When I was 42 I went to my doctor for a chat about how I felt about myself , and she referred me to the psychiatric unit at my local hospital , St John's in Livingston . I was not looking forward to going , and even thought I'd be wasting their time , but they were nice to me and that's what mattered.
They confirmed that I was high functioning autistic , and that I had Asperger's syndrome . I guess it should have hit me like a bombshell , but in fact it was a huge relief . It has explained all of my previous 40 odd years of not understanding myself and now I can accept myself for who I am. If you suspect yourself or someone you know of being autistic , please go and get a diagnosis - then you can get all the help and support you need.
