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Is it worth me seeking a formal diagnosis?

NAS85297

Hey everyone

I'm a 17 yr old who will be 18 relatively soon. Looking at the resources about autism, I've come to the conclusion that I am quite probably autistic. Once I came to this conclusion, I decided to inform my parents for advice on what the next steps I should take are. They had a very negative reaction to this and discouraged me to pursue it any further. They insist that I cannot have it, but their reasoning doesn't make sense.

I don't think what I have negatively affects my progress at school / in exams but I do believe it to cause some trouble getting round to preparing for exams. I will be in university in some time, but I have no clue whether I will need additional support.

I made the decision to pursue a formal diagnosis myself once I am 18 without doing a lot of research into what this would mean for me, and this is what I had in mind for a while. However recently, I have done some more looking into it and found some awful reports about the treatment of diagnosed autistic people (i.e. migration, legal and medical autonomy, adoption, etc) and I am no longer sure whether it is worth seeking this diagnosis without much certainty to whether it will assist me in life in getting support I may need. It feels like it would've been more worth it had I figured this out earlier, but now I am afraid of the downsides.

Based on the limited info I've given, do you think it is worth continuing to pursue a diagnosis? I'm sorry if this whole post is vague or not what this forum is for. I just need some other perspectives.

Parents

  • I would recommend that you get a diagnosis. You may not have had many issues at school and with exams, but university is very different from the structured environment of school. At university you have to make your own structures and manage your own time. With a diagnosis, you would be able to access additional support. You may not need that support, but you won't know whether you do until you are there.

    My 19 year old son was diagnosed as autistic last week. He was fine at school, got very good A levels, but has struggled at university before taking a year out to re-assess. He found it difficult to structure his time and had difficulty doing assessments due to problems organising himself and understanding what was required due to the lack of detailed instructions about the task. If he goes back after his year off, with a diagnosis, he will have access to the support that might have helped him through the start of his degree.

    There are downsides to getting a diagnosis, society has improved in its acceptance of autistic people, but there is still a way to go. However, with a diagnosis, you will have better self knowledge and be able to make more informed decisions for yourself. You can choose who you share your diagnosis with. If you do go to university, choose a subject that you are passionate about, rather than one you just like. That passion will motivate you to overcome any issues that you meet in the process.

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  • I would recommend that you get a diagnosis. You may not have had many issues at school and with exams, but university is very different from the structured environment of school. At university you have to make your own structures and manage your own time. With a diagnosis, you would be able to access additional support. You may not need that support, but you won't know whether you do until you are there.

    My 19 year old son was diagnosed as autistic last week. He was fine at school, got very good A levels, but has struggled at university before taking a year out to re-assess. He found it difficult to structure his time and had difficulty doing assessments due to problems organising himself and understanding what was required due to the lack of detailed instructions about the task. If he goes back after his year off, with a diagnosis, he will have access to the support that might have helped him through the start of his degree.

    There are downsides to getting a diagnosis, society has improved in its acceptance of autistic people, but there is still a way to go. However, with a diagnosis, you will have better self knowledge and be able to make more informed decisions for yourself. You can choose who you share your diagnosis with. If you do go to university, choose a subject that you are passionate about, rather than one you just like. That passion will motivate you to overcome any issues that you meet in the process.

Children
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