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Should I continue with the formal autistic identification process?

Ausomely Autistic

Hello fellow autistic people. I was wondering whether you could help me with your wise advice.

 I started the formal autism diagnosis process about 2 years ago and I am yet to have any initial assessment/any progress. I  am not sure whether to continue with this progress or just give up.

My autistic identity is very strong and positive thanks to my connection with my own neurokin (including this wonderful autistic community) and I feel like the diagnostic process will be very negative and unnecessarily pathologising. I feel like I have learned so much about my autistic needs and our culture by being part of this community and I feel like formal identification will almost ruin my sense of autistic self.

If you want to share, what were the benefits of formal autistic identification for you?

Thanks.

Parents

  • We all have different experiences. For me as someone who isnt obviously autistic (whatever that means anyway) formal diagnosis is a kind of "back up" or proof if you will, that yes I do struggle. Also I wanted to know if it was all in my head or my suspicions were real. I've struggled with my mental health and now I know why. A diagnosis means I can advocate for myself instead of masking my way through. 

    It depends who or where you go for assessment. I had a fairly positive experience. I think the assessors I had had a good understanding of the nuances although they do have to work within a framework of deficits.  So my report was somewhat about these "deficits"  but they tried to keep it positive (ie not a broken neurotypical but a neurodivergent person trying to get by). I have a fairly strong sense of self in some respects and although it made slightly uncomfortable reading, it was mostly pointing out things I knew about myself anyway. If you can park that to one side I'd say it's worth going.

    Assessment, diagnosis and report has opened up factors I hadn't considered much before such as executive function difficulties, but these are actually things I really struggle with. Someone on here recently said it's like you are given a manual for your life and you open it up and its blank. i understand this. It takes time to integrate a diagnosis. Talking therapies with people who "get it" have helped massively. More so than a diagnosis in fact.

    It depends why you put yoursrlf forward for an assessment in the first place. Assuming it was you who decided. You've got this far waiting. What have you got to lose? 

Reply

  • We all have different experiences. For me as someone who isnt obviously autistic (whatever that means anyway) formal diagnosis is a kind of "back up" or proof if you will, that yes I do struggle. Also I wanted to know if it was all in my head or my suspicions were real. I've struggled with my mental health and now I know why. A diagnosis means I can advocate for myself instead of masking my way through. 

    It depends who or where you go for assessment. I had a fairly positive experience. I think the assessors I had had a good understanding of the nuances although they do have to work within a framework of deficits.  So my report was somewhat about these "deficits"  but they tried to keep it positive (ie not a broken neurotypical but a neurodivergent person trying to get by). I have a fairly strong sense of self in some respects and although it made slightly uncomfortable reading, it was mostly pointing out things I knew about myself anyway. If you can park that to one side I'd say it's worth going.

    Assessment, diagnosis and report has opened up factors I hadn't considered much before such as executive function difficulties, but these are actually things I really struggle with. Someone on here recently said it's like you are given a manual for your life and you open it up and its blank. i understand this. It takes time to integrate a diagnosis. Talking therapies with people who "get it" have helped massively. More so than a diagnosis in fact.

    It depends why you put yoursrlf forward for an assessment in the first place. Assuming it was you who decided. You've got this far waiting. What have you got to lose? 

Children
  • in reply to Deleted User
    Unknown said:
    alking therapies with people who "get it"
    Unknown said:
    Talking therapies with people who "get it" have helped massively. More so than a diagnosis in fact.

    How did you find Talking Therapies for autistic people?

  • in reply to Deleted User
    Unknown said:
    not a broken neurotypical but a neurodivergent person trying to get by

    I really like this 

  • in reply to Deleted User

    Thanks for your reply, it is very helpful. I am glad you had a positive experience, this isn’t the case for many of us. I understand what you mean about a formal diagnosis serving as proof of your needs and challenges.

    Unknown said:
    I've struggled with my mental health and now I know why

    I completely understand this point, formal identification gives you a lens with which to examine your mental health difficulties.  Typically we develop mental health difficulties because our environment is not suited to our autistic neurology. Knowledge is power.

    Unknown said:
    I have a fairly strong sense of self in some respects and although it made slightly uncomfortable reading, it was mostly pointing out things I knew about myself anyway. If you can park that to one side I'd say it's worth going.

    You know much more about your autistic experience than a piece of paper will ever be able to tell you.

     I decided to go for formal identification in the first place, I am just worried that it will be an unnecessarily negative experience.

    Thanks for taking time to write your lengthy reply.