My Perspective: Getting Diagnosed with Autism as an Adult

by Justin Caligari, guest contributor from Mesa, AZ

My name is Justin and I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when I was 35 years old.

It was an interesting and challenging journey to discover my disability. Throughout much of my life, I had no idea I have autism and my family did not know either.

Life change leads to discovery

I didn’t come across it as a possibility until I had a big change in my life where I got a promotion at work to be in a much different work environment, so the big change was unexpected. After I made the switch, I had incredible, unbelievable social and emotional challenges at work. I sought help from therapy, and in my first appointment, the intake therapist told me after I took an assessment that I might have autism.

The thought that I may have autism was very surprising and came out of nowhere, as I never would have guessed it on my own.

God is good and I am thankful to be more aware of who I am.

The therapist recommended I do research on it and seek help from a psychiatrist. But after I did lots and lots of research on autism and spoke with many people who knew me well, it sounded more likely. However, I still needed to go through an evaluation by a psychologist to have a definitive answer on whether I am autistic or not.

Persistence pays off

I did have some opposition along the way, but I was very determined to obtain an answer from a specialist. It took me about 7 or 8 months to find a psychologist who evaluates adults for autism and then to complete the evaluation.

After I heard the news from the psychologist, I was excited and relieved to have an answer and more awareness of my identity and who I am. I believe autism is interesting and good to explore. God is good and I am thankful to be more aware of who I am.

Are you an adult in Arizona looking for support with autism spectrum disorder? Connect with the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix’s Autistic Adult Support Groups.