnosis, as such, but I'm fairly sure I have a mild degree of Aspergers, as many people do. I certainly have obsessive tendencies and I'm very noise sensitive.

When I was teaching, I had success with students that others simply couldn't understand. Colleagues suggested that I 'thought differently' so had an affinity with them.

I don't have questions, though. I really enjoy being different, so I don't feel a need to be assessed.

From the day DD crawled to get her bottle rather than whinge, I knew she thought differently. Then diagnosed as dyslexic. (now Scientifically linked)
Autism is a family trait - so I guess we accept it.

There is an on-line test you could take ( sorry no good at links)
It shows me I'm not, - but have traits.
As Galaxy points out, it might help you understand & accept yourself more.

My European friend wrote to me last year and was so happy she had a diagnosis and at last had an answer as to why she had felt different all these years As others have said it made no real difference to her life job etc but it answered so many questions for her
I wonder how many of us would test somewhere along the line probably all of us ?

Not autism but my nephew has just been diagnosed with ADHD at 22 and he is very relieved at being able to understand himself. He is also getting help with some self management strategies. I hope you find your diagnosis is helpful BlueRuby.

There is a very long diagnostic ‘test’ online that you can do, 3 of us took it last year, GD we know had Asperger tendencies and is having treatment for that, DD1 and I were interested in our results, she had no tendencies at all, I have a few (I knew this) .
However if you are talking about going down the NHS route to get a diagnosis, then I think that it might take years to even get an appointment and then I’m not sure what you will achieve.
Maybe take the online test and then read all you can on the subject and see if there are any ways that you can help yourself? A diagnosis won’t treat the problem but it might help you to understand why you might feel ‘different’.

I ran an NHS adult autism diagnostic service. The average age of referrals was 38 and the oldest person referred was 84.
My doctoral thesis was on women with AS. Of the women interviewed the overwhelming feeling was of relief. At last there was an explanation for their years of feeling 'different'. What they felt would have been most helpful at all the various stages in their would have been a buddy/mentor/friend to explain what was required of them. This ranged from someone to tell what the school playground unspoken 'rules' were to someone to explain workplace politics. Once relationships with the opposite sex came into it a trusted friend would have been so helpful.
I heard many sad stories of abuse and distress from women. Most had managed quite well in life but this apparent success had masked struggles.

Most people would test somewhere on the spectrum. The reassuring thing about reading posts on here is that people say it wouldn’t make much difference to their life or career. Did people have more resilience then? Or was it just that, with no help available people just got on with it?
Now resilience is a skill being mentioned, explained and encouraged in schools to try and develop children who don’t give up when things get tough.
Diagnosis and support for ASD is being offered earlier. Will it make a difference?

I have a friend in her early fifties who is definitely somewhere on the scale. She’s completely unaware of how “odd” she is, bless her. Her reactions to things people say (and noise too) are real pointers. I don’t know if a diagnosis as such would help her although it would explain to her why she will never succeed in interviews, the minute she starts to speak you know something isn’t “quite right” ?
When she (always!) rings for feedback they always say there was someone with more experience so she just carries on doing unskilled bank work.

It's nothing to do with resilience, people in particular women just had to cope, and found numerous strategies in order to do that, I would say that people without a diagnosis were incredibly resilient as they had no other choice.

Yes. I wish that I had known this during my teenage & working years. I also wish that there had been the understanding of the condition then, as there is now. I’m sure that my life would have been marginally less difficult & confusing, had this been the case. My username says it all!

I am considering getting a diagnosis for ADHD. Every online or written self-test I have ever done puts me in that group, as does everything i have ever read. The suggestion I had ADHD was made to me by someone who had studied the subject.

Assuming the suggestion is correct, it explains an awful lot to me of what I am and have been and the problems I have had.

I had a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia in my forties and that has been invaluable.

Outofstepwithhumanity I know exactly what you mean, even though my problem is not autism.

M0nica would you be seeking medication if you got an ADHD diagnosis? I know some adults find this beneficial but nothing suits everyone.

No, I am likely to be at the less severe end of the spectrum and would rather use coping mechanims, which I have essentially done all my life, than take medication.

I've just read a book by Katherine May called The Electricity of Every Living Thing. It's her story of her coming to terms with Aspergers as an adult. Very interesting reading, I can highly recommend it.

From what I've seen, diagnosis at any stage is a huge relief for the person.

An adult in law is awaiting test results. NHS waiting list very long so it has been done privately online and I think it cost £1000. I hope it helps for them to know.

My son was diagnosed in his early 20's. It was a friend of his sister who suggested he had autism as he himself had been diagnosed. We had just thought our son was "quirky"
He's never had friends and with hindsight we can see many other symptoms.
He was relieved to get a diagnosis and to know why he felt he was different and didn't fit in.
I really wish he had been diagnosed at school age and had got the help he needed. He is intelligent but struggled with the environment

My DD had her diagnosis of high functioning autism last year when she was 37. It answered so many questions for her. All her children have autism and ADHD to some degree, and knowing herself better is helping her raise the children.