Nell Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Hello Everyone, I'm new here... Aspie... diagnosed a couple of years ago. I was very, very pleased at the time and still am. Having spent most of my adult life trying to work out why I seemed to be different to everyone outside my immediate family... the knowing was a great relief. I think the really hard work began after the diagnosis... looking at previous experiences from my new perspective, accepting that, then deciding what to do next in my life... still a work in progress! I guess this is a common experience for many of you. Hoping to chat with some of you.... Nell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mihaela Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Hello Nell, and welcome! Like you I was diagnosed late in life. My parents always knew I was 'different', and they protected and helped me all their lives. I feel lost without them, and I soon began to realise that I couldn't cope with many aspects of day-to-day living. It was only when I started researching 'female-type' Asperger's that it became so very obvious and explained so much about me. My mum left this world in 2012 and I only got my diagnosis about 6 months ago. Like you, it came as great relief, but it's still an uphill struggle all the same. Life has never been easy for me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Livelife Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Hello Neil It's good to see you joining the site and your experience is similar to so many of us here. I think our whole lives is a work in progress because we never stop learning and adapting even when we think we have got to know ourselves there is always something new to challenge us. Looking forward to talking with you in the posts exchanging ideals and opinions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nell Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Mihaela and Livelife, Thank you for the warm welcome... I look forward to finding my way around this site and joining in with the discussions, Nell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikecunniffe Report post Posted June 19, 2015 Hello from a bundle of joy locked inside a steel casing. I have autism, Learning Difficulties and Dyspraxia early diagnosis at age 6. I don't know what Aspie is could someone explain please See you around Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted June 20, 2015 Welcome i was diagnosed age 16 and it was also a relief for me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nell Report post Posted June 21, 2015 Hello Trekster Thank you for the welcome. I wish it had been possible to diagnose Asperger's when I was 16... 'diagnosis' at that time consisted of being regarded as a badly behaved, rude, clumsy child... 'treatment' was discipline and bullying. It was only through my own efforts that I found out about Asperger's when I was well into my 50's. A strange time in life to be considering what to do as a career based on what you really are, as opposed to what you thought you were. Still trying to figure that one out!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mihaela Report post Posted June 22, 2015 Same here, Nell. An early diagnosis would have made so much difference. Even with loving parents my life has been very hard, and I've had more than my fair share of suffering. Like you I experienced 'discipline' and bullying at school - and as an adult, and it continues. Without my parents I wouldn't have survived this long. I often wonder how many discover our autism in later life, and how many never do and continue to suffer the confusion of 'not knowing why'. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nell Report post Posted June 22, 2015 You make a good point Miihaela.... I am sure that many women with an ASC never discover they have this difference, but struggle with not knowing why their lives have been so difficult. Even a visit to the doctor, where being asked those 10 initial questions from the AQ could set them on the right path to understanding themselves, instead often results in a prescription for antidepressants and no real answers. Let's hope that with education this culture will gradually alter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Livelife Report post Posted June 22, 2015 There is always the option of change and even though there is a lot of ignorance discrimination and bullying towards us I believe that things will eventually change with greater understanding of what the syndrome means in relation to individuals not a general recognition because that doesn't reflect anything other than a description of a list of possible behaviours as a result. The fact that a lot of us were not diagnosed until later life is traumatic as I have experienced similar problems my entire life but the realisation is that at our early age it was not as well known and in a lot of cases the people dealing with us had little knowledge or training. Things are beginning to move toward a better understanding and better care of young children born Autistic its not perfect as many posts here will attain to but its an improvement on twenty or thirty years ago. in a further thirty years it would be possible that social perceptions and understanding would have changed and there will be a greater integration into society in general but only the onward motion of time will prove that to be the case or not. Its always the hardest for those leading the way in any change whatever it may be and all our efforts are bringing awareness and education to others who will in turn pass their understanding to others. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nell Report post Posted June 23, 2015 Wise words Livelife... there is nothing in your reply that I would disagree with. My outlook is that we should do the very best we can on an individual level, within our limitations, even if we have to educate those people around us as to the nature of those limitations. After all, every one has their limitations - even NT's. There is the point that as more younger people are found to have an ASC, it's genetic nature will often highlight their older family members/relatives as having the same AS traits. Hopefully some of those family members will be accepting of the presence of the condition, and its advantages and disadvantages. My own diagnosis highlighted for me several close relatives with clear autistic traits. Maybe acceptance on a family level will gradually lead to a better acceptance and integration on a societal level. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
