What have you achieved from getting diagnosed?

For me, as you know, I'm in a similar position in that I have a touch of the post-diagnosis come-down & the main thing to adjust to is the fact that you're no longer waiting for diagnosis! Even after a month or so, it's not quite what I expected. It's certainly a relief, and it gives me some pleasure to "cut myself some slack" and look forward to a future of being even more authentic to the true me. That, and having a good framework for thinking through those parts of me that are flexible strengths worth tuning, development areas that I can usefully work on to enhance my enjoyment of life, and what are fairly fixed features of me that I would do well to leave alone and work *around*, is probably the benefits summed up.

Could that be achieved without a formal diagnosis? Probably - but for me I held back from believing it 100% and therefore having 100% motivation to put the learning into practice without a formal endorsement.

It's also a very useful thing to have in my back pocket should I ever need to say "No, I'm not going to do *that* because I have autism and *that* isn't good for me" without feeling the need to add in "suspect I have autism, and if I'm right, what happens is......".

I think this discussion could get quite philosophical (which might be fun!).

I'm becoming quite interested in the different manifestations of autism too, and I'd be fascinated to know if I have any of the genetic factors that are known to be associated with autism. I was reading this paper earlier today, and feeling an urge to map my symptoms to my genes - but a) I need to (re)learn the scientific landscape and b) I need more information......

So in some ways I see diagnosis as a waypoint, not an end.......

It's a bit like the journey from realising we were probably autistic up to the point of diagnosis was signposted quite well. But post diagnosis there are no sign posts! We've been sent back out into the big wide world with no clear guidelines as to what to do next, how to use this new information, where do we go from here? It's like being lost in a random and remote part of the country with no sat nav, no map and no road signs! You just kind of have to take pot luck and hope that you get to somewhere good eventually!

I guess that having a formal diagnosis and 'knowing' that I am autistic does allow me to step back from things when I need to, to feel ok to acknowledge that I am struggling with something and give myself time to recharge rather than feeling that I just have to carry on.

I hope that this discussion does get quite philosophical and it's interesting to get input from those that have been diagnosed for longer and are further along their journey. To see what they think that they have achieved from their diagnosis and where their journey has taken them. Maybe it will take some time to fully adjust and see the benefits but I'm sure that we will all get there in the end.

With regards to autism and genes. My youngest daughter who has her 4th and last assessment for autism next Wednesday, will also be having genetic testing once she gets to the top of the waiting list. My understanding is that myself and my husband and quite possibly our other children will also need to be tested. It will be interesting to see what, if anything shows up.

Yeah diagnosis is just a part of the journey!

You’re exactly right about the signposts in the journey. I felt the same when I finished uni - the end of a process that was comfortable because it had waypoints and clear goals, and then life after uni had no clear direction.

It’s reminding me now of the end of “I Robot” where the robot finally gets consciousness and free will and says “What do I do now?”

It is exactly that! What do I do now? I feel like I need a bit of guidance and direction but the reality is that I’ll just end up stumbling through and finding my own way! I have a bbq at mine for a few members of my group later, I might chat with them about it. We’re mostly all relatively newly diagnosed but it might be helpful to get other people’s take on it.

It is exactly that! What do I do now? I feel like I need a bit of guidance and direction but the reality is that I’ll just end up stumbling through and finding my own way! I have a bbq at mine for a few members of my group later, I might chat with them about it. We’re mostly all relatively newly diagnosed but it might be helpful to get other people’s take on it.