Hi all

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Hi all
My first post here. I've been lurking for a while. Recognizing myself in all your posts!
I finally discovered my autism during the first lockdown (at the age of 47), thanks to the YT algorithm feeding me videos of autistic folks talking about life from their perspectives. I realised reading the diagnostic criteria is not very helpful and hearing personal experience is what made me see it.

I am very grateful to have made this discovery. My life now makes sense. I am gradually reappraising my relationship to my entire past. I have PTSD from physical abuse suffered as a child from parents who didn't understand me (despite my mum being autistic herself). This (and my ADHD) has really caused me much grief and suffering. Mainly due to the struggle of needing to support myself financially. I've worked many jobs, never able to do one thing for very long. I always had the unshakeable feeling that there was something fundamentally wrong with me. I beat myself up over that a lot. The discovery of my autism has allowed me to, for the first time, give that story up and appreciate myself for the amazing resilient human I am.

I am grateful for my human journey. As tough as it is sometimes, I can heal, I can be happy and I can contribute to the lives of my fellow humans.

The community here seems really supportive and this is definitely the least combative forum I've every visited!
Thanks for this space.

Hello and welcome to Wrong Planet. I stumbled upon the possibility that I was on the spectrum by a series of events, even though several people in the past came to me and told me or asked me if I was autistic or if I had aspergers syndrome. I used to think "Why have they said that?" because my concept of what I thought they were and what I fairly recently found out that they are have been very different.

So here I am on the list to be assessed for autism after quite a long journey. I am only a little older then you are but not by much, so the years of battling have taken their tole, but I am still alive and here somehow! (God has saved me from more then one disaster!)

So welcome to this site. It is not perfect because we all have different views on anything and everything, but that is what makes it interesting!

Hello and welcome. I'm glad you have 'officially' joined us.

Welcome to WP! I think you will find some very nice people here.

And I agree about it being wonderful to finally get an understanding that explains your past. I was happy with my diagnosis.

I got the diagnosis when I was 64 so I got to feel good to know what had made life "interesting" and what obstacles I had unknowingly gotten past. I think that happiness is likely a function of age. The younger someone is when they get the diagnosis, the more the obstacles are in front of them rather than behind them--but, on the other hand, they have more information to work with as they navigate their way around the obstacles.

Though I am going to suggest a different viewpoint (literally!):

Hello and welcome!

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Welcome to WP!

Welcome

Welcome to WPea!