Published on 12, July, 2020
I went through a diagnosis late last year through the NHS and they have said that I don't meet all 3 criteria. I don't have enough compulsions or rituals.
I don't think they went into it enough, I always step off pavements with my left foot, I count the steps to get past houses etc and I practice stimming a lot to such an extent I have callouses on the backs of my thumbs but, at 58 I don't think there is much they can do anyway so probably not worth arguing about it. So I need to work out, like a few others, am I really Autistic or just weird?
Self diagnosis is always your right, you’re not weird at all. If you believe you’re autistic (you know yourself best) then you are. It’s just unfortunate that you can’t have that officially on paper, but that’s all it is really.
I wouldn't say that if you believe you are autistic you are, you may very well be, but just because someone believes something doesn't make it so. That being said, if you wish to identify as autistic then you can.