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? Benefits of diagnosis

Bumblebee

Hello everyone. I’m 36 yo and have strongly suspected I’m autistic for years now but suffer from anxiety (also undiagnosed as discussing anything not to do with physical health with doctors makes me even more anxious so I have avoided it for years) I’ve not managed to work up the courage to ask for a diagnosis yet. My brother is autistic and was diagnosed before he started school at 4. I also have dyslexia and my mum is convinced that autism and dyslexia share traits which explain the difficulties I had as a child. My research suggests some overlap but not enough to explain everything. I have problems with change especially when familiar shops change the layout, I have problems with social situations I don’t always know what people expect me to say or where the conversation is going so I don’t usually talk much except to a few really good friends, I have problems with sounds, textures and the weight of some fabrics. Most of this is situational I cope well at work as I know mostly what to expect and am well trained to deal with most issues and have developed a kind of script of the small talk expected of me. I am good at my job. I’m interested to know what others have experienced after diagnosis. I won’t be applying for any benefits mainly I want to know for my own piece of mind. Did anyone have any problems with their jobs after their diagnosis? What advantages did people find from having a confirmed diagnosis?

thanks everyone 

Parents

  • Hi Bumblebee,

    I'll answer succinctly (unusual for me!) in terms of what the diagnosis meant for me.  I got it at age 56, by the way.

    1) Finally, an understanding of my entire life.

    2) Validation that I wasn't simply 'inadequate', 'stupid', 'anti-social', 'weird', 'a freak', 'unable to focus', 'a dreamer', 'a loser', 'a retard', 'strange', 'hyper-sensitive', 'a wuss'... or any other label you care to mention.

    3) Something I could use as evidence for my need for reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

    4) A sense, at last, of who I really am.

    There are inevitable downsides.  Supposing I'd been diagnosed earlier?  Would my life have been so much easier than it has been?

    On the whole, though, it's been positive.

    In essence, it changed a lot.

    But that's just my experience.

Reply

  • Hi Bumblebee,

    I'll answer succinctly (unusual for me!) in terms of what the diagnosis meant for me.  I got it at age 56, by the way.

    1) Finally, an understanding of my entire life.

    2) Validation that I wasn't simply 'inadequate', 'stupid', 'anti-social', 'weird', 'a freak', 'unable to focus', 'a dreamer', 'a loser', 'a retard', 'strange', 'hyper-sensitive', 'a wuss'... or any other label you care to mention.

    3) Something I could use as evidence for my need for reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

    4) A sense, at last, of who I really am.

    There are inevitable downsides.  Supposing I'd been diagnosed earlier?  Would my life have been so much easier than it has been?

    On the whole, though, it's been positive.

    In essence, it changed a lot.

    But that's just my experience.

Children
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