48 🤦‍♀️

20. I feel a lot better, its easier to let myself unmask a bit

I'm afab and i was diagnosed at 13. no idea now my mom didn't realize. it took a lot of reflection, intropection, research, reaching out, and time for me to understand myself. now i have so many tools to use that I find myself functioning much better. I can finally be my extroverted self and i barely ever have meltdowns since I can recognize myself getting close to having one. I've gone thru therapy to help me with social cues which makes me feel like I finally have a voice.

I'm afab and got diagnosed at 18 (less than 6 months ago). My mother was against doctors and literally at my first psychiatrist appointment after moving out and he said he thought I had it. Then I went to a specialist who said he knew I had autism when he came and got me from the waiting room. Looking back I definitely had issues with friends that were caused by my autism so I just wish I had known sooner.

I'm 16 and still trying to be diagnosed😥

Not a girl but im afab! I was diagnosed relatively early, at 9. I was lucky to get my diagnosis so early, especially since the school initially refused evaluating me because they didn't think i could have it. I was able to get it because my mom (who is also autistic) pushed so hard. Im not 100% how its impacted me but getting a diagnosis earlier in life helps with getting accommodations earlier, because when you get diagnosed as an adult they seem to assume you dont need accommodations.

I was I think 12?? I don’t remember but I didn’t get any medication for my disorder(s) until this year

Afab trans enby here. My "caregiver" said they suspected I had autism but never got me tested. It wasn't until my foster mom finally got me tested at 17 that I got my diagnosis.

25

I was 27. I had never even considered autism but I was taking to my therapist, it was like the third session I'd had with her and we were taking and she just looks at me and goes "kitty, you're autistic. That's on of the reasons why you're having so much trouble." I did a little bit of research and I'm just like holy shit I'm autistic. It's changed my life for the better to be honest. I finally have a reason other than my horrible trauma to explain some of the reasons I do what I do.

I was tested for autism and ADHD when I was in elementary school, and I showed signs of having it, but my parents focused more on my brother since his diagnosis was more serious. I didn't understand my diagnosis until recently (16-18) and I wish I would have known what it meant. Now that I do, it's been both amazing and overwhelming being able to empathize with nearly anyone or character, it's a stressful superpower lol.

13. Helped me realize why I always felt so profoundly isolated no matter how hard I tried to reach.

i got diagnosed at 21…i had to pay out of a pocket for a screening because doctors in-network were entirely dismissive despite my parents backing me up. so far it’s made my relationship with my parents better, but i’m still holding onto a lot of grief and anger and sadness.

I was 22. It made a lot of things click. I was at a time in my life where I was making decisions on my own and for myself and struggling A LOT. It was like weights had been lifted and I was okay and gonna make it. I finally understood the WHY?! To so many things. It helped me be more okay with myself 🤗