Very late diagnosed and new to this all

MadCatLady

MadCatLady

Member
Hi. I was diagnosed last month at 61. I've had a really difficult year with burnout, terrible anxiety and CPTSD. Autism was suggested to me twice late November by my counsellor and at a mental health assessment. I knew very little about it and it's been a huge shock. I'm really pleased to discover NDSA and keen to find others who share my experiences.

I'm a creative person and love crafting particularly knitting and crochet. I also love photography and am trying to learn to paint. Before I totally burnt out, I loved being with people, but this last year I've hidden away at home finding the world a bit overwhelming. I'm hoping to embrace my new autistic identity and prune my life of things that drain my energy.
 
Hello!

I'm so sorry about your difficult year. but so glad you've found us, welcome home!

I'm creative too! I do a lot of game design stuff for fun, but I did a LOOOT of knitting myself! mainly doll dresses! Would you like to talk about your knitting projects??

Thanks!
UnicornSpoon šŸ¦„šŸ„„šŸ’š
 
UnicornSpoon said:
Hello!

I'm so sorry about your difficult year. but so glad you've found us, welcome home!

I'm creative too! I do a lot of game design stuff for fun, but I did a LOOOT of knitting myself! mainly doll dresses! Would you like to talk about your knitting projects??

Thanks!
UnicornSpoon šŸ¦„šŸ„„šŸ’š
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It is nice to know I'm not alone and I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not. I'm looking forward to learning more about neurodiversity and autistic creativity, that I can embrace.
I mainly knit jumpers and do lots of commissions for friends. I'm currently making a dog coat for a friend! I love seeing what people are making and the fact that every item made is unique.
 
MadCatLady said:
It is nice to know I'm not alone and I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not. I'm looking forward to learning more about neurodiversity and autistic creativity, that I can embrace.
I mainly knit jumpers and do lots of commissions for friends. I'm currently making a dog coat for a friend! I love seeing what people are making and the fact that every item made is unique.
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Hi Mad,

DOG COAT! Precious! I knitted a saddle blanket for an old beloved toy horse, as well as various dresses for dolls, and a phone sock for an old friend. It might be fun to knit a rose as well!

UnicornSpoon šŸ¦„šŸ„„šŸ’š
 
I was diagnosed last month myself, not really that creative, though I am a half decent beatboxer. (well, I have been doing it since the 80s) but work gets in the way but at least work has been very supportive and are very neurodiverse employers, heck my manager has ADHD.
 
Hello fellow crazy cat lady! I was diagnosed recently too. I love needle felting but crochet I find impossible?! I adore photography and like to paint but i'm absolutely rubbish (doesn't stop me having fun with colours though). Embrace away.
 
bluelyn said:
My current burnout has been going on since September as a total crash, but two years before the crash, I don't know how to stop the cycle of burnout

I finish reading the autistic burnout workbook which I found helpful to understand what happens, especially the energy section

Hard part is how do I implement the suggestions in a world that demands we work in environments that just don't help us

I've particularly found noise sensitivity really hard, I can't concentrate, I have to wear my headphones all day

Have you been able to identify the cause of your burnout and if you can implement strategies to prevent reoccurrence?
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H Bluelyn
My eventual 'Burnout' symptoms had been getting progressively worse and more and more debilitating over the last say 5 years culminating in blurred (tunnel) vision and a tense feeling between my eyebrows, before that it was just the apathy, brain fog, lethargy, forgetfulness and inability to do much if anything most days. The vision thing was really worrying and the doctor was concerned I'd had had a stroke and referred me to the stroke clinic (amazing how ignorant they are about the signs of Autistic Burnout) - I knew it wasn't that but thought it might help discover what the problem was.
My wife shortly after that did a lot of ChatGPT-ing and hey presto out popped the suggestion it might all be down to Autism and not depression. That's when it all started to make sense. Since then I've been researching like mad and it has become my latest special interest:)
My coping mechanism has been turning to yoga and especially to meditation whilst listening to all sorts of meditative music (including brown noise, chanting, and whatever else I can find might help sooth my brain). The cause of my burnout I think was just an inevitable consequence of a lifetime of stress, masking, taking on too much responsibility, working too many hours and difficulty in fitting in to social stuff.
I'm just about to buy myself some noise cancelling headphones - anyone got any advice as to what make/model and price point to go for?
 
Phil7 said:
H Bluelyn
My eventual 'Burnout' symptoms had been getting progressively worse and more and more debilitating over the last say 5 years culminating in blurred (tunnel) vision and a tense feeling between my eyebrows, before that it was just the apathy, brain fog, lethargy, forgetfulness and inability to do much if anything most days. The vision thing was really worrying and the doctor was concerned I'd had had a stroke and referred me to the stroke clinic (amazing how ignorant they are about the signs of Autistic Burnout) - I knew it wasn't that but thought it might help discover what the problem was.
My wife shortly after that did a lot of ChatGPT-ing and hey presto out popped the suggestion it might all be down to Autism and not depression. That's when it all started to make sense. Since then I've been researching like mad and it has become my latest special interest:)
My coping mechanism has been turning to yoga and especially to meditation whilst listening to all sorts of meditative music (including brown noise, chanting, and whatever else I can find might help sooth my brain). The cause of my burnout I think was just an inevitable consequence of a lifetime of stress, masking, taking on too much responsibility, working too many hours and difficulty in fitting in to social stuff.
I'm just about to buy myself some noise cancelling headphones - anyone got any advice as to what make/model and price point to go for?
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a quick one on headphones - I have Soundcore Q20i which I got on a deal for Ā£27 from Amazon - I think you can spend a lot more if you're a real audio person - so depends on the quality of the music you're streaming . I really only use them in my own home in my home office - as I WFH and generally just wear buds when out and about. I have tinnitus and generally mask that and my sensitivity to sound by using Echo Dots / Echo Show devices all day long. I only wear the NC headphone for limited time 1-2 hours , I understand long term use of the NC headphones can actually cause issues in terms of noise sensitivity
 
bluelyn said:
I've been reading a book called the autistic burnout workbook and I've found the energy section interesting, doing more what ingites you like crafts can help with burnout
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I've been doing a lot of crafts and jigsaws were suggested too. I've been able to read and concentrate fine, it's my emotional and social battery that is the problem.
 
