Does an official diagnosis help

Thanks for replying. I also have a deep need misunderstand more about myself and why I think the way I do.

Thanks for replying. I can understand where you are coming from with therapy. I have made a lot of progress with my therapist and she is probably the best I have seen, however there are still some things that just aren't working. My therapist is great but I do feel if I were to get a diagnosis I would understand myself so much more. 

I am also worried about leaving my diagnosis for more time. I am in my early 30a now but have seen a few people who were diagnosed later wish they could have known sooner. 

I am glad you gorgeous diagnosis and it has helped you. 

Thanks for replying. That's good to hear. From what I have read, and people have told me, during the autism assessments quite a few people have then been referred for ADHD, it's good that this is being recognized more now. 

Thank you. Obviously if a diagnosis could lead to more support act it would be great, however, after reading about a lot of people's experience in not expecting much. I think just knowing my self and feeling validation would be enough for me. 

Thanks for your reply. Can I ask how many appointments did you have throughout the assessment process? 

When I first got my diagnosis I felt really overwhelmed and down even though I was expecting it. Now it has been a few months and I have fully digested it I feel like it was definitely worth it. For me it means I can get access to the help I need much easier than I could without a diagnosis. It also means my therapy sessions could be changed and more suited in light of my diagnosis as many techniques used for anxiety alone are not as effective for autism induced anxiety. It has also helped me to understand myself a bit better so I am able to better advocate and make adjustments for myself without feeling as guilty. Having said that there are a few downsides. There are unfortunately still people out there that will treat you differently with a diagnosis but I believe that good people will be supportive so at least it will show you who your true friends are! I hope this helps and best of luck with everything whatever you choose to do!

I think it's better to know than just suspect. I'm like KBoS, initially it was a relief that I finally had a name for my sense of otherness. Now the long slog of self acceptance has begun, I'm six months in and I'm no further forward. Help and resources are pretty thin on the ground and they took tend to have a horrendous waiting list to.

Personally I'm pleased I was assessed but for me not much has changed, it just gave me a fresh perspective to try and understand my difficulties, a new starting point.

The assessment process is pretty painless, mine was through the right to choose. I had some online questionnaires, a video call which lasted around half an hour and then the assessment itself, which was around an hour. Everyone was really nice and made me feel at ease (which isn't easy).

Thank you for sharing your view and experience! It challenges many experiences but that’s why it’s important and I would say valuable, because it gives wider picture of the reality. My opinion is that I try my best to explore myself and assess how much I should or can adjust to the world and how much I can adjust the world to my needs. 

I debated responding here as I will be the odd one out compared to most responses. Please don't anyone come at me (this is an experience; it doesn't invalidate yours, but people often come back at me to invalidate mine, and there is very little room currently for experiences that don't match the current narrative of diagnosis = happiness), but I do think it is important that more varied narratives are heard, so I'll share mine.

But NO, it made absolutely no difference or improvement to my existence at all, it may have made it worse. Initially, for about the first 6 months, I was happy (with the diagnosis). I thought I had an answer, but that feeling disappeared very quickly, and I realised it had given me no information about me at all.

I had no better sense of my strengths or weaknesses; people who knew would pretend to be 'neuro-affirming' but judged my 'autistic' characteristics that weren't 'useful' just as poorly, and were just as unforgiving (including people identifying/diagnosed autistic), there were lots of platitudes but, the moment I really needed support or even suggested basic adjustments there was nothing. Other, 'autistic' individuals turned out to be rather two-faced, I felt entirely out of place in the 'community', and I very quickly ended up in a worse mental state.

Since moving away from the diagnosis, I've been much better, much healthier and found other, much more enriched ways to gain self-understanding, awareness of my personality style and abilities, and to hold by my boundaries. I do not disclose if I can help it, and am highly ambivalent about whether I am 'autistic' or not. I actually requested that it be removed from my medical records - they can't, but they did write a note advising that it wasn't relevant. I paid for mine, so I don't feel I wasted NHS time by doing this, just my own money.

I think it's a diagnosis that can help people when it is applied appropriately, but I do worry that people place way too much value/investment/hope in it as the primary explanation of their sense of self these days or as some kind of panacea. I also dislike that people seem increasingly to be incapable of treating people well or with a bit of understanding and empathy for being a bit different (well, until they hear the person has a diagnosis, and even then, my experience has been that this is quite a superficial response, unless the person matches their version of 'autism').

Please, nobody shoot me, I'm glad for you if having a diagnosis made your day, but it may not work out that way for everybody.

