Published on 12, July, 2020
I've got a question.
I've been diagnosed with autism about 2 years ago (I'm 23 now), and at that time, I intended to be tested for ADHD as well. But the psychologist said to me that it wouldn't make much difference as I've already been diagnosed with autism, so then I didn't continue with it as the process for my autism diagnosis was so long (took about a year altogether I think).
I wanted to ask if it would be of any benefit to get a diagnosis for adhd? I really struggle with daily life and recently been seeing a lot of symptoms I can relate to which I didn't know were even part of ADHD.
On a side note, I also get people saying to me that autism isn't even real, so then I feel like I'm already making all this stuff up in my head
In my case, I was told by a clinical psychologist in the UK that there really wasn't much point in my receiving a long list of comorbidities. (I was very aware there probably could be a list, since I had spent months compiling my own detailed report.)
I live abroad, and it was already obvious before the assessment that no one in this particular country would be interested in diagnosing an adult as on the spectrum. But if I'd had ADD or ADHD added to a comorbidity list, it was felt that some medical professionals here would probably say something like, "Yep, I do know something about ADD/ADHD; so let's get to work on that first!"; thus completely failing to see the need to address the overarching condition. But actually, the reality here is that they just don't want to know at all. And I have long since taken to the notion that I am the only person who is ever going to listen, here.
Now in the three years since assessment, I have come to see ADD as possibly the most significant term in my case. So perhaps, it is best if you self-realise its significance to yourself, without submitting for further assessments. Most well-informed support people should be quite capable of realising that almost all individuals on the spectrum have some significant comorbidities. They shouldn't need a further assessment report to know that those comorbidities also need some attention. They will probably accept your word for it; but I suppose you should also inform them of your psychologists' comments.
To address your side note, I suggest you take note of just what sort of people are calling it an imaginary .... condition. Could it be your constant critics, for instance? They, of course, haven't the faintest idea what it is like to be yourself; and they might even be blameworthy for making things worse over the years. With some people, it is probably best NOT to keep them informed. I have told a few, but it was mostly a waste of my own time.