Joeys said:
Hello fellow crazy cat lady! I was diagnosed recently too. I love needle felting but crochet I find impossible?! I adore photography and like to paint but i'm absolutely rubbish (doesn't stop me having fun with colours though). Embrace away.
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I learnt to crochet nearly 9 years ago so it's not new to me. I also used to do a lot of photography, but I struggle to get out at the moment. I am trying to learn to paint. I'm not very good but I think creative expression is important regardless of how good it is.
 
Phil7 said:
I'm currently going through burnout and interested to share notes with others that are doing likewise, hopefully we can all help one another(y):)
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Initially I went away to a house sit and did very little for 2 weeks and it really helped. I've learnt that I have to allow myself to rest when I need it. Also I give myself permission not to stress about housework etc. I find creative activities help and jigsaws are also very calming. I keep social activities to a minimum generally seeing people I feel really comfortable with and avoiding the ones who seem determined to interrogate me about how I am! I'm very newly diagnosed and never suspected I was autistic so lots of people don't know yet. I feel most comfortable with those people who don't care. I also find my cat the easiest company as she doesn't ask any questions!
 
MadCatLady said:
I learnt to crochet nearly 9 years ago so it's not new to me. I also used to do a lot of photography, but I struggle to get out at the moment. I am trying to learn to paint. I'm not very good but I think creative expression is important regardless of how good it is.
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9yrs you are a pro! Photography I dip in and out of depending on where I go and the new places I find. I completely agree with creative expression when it comes to painting. I find using all the different mediums and surfaces extremely relaxing. My preference is watercolour or acrylic.
 
MadCatLady said:
Initially I went away to a house sit and did very little for 2 weeks and it really helped. I've learnt that I have to allow myself to rest when I need it. Also I give myself permission not to stress about housework etc. I find creative activities help and jigsaws are also very calming. I keep social activities to a minimum generally seeing people I feel really comfortable with and avoiding the ones who seem determined to interrogate me about how I am! I'm very newly diagnosed and never suspected I was autistic so lots of people don't know yet. I feel most comfortable with those people who don't care. I also find my cat the easiest company as she doesn't ask any questions!
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Hi there, I am also mad about cats, at the moment mostly my cat/companion Peanut šŸˆ and any that are cute, or ugly, tiny and bald or bigger and floofy; love them all, and all animals. I love nature, sunshine, sparkly things, kindness, honesty, learning, and smiles that reach the eyes. Iā€™m 60, diagnosed at 57, absolutely no clue I was autistic until I saw a documentary about a Scandinavian island populated by autistic women. I kept thinking ā€I do that, I think that tooā€ and gradually after lots of hyper focused research, I realised, and then had a diagnosis + cPTSD and also, as Iā€™ve been gradually deconstructing ā€˜meā€™, suspect lā€™m ADHD too. The world talks about autistic people as weā€™re broken, but we have wonderful traits, I feel especially lucky to be able to appreciate and experience everyday things as amazing, does anyone else feel that way? Sorry MadCatLady, I meant to ask how telling people went for you. x
 
Sparkle247 said:
Hi there, I am also mad about cats, at the moment mostly my cat/companion Peanut šŸˆ and any that are cute, or ugly, tiny and bald or bigger and floofy; love them all, and all animals. I love nature, sunshine, sparkly things, kindness, honesty, learning, and smiles that reach the eyes. Iā€™m 60, diagnosed at 57, absolutely no clue I was autistic until I saw a documentary about a Scandinavian island populated by autistic women. I kept thinking ā€I do that, I think that tooā€ and gradually after lots of hyper focused research, I realised, and then had a diagnosis + cPTSD and also, as Iā€™ve been gradually deconstructing ā€˜meā€™, suspect lā€™m ADHD too. The world talks about autistic people as weā€™re broken, but we have wonderful traits, I feel especially lucky to be able to appreciate and experience everyday things as amazing, does anyone else feel that way? Sorry MadCatLady, I meant to ask how telling people went for you. x
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TBH it's really early days, so I've not told many people. I was only diagnosed 6 weeks ago and until late November it had never crossed my mind I might be autistic. I've been in burn out and have really isolated as I can't cope with many people which is how it came to be suggested I was autistic. My boss has been amazing and so supportive this last year. I work part-time from home. I initially told close friends,then I had such a bad shock reaction to my diagnosis I've stopped sharing. I'm definitely ADHD and I'm finding it hard having to argue my case when I'm still trying to cope with finding out I'm autistic. I find the stereotyping really hard. If there's one thing autistic people are it it's confirming to a stereotype. I'm dreaming of a world with lots of creative autistic people who say what they mean and you know where you stand with them.
Maybe that's why cats are so great. They choose Whitney spend time with and don't waste their time people pleasing.
 
Joeys said:
9yrs you are a pro! Photography I dip in and out of depending on where I go and the new places I find. I completely agree with creative expression when it comes to painting. I find using all the different mediums and surfaces extremely relaxing. My preference is watercolour or acrylic.
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I'm a real beginner at painting. I'm not sure I'm a pro at crochet but it brings me joy. I'm more expert at knitting.