My official diagnosis was 4 years ago, and I am 53. My childhood was watching the interactions of others to figure out how to do what others do. I did okay one on one, and I still do. After I was diagnosed in the Autism Spectrum I shared the information with a brother who told me another her older brother, deceased, had told my parents, in approximately 1963, I was Autistic.
My first hurdle where teenage years when there were multiple people, and no option to be one to one . In the 1970's many people were involved in marijuana and I became one, as well as barbiturates, and I found it was very easy to socialize while self medicating. That was a period of my life I had friends, not one friend, and it was how I dealt with life. It wasn't a continuous lifestyle.
I have anxiety, I collect rocks, I know many people yet have one close friend, I rock to calm myself, stopped walking in public on my toes when I was in my 30's..... Many
idiosyncrasies that don't carry weight with me as being unusual.
It wasn't until I had my son tested by a psychologist after a head injury I decided to talk with a psychologist. My son was diagnosed with Aspergers, mild case, and I was told I too am in the Autism Spectrum, although high functioning, much more severe than my son.
My observation of people has been my way of knowing. I continue to people watch. I don't rock in public, and I still walk on my toes at home. My 31 year old daughter doesn't understand "how I process," and my psychologist reports my intelligence has been my success to making it this far in life. I am a nurse.
Shawnee, OK