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Disadvantages of getting and autism diagnosis

NAS74114

Hi I think I may be autistic and am considering trying to get a diagnosis, but I am worried about the negative implications there might be for getting a positive diagnosis and wondering how i might be able to avoid them.

I've read that in some cases it might be harder or more expensive to get insurance and that is something I would really rather avoid.

Another really big concern is that if i were ever to separate from my partner it could impact the custody of my child, right now i am very much the primary parent. 

I can potentially self fund the diagnosis so it wouldn't necessarily need to be in my nhs records, but it is something I would want to be fairly open and honest about and not keep secret. 

Parents

  • Thanks for the replies.

    For me I am definitely looking into this for personal reasons, like some people have said, the relief of just knowing.

    But I want to be able to make an informed decision.

    There is plenty of information about the benefits, and how to go about it, although thanks some of the extra info here is useful.

    What I am really after is information on where I might be legally obligated to disclose it, or where it might be disclosed on my behalf if known, so it is outside my control.

    Eg insurance I know about, but I am looking for other areas, maybe certain professions where you need to be vetted, like working with children or jobs that need security clearance. Maybe travel, applying for visas or residency in other countries and I'm sure there might be many other areas I cannot think of.

    I am also after information about how I can possibly avoid this, eg can I get my private report, get my piece of mind, then put the report in the shredder and carry on with my life like it never happened, or could that potentially go very badly for me.

  • in reply to NAS74114

    I had a private assessment. The report came to me and me only. It's up to me whether to disclose to the NHS. As yet I am hanging on to it because I don't know how it may affect things in the future. I would say if you can get a private assessment then go for it. You don't have to tell anyone, but if you do decide to disclose, you have the report to back you up. I told my manager but it hasn't been documented officially as far as I know, and it hasn't gone further than my manager. My CBT therapist asked me if I wanted it mentioning in his final report he was sending to my GP about my mental health treatment but I said I didn't want him to. So you have choices.

  • in reply to Deleted User

    I had a private assessment, but I wanted it sent to my GP practice. Had I not just taken early retirement, I would have wanted to disclose my diagnosis to my employer, because I would definitely have desired accommodations. However, my former employer had extensive disability and occupational health support in place.

  • in reply to Deleted User

    I worked in a mass spectrometer hall - a large room full of machines each equipped with high-vacuum pumps - some form of noise-cancelling earphones would have been good. Also an official note to colleagues about my difficulties processing the speech of others in noisy environments, would have been useful.

  • in reply to Deleted User

    thats good of the employer concerned

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