How did you find out?

Whether diagnosed or not, how did you find out? Through your own research? A medical professional? Family or friend pointing it out?

My mom pointed it out a few years ago and my sister agreed. I haven't bothered to seek a diagnosis and not 100% sure, but have started talking about it with my current therapist (psychologist) and hope to get her take.

I was officially diagnosed by a medical professional as of May 9th, 2017 (a psychologist), although I've personally suspected something spectrum related since my first semester of college when I was 22 years old. At the time I didn't pursue a diagnosis, mostly because of all the 'naysayers' I encountered. Nobody was really on board with my suspicions until my twins were both clinically diagnosed. I had my twins when I was 23 years old, and I am currently 29 years old.

My son was diagnosed at 2 1/2 years old, and we had him evaluated because he had most of the 'classic markers' of ASD. His twin sister was diagnosed at 4 1/2 years old at the recommendation of her pediatrician due to how she reacted 'explosively' to a standard hearing and vision assessment. Her evaluation was a full psychological evaluation, unlike her brother's, which was only an assessment to evaluate and diagnose autism. I did have him re-evaluated by the same psychologist who worked with my daughter, just to keep his medical record updated.

At the time of my twins' evaluations, their psychologist became interested in evaluating me... mostly because of the amount of detail I put into answers on the questionnaires I filled out, and the way I spoke to her when she conducted the parent interview for my children. I decided to go get an evaluation after consistently being bullied by my mother, who didn't like seeing medication for ADD and anxiety help me to be more functional.

So before I digress any more than I already have... that's basically how I found out.

A psychologist working for the institution I'm doing my apprenticeship at told me, I then went to a psychiatric clinic and did the testing. That happened last year and it still feels weird. Before that I was misdiagnosed with Borderline, which isn't unusual or so I've read.

My suspicions were first raised sometime after I started working with kids in special education in my hometown school district. Many times I would observe a student’s behavior and I’d be moved to tears. I saw some of me in him or her. I was drawn to working with students on the autism spectrum, but I didn’t know why until now.

When I was recently in the same unit for weeks working with children on the autism spectrum, I got to know the students and observe their behavior on a daily basis. I would see students do something I did as a child or still do. I started doing research on the Internet about the autism spectrum. I got tested, and the results set off a light bulb and lifted the fog.

If it wasn’t for working with autistic students, I believe I’d still be in the dark. Now that I know, my job is more than a job to me. When I help an autistic student in my class, I can say to myself, “I’m on the autism spectrum, too.”

Until 2007, I had never heard of Asperger's (and I was about 61 then). As a librarian, I cataloged the book Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison. I read it, and as he described himself, I thought that that sounded very much like me. Afterwards I read some of the books by his brother, Augusten Burroughs, and the more I read, the more I accepted that I was probably an Aspergian. Eventually, I read some of Temple Grandin's work, which provided further confirmation. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I discovered this site, and I took some of the tests related to Asperger's, and they said there was a high probability I was one. So, I am self-diagnosed, but the knowledge that those tests and my reading gave me makes me feel very comfortable with my findings.

I went to see someone once and after I told him about my issues, he referred me to Number 6 in Edinburgh, because this doctor thought I may have autism. The following year, I started getting support. However, I'd rather not go on about that stuff anymore. I'm funding new support soon, and hopefully whoever I end up with ain't going to be another piss taking idiot. So fingers crossed!