What was it like before AS/HFA was established?

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I was not diagnosed until I was 18. Most adults just thought I was shy pretty much. Except for the fact, I had no friends and didnt talk for most of my childhood. I got sent to counseling when i was 8, was diagnosed with selective mutism. I'd say after elementary school, adults didn't really bother with me much. So I spent majority of my childhood wondering why I had no friends, why I didnt talk. Meanwhile, I was falling rapidly behind socially and becoming more and more into my head. I started to think something was wrong with me when I was 16 and that lead up to my diagnosis. So what was it like without the label? Isolating and confused. Honestly, I think getting the label saved me because I was right on the brink of adulthood. I already went off to college and f****d up but at least there was a damn good reason and I was able to recover. I cant imagine messing up with no good explanation and getting misdiagnosed with mental illness labels, over prescribed drugs and it leading no where.

It was pretty lonely ... I got good grades in elementary school, so I guess nobody was too concerned about my problems with speech and eye contact, or about my lack of real friends. I was told that I was "just shy" and I'd grow out of it.

My parents did notice when I became chronically depressed as a teen, and they sent me to several psychologists, none of whom really helped. I was on antidepressants for a while. It would have been an enormous relief to find out that there was a reason for my problems - and most of all, that I wasn't the only person who had them. Somehow I muddled through.

These two articles cover it pretty well:

Diagnostic Criteria for Autism through the Years

Pervasive Developmental Disorder Through the Years in the DSM

My original diagnosis (around 1962) was the first one listed (in the first article), 000-x28 Schizophrenic reaction, childhood type.

Many intelligent nonspeaking Autists were also diagnosed with mental retardation.

I still don't know if I have AS - I'm waiting for my assessment appointment - but I do have most of the symptoms and I've always been troubled by anxiety and depression.

Growing up I did well academically and I wasn't a trouble maker so I don't think anybody was really concerned that there was anything "wrong" with me. I was called a "nerd" and a "boff" by my peers, which were pretty toxic terms in those days. I think teachers thought I was a bit immature and needed to learn to stand up for myself. The fact that I was bullied was most definitely MY fault.

It was a common viewpoint at the time that a spot of national service or a spell in the army would "make a man" of somebody like me. I think my dislike of sport was seen by others as me being snobby and deliberately antisocial.

If I asked for help I was told that all I needed was more confidence. If I asked how to get more confident I was told to go out more, so the logic ran:

Step 1: Go out more
Step 2: ?
Step 3: Confidence.

So far this process has not worked for me.

Since I did well at school, nobody (including myself) thought there was anything wrong with me, and that I could use some support. I was bullied a lot, and even tough my mother called the school constantly, nothing was being done to prevent that.

I sort of survived, but with a lot of emotional scars. I had trouble concentrating, but struggled on and managed to get a Master's degree. Then I had a major burnout halfway through my Ph.D. and dropped out. Since, I have had a hard time getting and keeping a job. If I work full time, I burn out before the year is through and it is getting worse each time.
I have had a really hard time in the unemployment system, and had I tried to tell the jobcenter how difficult having a job was for me, I would instantly have been labelled 'lazy' and 'spoiled'.
I constantly felt a pressure to 'pull myself together' but I just couldn't manage to do so, even though I tried really hard.
I don't 'look autistic' and to this day, nobody can see how hard I actually try. They just think that I am lazy and undisciplined.

Recently, I had another major burnout, and now I have finally been diagnosed at the age of 43.
I think I have suffered a lot more than necessary, and I wish I had had access to the help and resources that are available today. Yes, I have managed to do stuff all on my own, but it took all I had, and now I am a complete wreck.
I feel it didn't have to be like that. With a little help and understanding my life might have turned out a lot better.