events have lead me here

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During the middle of last year I got out of an abusive relationship (she used coercive control to stop me from seeing friends and family ,going out or even watching TV).
I was very relieved to escape, I felt very free. Sadly it wasn't to last as cut and dry as I hoped, as the year progressed she took my best friend away from me, telling him lies and making me sound awful. She kept turning up at my door, eventually I got back in touch with her, trying to get a handle on the situation as I was devastated to be losing my best friend. She made lots of lies up about him- which all came out when we got together and talked.
It was a horrible end to last year, I ended up at the hospital with my severe panic attacks and depression.
I started private therapy in November, and started feeling better regarding the things that happened during and after the relationship, but stayed with it to help me with some of my very long term issues regarding social anxiety. My therapist has suggested I'm likely on the Autism spectrum and in all honesty I'm surprised no one has mentioned or suggested it before. I haven't of course been formally diagnosed, but it fits me so well, so I'm not certain i'll get that done. I felt a curious mixture of shock and relief when she said it last week.
I am glad to have found this forum, I've been busy reading through posts and it sounds like there's lots of like minded people here (which is something I've never thought before!!)
I notice below some peoples posts there's some test results that give three figures on some sort of autism scale,i'd be interested to know more about these (of course I now can't find any posts with them on!).
Thanks so much, look forward to getting to know you all,
Mark

Welcome Mark to Wrong Planet!

I took a test available for free on-line called the Autism Spectrum Quotient self test.

Others refer to even more detailed scoring (for example):
AQ50: 41/50 [AQ = Autism-Spectrum Quotient]
EQ: 4/80 [EQ = Empathy Quotient]
RAADS-R: 188 [RAADS-R = Ritvo Autism Asperger's Diagnostic Scale - Revised]
RDOS: [RDOS is an online 150 question Aspie Tests]
---Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 151/200
---Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 59/200
---You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)

Others refer to a professional individual DSM-5 assessment. These are sometimes displayed as levels. Where you fit along the autism spectrum.

Thank you for the info and the warm welcome

Welcome, Mark.

This is incredibly common, and you'll meet plenty of people here who were just as surprised as you when they were first told they might be autistic, some of them well into their retirement years. It's not unusual for it to be identified first by a therapist trying to treat co-morbid mental health problems. The anxiety and depression that you mentioned are a very common experience for undiagnosed autistic people trying their best to be a square peg in a round hole, even in the absence of any obvious emotional trauma; and unfortunately, it's easy even for front-line mental-healthcare staff to see those mental illnesses as being the sole causes of absolutely any problem that you present.

As far as the tests go, the first two that jimmy m mentioned, the AQ50 and EQ questionnaires, are often used as screening tests within the NHS. They're not sufficient for a sure diagnosis on their own, but they are taken to be a good indicator in a clinical context.


The formal diagnostic criteria are only the tip of the iceberg; there is so much more to the experience of living with autism than just those - you will learn far more in places like this than you ever could from most professionals (and with far more silliness and jokes along the way!)

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Thank you

Map84, I've also been on the bad end of an abusive situation and got out of it, but it was sure hell for awhile. Best to you on a full recovery and welcome.

Very kind of you, and I hope you're doing well