New here, looking for other older autistics

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hello, i am new here, too. i smile at the folks in their 70s searching and finding and figuring it out...

i just found out my diagnostic results from a formalized assessment with a professional. i will be 50 this coming year and i suppose i could say that maybe i'm a little in shock at the results, though that's not the right word...

it’s a little like grieving… but not. it’s not like a huge life event, either - because it isn't surprising (and i don't like surprises). it is all three cases of limitinglanguage - did happen, is happening, will happen - all at once. it is knowledge, and knowledge can be invisible. it’s like scooping up a handful of your favorite things of all time and excitedly looking at them but then dropping most of them because you are clumsy but also you aren’t sure which things indeed are your favorites — did you trick yourself into liking that one? do you really like that or were you told you should? starting all over but being right where you are at the same time. what is safe? it is an immense vulnerability, such as when hermit crabs molt and seek a new shell. in this stage much care should be taken, realizing the vulnerability and also the need to rush to find solace could lead to rash decisions to just make the effervescent bloodroiling stop. so… slow goes it, treebearding thoughts, waiting to catch up, come to that pasture of acceptance and confident selftending. finding your people; re-finding old joys; discovering the waiting shoots under the wintersoils...

Welcome! I just joined as well. I am 58 years old and several younger women in my family have been diagnosed and they tell me that they are quite sure I would qualify for a diagnosis as well if I ever got screened. I read the book Unmasking Autism by Devon Price and saw myself quite a bit.

biffo, Welcome to WP to you, too! I hope you find it worth the trip.

This is my first post on this forum. I retired from a successful IT career of many years. I knew for sure I had Autism/Aspergers when about 20 years ago I took the online test in "Wired". But I'd suspected long before that. For years I've tried to just ignore it, but the "masking" is exhausting and I want to get to know my real self better and to honor my real self also. Temple G. said that if one finds oneself to be on the Spectrum after having lived a successful life for many years that it's probably not to one's advantage necessarily to get a formal diagnosis. Until I'm convinced otherwise I see no reason to be diagnosed professionally. I was in counselling with a psychologist a few years ago and she agreed that she saw me as autistic. My kids and trusted friends see it too. Anyway, I'm happy to be here and hope to learn a lot.
Thanks, Leafy