Very late diagnosed and new to this all

Joeys said:
Crafts are invaluable, I can't believe I existed without them. They feel like a part of you its fab.
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I realise now why many friends described me as creative despite me not being able to draw etc. I think autism enables us to think much more creatively. I've always loved crafting but it's been a life saver this last year. 8 have something to show for my day despite having so little energy.
 
MadCatLady said:
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.
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I can totally relate and we have a lot in common. Welcome from another newbie cat lady, creative (especially photography) and late diagnosed AuDHD.
 
Having been diagnosed in 2021, at age 55 now, there is simply no appropriate support out there, plus I’ve never had a face-to-face post-diagnosis assessment (which should be a basic legal entitlement and requirement, which is even more important if a diagnosis is carried out online by a third party private provider over zoom) to determine my level and type of autism, any Co-occurring conditions and to identify any avenues of appropriate support as an autistic adult
 
jm-2026 said:
I can totally relate and we have a lot in common. Welcome from another newbie cat lady, creative (especially photography) and late diagnosed AuDHD.
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It's as they put it, a lot to process. I think now a lot more people claim to understand autism. I knew very little and am now realising how misunderstood autism is. But I'm happy to keep the creativity and not feeling I have to follow the crowd. But cats are great. They don't judge and they're happy just to be with you without making any demands.