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Late-diagnosed AuDHD

@latediagautistic.bsky.social

220 followers 560 following 49 posts

A boringly cis-het he/him, recently and belatedly diagnosed autistic with ADHD. Now trying to work out who I am and what comes next. 🌈⚧️🍉 🚫AI❌ (My banner and avatar are the same drawing of a lightbulb, with a face and arms, having a eureka moment.)

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Oct 7

#Introduction time!
I'm new to learning how to live a #neurodivergent life. Only had my light-bulb moment in middle age, and finally got diagnosed #ActuallyAutistic (with #ADHD) this year. I would describe myself as confused, scared, relieved and hopeful. Now just need to work out who I actually am.

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · May 18

Remarkable and remouldable as it is, I'm not sure a human brain has the capacity to accommodate such a fundamental redefinition of itself after so long in another mode. Not quickly, anyway, maybe not fully, and certainly not both.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · May 13

I was offered the #autism workshop as something to help me stay afloat until I could get psychotherapy to fix my sinking boat. So that's all worked out splendidly.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · May 13

Just been told I'm not currently eligible for #NHS psychotherapy (to help me come to terms with decades of living with undiagnosed #AuDHD) because I did a post-diagnosis #autism workshop (to help me live day-to-day as a late-diagnosed autistic).

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Apr 19

Just had a flashback to me (undiagnosed autistic child with texture-based food aversions) getting told off for not eating the Easter buns that all the other kids were scoffing.

"Can't you just enjoy things like everyone else? Stop attention-seeking."

I just didn't like Shredded Wheat. Still don't.

Easter buns that look like little bird nests with five coloured eggs in them. The nest is made from dismantled Shredded Wheat covered in melted chocolate and then formed to shape. The eggs are mini chocolate eggs.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 25

I am sorry to hear that. What type of depression do you have? (My depression is non-bipolar.)

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 24

One effect from my #LateDiagnosis of #AuDHD that I hadn't expected: having spent all my life hating myself for not being 'normal' enough, I now find myself also feeling guilty for not being #autistic enough AND for not thriving as a #neurodivergent person.

Complicated business, this life thing.

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 24

I feel more able to look after myself by identifying unpleasant noises, smells, lights, etc, and moving away. Before, I would have wondered why I was feeling distressed, sat as quietly still as possible so nobody noticed, and hated myself for feeling bad when no-one else seemed to have a problem.

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 24

I'm sorry you're having a tough time of it. I recognise those symptoms, but only because I've had some help getting to grips with alexithymia! It is some solace to know that lifelong physical, mental and social problems are real, with a cause, rather than weakness or attention-seeking. But not much.

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 24

A bit of a shock, yes! I feel lucky and grateful to have found the ND communities over on Mastodon and then also here on Bluesky. I'm not very active on either, but I lurk a bit and learn a lot. All help and advice welcomed and appreciated!

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 21

I was diagnosed #AuDHD exactly one year ago - and I'm still a bit bewildered! Still have lots of questions, and I suspect many won't have nice, happy, yay-for-neurodivergence answers. But I am starting to accept that my AuDHDness is real, not theoretical or misdiagnosed. Build from there, I guess?

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 21

Ach. That sounds a bit worrying. Hang on today, by your fingertips if needs be. Try again tomorrow. x

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Mar 7

I got to stroke two friendly #PubDogs today. I was so happy it didn't even occur to me to take pictures, but both of them were fuzzy-haired fussmonsters. I am a lucky boy sometimes. #NameYourBlessings #Dogs

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Jan 6

But boring answer: Depends.
Had I known a year or two earlier? Not much difference, but I'd be further along now.
10, 20, 30 years earlier? Spared me and others a lot of hurt.
As a kid? I'd be a different person now, and had a wholly different life, so I can't even fathom how to answer the question.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Jan 6

I wouldn't have spent decades (unwittingly) trying to cure my autism with anti-depressants/booze.

I hope I would have developed better awareness of how different I am when I mask vs when I don't, and thus could have actively managed the +/- effects of my masked/unmasked behaviour on me and others.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Jan 4

I don't know if I invented a new thing. But I fooked up some perfectly good gravy, is what I did. I mean, look at it. It's got ribbons of semi-solid batter in it. (I put it in a tupperware thingy, in hope that when I take it out of the fridge tomorrow it will have magically become Something Good.)

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Jan 4

Have you ever looked at a lovely bubbling pan of gravy, and wondered: Would this be even better if we added Yorkshire-pudding batter?

Wonder no more! Thanks to your friendly neighbourhood dyspraxic (ie, me), this experiment was (accidentally) carried out today.

Conclusion: No. No it would not.

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 30

Sometimes a service is a pleasure.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 29

Oh, that rogue s is going to haunt me. Oh.

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 29

Friends fear he's been collating the Christmas chocolates again.

#ActuallyAutistics

A purple Christmas tub of Heroes chocolates that has been organised by type/colour contrast. Alongside the remaining Heroes, someone has added mini-Toblerones and mini-Segsations. (It was me, I did it.)

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 26

What's that? There's a glut of Xmas leftovers, so I have to eat more or less the same thing every meal for days on end?

Don't threaten me with an autistic good time!

#ActuallyAutistic

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 25

Thank you! Peace, love and happy times to you and yours. x

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ADHD Memes @adhdforreal.bsky.social · Dec 17

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Reposted by Late-diagnosed AuDHD

Healthcare-Global @healthcare-global.bsky.social · Dec 25

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Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 25

Thank you!

Late-diagnosed AuDHD @latediagautistic.bsky.social · Dec 25

Honestly, why doesn't everyone do this every year? Seems like lots of neurotypicals would enjoy #ChristmasDay better this way.

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