Autism diagnosis changed my life, says Carrie, 45

Carrie Austin, 45, was recently diagnosed with autism after "just getting on with things" all her life. She says she always struggled with organisational skills, time management and relationships with others, but had never been assessed for autism until her Portland Charity diagnosis.

- By GEORGE PALMER-SOADY

"If I'd have only known about this when I was a kid," the photographer from Sutton-in-Ashfield said.

"You think 'that's why that relationship ended' or 'that's why I could never finish that task' and it offers you validation. If you know why your traits are the way they are, managing that is huge. It's someone saying 'you're right".