SHE THINKS I’M ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

My uncle got married last year, but I only met his new wife in person for the first time recently due to the Covid regulations.

When we parted, she said she really admires how well I cope with my condition. I had no idea what she meant, and she said it is obvious that I’m on the autism spectrum.

She’s in the medical field so I didn’t want to disagree with her, especially as I had just met her. Afterwards I did some research on the topic and did an assessment on a UK autism website.

The result showed there is a high probability that she was right – and it would explain my reactions in many situations.

I’m 50 now, so is there any point in trying to get an official diagnosis? Would it help me at work or in public situations at all? Or would it just be good for my peace of mind? Doreen, email Even though your uncle’s wife is in the medical field, that doesn’t necessarily mean she is trained to make a diagnosis of autism.

It was also unprofessional of her to assume you have the condition or talk about it when you were interacting with her on a social level and didn’t raise the topic yourself.

A diagnosis will help an appropriately qualified professional to plan a treatment strategy for you, if that is even necessary.

What is important is how well you function on a daily basis and the sort of situations you struggle with. It would help to consult with a clinical psychologist to talk through your reactions in various situations and discuss whether you should do the tests required for a formal diagnosis.

Perhaps the psychologist can simply give you guidelines and teach you skills that would help you manage situations you have found problematic. One is never too old to learn or to change.