Nicole Filippone on X: “Just to be clear, being late diagnosed, high masking, lower support needs, with highly internalized autistic traits often means our autism doesn’t “look” like autism to anyone… even medical/psychological professionals. It doesn’t mean our autistic traits aren’t visible at all.”

About Nicole Filippone: Advocate & Author @sensorystories_ Connecting dots about autism and related neurodivergent conditions. Free resources available on my website.

The closest to being correctly diagnosed with AuDHD, was 20 years ago, when I was missdiagnosed with Bipolar, after a Breakdown, by a private psychiatrist. This lead to an immediate admission into a private clinic for 6 weeks. I was subsequently medicated for Bipolar for 3 years, which was probably the worst period of my life, in terms of medication.

It now astounds me that only at age of 53 have I been diagnosed with AuDHD, and even that was after a Mental Health Crisis (suicidal) last October, and the NHS psychiatrist, after an admission assessment, told me I was on the both spectrums.

It’s been hell, and continues to be. I can no longer mask, even to fake a ‘hello’ or smile. I’m totally burnt out, and have no capacity to fake anything, other than just try and exist through each day, whilst trying to come to terms with the dual diagnosis and trying ADHD medications.