For some people, receiving a late diagnosis of autism can feel life-altering. For others, it can feel incredibly validating, like they finally have an answer to things they’ve wondered about themselves for years. This long-awaited clarity can reframe decades of challenges and misunderstandings. However, clarity doesn’t necessarily mean easy or simple. In fact, it can lead to more questions. Like, now what?
True Life Center believes that a diagnosis can be a doorway to a more satisfying life. Through our integrative, evidence-based autism spectrum disorder program, we help guide patients just like you toward healing from past hurts and empowerment for the future. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with autism as an adult, know that the support and compassion you’re looking for can be found at True Life Center.
A late diagnosis of autism can mean finally putting the puzzle together
A late diagnosis often feels like uncovering a missing piece of a puzzle. Suddenly, the personality quirks you’ve had since you can remember, or your difficulty reading a social situation, make sense. You may have seen certain things as character flaws or even failures, but now you realize that your mind works differently.
Coming into this understanding later in life can be both freeing and disorienting. You may find yourself revisiting childhood memories, analyzing past relationships, and reevaluating your coping mechanisms. This shift in perspectives can be hard, but it’s also a profound opportunity to build new skills and live life in a way that honors who you are.
Relief and grief
The emotional landscape following a diagnosis can come with a wide array of feelings. Grief can be just as profound as relief. You may wish you had been diagnosed earlier. You may think if you’d had a diagnosis as a child, some of the hardships you faced wouldn’t have happened. And that might make you angry. It’s important that you allow yourself to feel whatever emotions you’re feeling. Validating yourself is the first step to healing and using your newfound understanding to reshape your life.
At True Life Center, we acknowledge the weight of a late diagnosis of autism as an adult and will hold space for the entire emotional journey. Many adults with autism experience autistic burnout—a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion from masking for so many years and from unmet sensory needs. Our expert team can help you manage your symptoms and teach you new ways to honor who you are, cope with stress, and handle overstimulation.
Finding support after a late diagnosis of autism
One of the most empowering steps you can take post-diagnosis is to build a support network that celebrates your neurodiversity and supports you in your personal growth—whatever that looks like for you.
True Life Center offers mental health treatment rooted in neurobiological integration, a method that honors the connection between the brain, body, and spirit. Everyone who comes through our doors receives a customized care plan—whether that means individual therapy, group therapy, or somatic practices for grounding and peace of mind.
Our services include:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): This therapy type teaches values-based living
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT): Therapeutic modalities for emotional regulation and help reframing thoughts
- Biofeedback and mindfulness practices: To support the nervous system
- Yoga, massage, and holistic therapy: These practices help you connect with your body and learn to listen to what it may need
- Medication management: When appropriate, our team may recommend medication for co-occurring conditions like anxiety or depression.
Having people in your corner who understand you and support you can make this new chapter feel less overwhelming. You may find yourself encouraged by a new direction and a solid plan for moving forward.
Rewriting the rules for your wellbeing
One of the most profound gifts of a late autism diagnosis is the opportunity to design a life that finally fits. Gone are the days of neurodiverse people needing to squeeze themselves into neurotypical molds. Think of this time as an opportunity to rewrite your own rules based on your own values.
You might begin by incorporating sensory input into your life or changing certain routines that don’t fit who you are. Or honor yourself by saying no to certain social invitations that you know will make you uncomfortable. With the help of therapeutic tools and self-reflection, patients at True Life Center discover new ways to live more authentically, all the time.
You are not behind. You are not broken. Now’s the time to become the best version of who you’ve always been.
True Life Center is here every step of the way
True Life Center understands the unique challenges of receiving a late autism diagnosis, and we are here to help you navigate the path. Our treatment programs in San Diego are built on the belief that every individual deserves customized, integrative care that helps them to live quality lives.
Whether you’re processing your diagnosis, learning about what it means, or managing co-occurring mental health conditions, we’re here to help you embrace what works and transform what doesn’t.
A new chapter begins with you
A late diagnosis of autism can feel like the end of one story, but it’s also the beginning of a new one. You can create a life based on self-compassion and make choices that honor who you are. You deserve to live a life you’re proud of. Let us help you find the support you need for a late diagnosis of autism.
If you’re ready to take the next step, the team at True Life Center is ready to meet you where you are. Call us at 858.202.1822 or visit us online.
