Recently diagnosed over-50s tell of their experiences in new study by ARU
Many over-50s who were diagnosed with autism late in life had grown up believing they were bad people, according to a new study published in the journal Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University interviewed nine adults about their experiences of being diagnosed with autism in their 50s. The participants were aged between 52 and 54.
As children, some participants recounted having no friends and being isolated from others, and as adults they could not understand why people treated them differently. Several had been treated for anxiety and depression.
Participants also highlighted the lack of support available to adults with a new diagnosis.
It is thought to be the first study of its kind that examines the phenomenon of receiving a diagnosis exclusively in middle age.
Dr Steven Stagg, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and lead author of the study, said: "One aspect of the research I found heart-wrenching was that the participants had grown up believing they were bad people. They referred to themselves as 'alien' and 'non human'.
"The research also suggests that receiving a diagnosis in middle age can be positive. The participants often described it as a eureka moment that brought relief into their lives. It allowed them to understand why others had reacted negatively towards them.
"Clinicians and health workers need to be aware of the possible signs of autism. Often people are diagnosed with depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions and the autism is missed. More work also needs to be done to support older people after they receive a diagnosis."
facts_machine213 on November 10th, 2019 at 20:03 UTC »
I feel so much compassion for people going through life that still think they're bad people because of this. All those people in high school. I'm lucky, im almost positive I have some sort of autism or Asperger's but i embraced my weirdness, managed to make some friends, have taken on a healthy lifestyle and made efforts to fix where I'm at. In my mind I'm almost glad I'm different because I can see things in a way normal people can't. Gifted in some ways, troubled in others. Of course I can't actually understand what it's like for other people to be normal. I just figure, if this is where I'm at, there's no excuse for not loving myself and making the best of where I'm at and moving forward learning from experience.
swish1zero1 on November 10th, 2019 at 19:13 UTC »
What does it mean to think you’re a ‘bad person’?
Wagamaga on November 10th, 2019 at 16:16 UTC »
Many over-50s who were diagnosed with autism late in life had grown up believing they were bad people, according to a new study published in the journal Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University interviewed nine adults about their experiences of being diagnosed with autism in their 50s. The participants were aged between 52 and 54.
As children, some participants recounted having no friends and being isolated from others, and as adults they could not understand why people treated them differently. Several had been treated for anxiety and depression.
Participants also highlighted the lack of support available to adults with a new diagnosis.
It is thought to be the first study of its kind that examines the phenomenon of receiving a diagnosis exclusively in middle age.
Dr Steven Stagg, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and lead author of the study, said: "One aspect of the research I found heart-wrenching was that the participants had grown up believing they were bad people. They referred to themselves as 'alien' and 'non human'.
"The research also suggests that receiving a diagnosis in middle age can be positive. The participants often described it as a eureka moment that brought relief into their lives. It allowed them to understand why others had reacted negatively towards them.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21642850.2019.1684920