I'm new here and new to the world of autism

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So my journey for self-discovery actually started well over a year ago... First I started with other things, such as my gender (I'm trans)...then I kind of got sick and had to deal with bipolar this year... and then when I got medicated, something weird happened... I didn't get entirely better. I was acting like I used to when I was a kid. Fast forward to March and randomly youtube comes up with a video about "are you an undiagnosed autistic?" or something like that and I was like "whaaaat?" because I hadn't even been searching for autism. It just knew. It came up with stuff and down the figurative rabbit hole I went. I started doing tests online and was over the line for autism... I tested again, more conservatively...still showed up autistic, no matter what I did. I started to read about autistic burnout and stuff and thought maybe that's what I had been going through - why I was acting the way I was, and why I wasn't handling things socially very well again (it had taken me many years in substantially forced social interactions to become skillful enough to mostly work properly)...anyway, I decided to invest in a diagnosis. I found out from my therapist the name of a local specialist - a psychologist who specifically deals with ASD and ADHD diagnoses. I half expected to get an ADHD diagnosis in the process... but then I went through the testing a few weeks ago, and waited on my results. They came in a little under 2 weeks ago, and she said I have ASD but not ADHD. She said although I have some overlapping symptoms, ASD covered everything so that's what I got. I noticed a lot of things in the multi page report and am still going through it. It shows I'm intelligent but that I have severe deficits in cognitive inhibition and auditory memory at the lowest scores possible, with a lot of other stuff mixed in between - all over the place on the report. She gave me recommendations, mostly of reading material and I already read one of the books...and it was eye opening! I just kept saying "that's me!" as I read. So I'm still in the exploration phase, and I don't entirely understand what this all means to me. I don't know what I do that autism is responsible for yet. But I'm happy to be here, and that's my story!

And we're happy you're here, too! Welcome to WP and congratulations on your new self-knowledge.

Though, in addition to self-knowledge, I felt I gained understanding about everyone else, too.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

I have Borderline Personality Disorder, which is often mistaken for Bipolar Disorder.

An LGBTQ+ forum is here on Wrong Planet if you want to interact with fellow people
on the spectrum who also identify as LGBTQ+.

I'll definitely keep reading all I can, because I want to understand more. And also, I was looking for an LGBT+ autism group too, so it's nice that we have a home somewhere. Thank you for the welcomes!

welcome! I was diagnosed at age 68, 2 years ago. It takes a while to sort the past, adjust self image, look at everything from a different perspective. Diagnosis was for me a relief. everything in my life finally made sense and answered almost all of the lingering, painful, "whys" of the past. Do self care first, the rest will follow as you explore it all. best wishes!

Welvome to Wrong Planet Phoenix2 hope you can find answers as well as support here. As well as possible Entertainment .

Welcome to wrong planet

Glad things are making more sense for you

Whatever you do, don’t move to Kentucky with Autism

Welcome to WP and to your tribe!