Introduction

Many adults realise they’re autistic in later life, maybe this is because you’re the parent of an autistic child and you recognise some similarities, or maybe it’s because you’ve researched it and seen some similarities yourself. I myself realised I was autistic at the age of 19. So I’m going to give you some tips on how to get the formal Diagnosis you need as an adult.

Do your research!

The most important thing you can do whilst seeking a formal Diagnosis of anything is research. Look for the signs of autism in adults. Print them off and highlight what applies to you. Look up similar disorders, sometimes they can go hand in hand or one can be mistaken for another. It’s worth looking at a range of different things before going to your GP.

Talk to those around you about it.

Bring it up in conversation with friends and family, tell them that you have concerns about autism. Family and friends are crucial within the formal Diagnosis process with things like autism, so see if you can get them on board sooner rather than later. Plus, having people around you who know about your condition even before you’re formally diagnosed will do your self-esteem wonders, trust me I know from experience!

Go to your GP And raise your concerns.

Remember those highlighted things I mentioned in step one? Take those with you! Doctors tend to believe people more when they take the paperwork with them. Also, look up where your closest Diagnosis place is, it may be a while away from you. They’re very few and far between. Tell your GP exactly what you’d like and they’ll do it for you!

Be prepared to wait for your assessment.

As I mentioned earlier, adult Diagnosis can take a long time. I myself had to wait 9 months to be seen. This can seem like a very very long time for some people, but for me it was easy, I just completely forgot that I was on the waiting list which made it very easy and a nice surprise when I was seen!

Be honest.

Being honest isn’t only important for your assessment, but it’s important for your self-understanding and esteem that you be honest with yourself. Realising that you’re on the spectrum can be life-changing- make sure you take some time to think about it and reflect on everything. Self-care is very important.