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Unsure whether to go for an assessment?

Kevin

My son was diagnosed with ADHD a number of years ago and while going though his assessment things started to click in my mind when the doctors spoke about Autism and ADHD and when I looked into these more and more to understand his condition, it felt like a light bulb had been turned on in my mind.
I am 50 and have felt like I’ve never really fitted in with social groups from my school days through my college years and while at work.  I have learnt to live with the way I feel, live with situations that make me feel anxious, deal with my worry when I get forced into situations that make me want to run a mile.  I have never been comfortable when in small groups and having to make chit chat!

I sure that if I had an assessment I would be told I am Autistic, but here’s my problem, I can’t get my head around that I will be taking up the doctors time with trying to get an assessment as I know they are under so much pressure currently and it’s not life threatening!   I keep talking myself out of going, saying does it really matter to get the assessment done as I’ve lived 50 years not knowing, but part of me wants to know so I can close the lid on this box and answer lots of unanswered questions from my life.  Another part of me says wait a year and things will be less stressful with the doctors and I will feel like I’m not wasting the doctors time. 

Guess I’m asking people who have felt the same whether they went for the assessment and did it help once you found out for sure? Others must know how likely they are to be diagnosed or not and whether actually being told helped?

Thanks

Parents

  • I was assessed and diagnosed at 59. It helped me a lot, not through access to any material support, but in validating my life experience and explaining so many aspects of my otherwise confusing traits. It also allowed me to forgive myself for past failings and missed opportunities. I think it was well worth doing. All autistic people live with the pain of not fitting in the society around them, it is no different to people with arthritis experiencing physical pain. Arthritis is not usually life-threatening, but  very many people with it have joint replacement surgery that costs many tens of times more than an autism assessment does. The NHS is there for everyone who needs it, including people who believe they are autistic.

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  • I was assessed and diagnosed at 59. It helped me a lot, not through access to any material support, but in validating my life experience and explaining so many aspects of my otherwise confusing traits. It also allowed me to forgive myself for past failings and missed opportunities. I think it was well worth doing. All autistic people live with the pain of not fitting in the society around them, it is no different to people with arthritis experiencing physical pain. Arthritis is not usually life-threatening, but  very many people with it have joint replacement surgery that costs many tens of times more than an autism assessment does. The NHS is there for everyone who needs it, including people who believe they are autistic.

Children