A Groomsport woman who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 50 is preparing to take on a daunting challenge by abseiling down Belfast’s Europa Hotel to raise money and awareness for Autism NI.
Carol Green, who received her autism diagnosis later in life, is hoping the October 4 event will not only raise funds for the charity but also shine a light on the experiences of autistic women, many of whom can go undiagnosed for years.
Carol said greater recognition of autism in women is relatively recent, with differences in how girls and boys are socialised often meaning autistic women can present differently.
“It’s only really been recently that it’s even been accepted that women have autism too. They just don’t behave the same way as boys. We’re all socialised from birth to be treated differently, to feel differently, to think differently and to behave differently, so, of course, autistic girls behave differently from autistic boys,” she said.
For Carol, receiving her diagnosis at 50 proved to be life-changing, helping her make sense of her own experiences and better understand those around her.
As well as being diagnosed with autism, Carol has also been diagnosed with ADHD, which she only became aware of after her children were diagnosed.
“I’d done a course of cognitive behavioural therapy, which was really helpful, but it still wasn’t getting to the core of the issues of me spending most of my life either thinking, what is wrong with me or what is wrong with everyone else?” she said.
“I used to get very depressed, but then I used to get very hyper and I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until later in life when my children were diagnosed.
“Since my diagnosis I spent the next five years researching, learning and discovering the differences between myself and other people.
“I got on a Facebook page with other autistic women, many of whom weren’t diagnosed until later in life as well, and there was suddenly a virtual planet of people who saw things the way I saw them and understood them.”
To help raise money for the event, which is taking place on October 4, Carol has set up a GoFundMe page that has already raised almost £200, beating the initial target of £100 set by Autism NI.
Speaking about her decision to support Autism NI and raise awareness of autism in adults more generally, Carol said: “I’m supporting Autism NI because I want to make a difference, especially in the recognition, diagnosis, support and education for autistic girls.
“My hope is that one day no-one will have to grow up as I did, confused, misunderstood and isolated when autism in girls and women went entirely unrecognised.
“I also want to raise more awareness of autism in adults generally, and to support continued education in society, so that our everyday struggles are better understood and more readily accepted, no matter how well we may have learned to hide or to bear them.”
To donate to Carol’s campaign, visit gofund.me/000a70558.
