Do late-diagnosed adults sometimes grieve lost years

Yes. Very often. When someone is diagnosed later in life, there is relief but also grief. People reflect on missed opportunities, self criticism, strained relationships, or years of feeling inadequate. That reprocessing can be emotional. I gently remind patients that you were doing the best you could with the information you had. The diagnosis does not change your past, but it reframes it with compassion. Grief is part of integration. Over time, it often shifts into empowerment.