I'm new here and hoping to make some friends.  I'm a middle-aged mom on the spectrum and have undergone a complete identity crisis in the wake of my fairly recent diagnosis.

Finding out I was on the spectrum literally turned my life upside down.  I lost everything:  marriage, family, friends, career, religion...wow, it's been a ride.  This much change is hard for anyone, and being on the spectrum hasn't made the journey any easier, I'm guessing.  Learning to accept the legitimate me, the me behind all the defensive, social masks I had constructed over a lifetime is ongoing work.

I no longer hide my neurological diversity, but manage myself without judgment, and each day learn what more about what I need.  Does any of this sound familiar to any of you?  Do we have anything in common?  I hope so.  Becuase I could use some friends.