Hi yes, my diagnosis roughly 2 years ago helped me understand myself and I was able to get some reasonable adjustments put in place in my housing situation.   I struggle in lots of ways and am 10 months into a PIP application which is in mandatory reconsideration which I expect to have to appeal in June, so my diagnosis hasn't helped entirely with that even though the autism assessments are detailed and corroborate the ways in which I struggle.   But that is a negative on the PIP system, not the diagnosis.

I've had some mixed feelings s since diagnosis but overall it's been important to me.

For me, absolutely.

Pretty much everybody in my life was adamant that I was not Autistic (my wife included). It wasn’t until I got the official diagnosis that they finally took me seriously and admitted I was right. Sounds terrible, but I’m ADHD, too, so everyone thought it was just really, really profound ADHD.

I wondered the same thing. I think it depends on your reasons for wanting to know.

My aim is to know if there is a deeper reason for my dysfunctional thinking, cognitive distortions, trauma, sleep issues, isolation, depression, problems with stress, etc. in order to cope in future. I had thought I was reasonably normal, it was everyone else, until even I could not explain away what I was doing.

The solution(s) will depend on what the root cause is. The approach if autistic would be different from if I am neurotypical. I need to know for sure.

I have had a number of depressive episodes  I couldn't keep a lid on it in Jan, spoke to a counsellor which did not help, so sought a clinical psychologist 3 months ago who on the 3rd session suggested I may be autistic and wanted me to do the AQ-50. After being in denial (as I rejected the same thing 27 years ago) I did it and scored over the 32 needed for clinical significance (have since one a lot of the other tests from embrace autism).

Have now met a consultant clinical psychologist for an initial discussion as part of getting a diagnosis, who has confirmed there is a legitimate rationale for continuing.

I made quick progress as I have intellectualised it all in the meetings to keep the emotions in check, and I analysed myself in Jan to recall everything from 50 years and note it all (which is unwise without support as I re-traumatised myself, but I need to reach a conclusion and I'm obsessive once started, was spending 20+ hours preparing for each 1 hr session with the psychotherapist)..
I am fortunate in having money, so the process has been quite quick, the problem was starting as other issues related to trauma stopped me doing this for nearly 3 decades. Have also paid for various other things privately that I have put off for a long time too; I struggle with seeing GPs. For some reason paying is much easier, I assume it is because I am in control and not asking for help (which I find very hard to do).

I was in a similar position to you, after five years of therapy the possiblity of ASD came up - I'd been struggling with some of the therapy which didn't seem to stick for me, although I've learnt a lot of skills which have made a big difference.  So I did the AQ-50 test which gave a strong indication of ASD and on the basis of that booked a private assessment.  I'm 64 and retired so I thought there was little chance of an assessment through the NHS.  The diagnosis and confirmation of ASD came through in March this year.  It has helped in several ways.  We know that there are some therapy techniques and tools which are not going to work for me and so we'll try alternatives.  I'm also now able to put in context some of the struggles I've had over the years, particularly at work.  And I'm slowly losing my embarrassment and guilt at some of my behaviour as a child.  However I do wish I’d known earlier in my life and been able to make decisions with a better understanding of me.

It helps me in terms of validation. My diagnosis is ten years old before ADHD was seen as a possible co-occurring condition. Reading more about this, I actually think I have AuDHD but because I don't have the ADHD part of the diagnosis, there's no validation. So, yes, I feel an official diagnosis brings a form of validation you perhaps won't get without it, although I completely understand how difficult it is to get a diagnosis.

I always knew I was autistic and have literally gotten an official diagnosis today. Unfortunately they haven’t offered me any support or extra information or anything. On the plus side, it validates all of my experiences. It may be too early to tell, but so far the only difference I can see my diagnosis making is extra support at work and that feeling of validation. I hope this helps!

I went through the process last couple of years after knowing for years that I am autistic. I got my feedback last week and my diagnosis. I did right to choose and went with clinical partners as I heard better reviews from others with them than psychiatry uk. I’m really glad I went through the process, it was mentally draining at times but I think I would have struggled to keep going with a self diagnosis although everyone feels different about this. It’s quite obvious to others I’m autistic and I’ve been asked a number of times if I am so for me it made sense to get one so I could get workplace adjustments.

You can still put things in place for yourself without one though and I get that after going through the process if you don’t get one that wouldn’t be a nice feeling and I was terrified of that happening to me. There are other options though if you find you don’t get a diagnosis and I was also reassured by the fact that you can still be neurodiverse but you just might not meet the criteria for diagnosis. I would say just make sure you go in knowing that it is quite a long and difficult process, i didn’t have an informant which made it more difficult but if you check on clinical partners site the wait times are vastly reduced now to I think 5 and a half months. Mine was 18 months so it is better at the moment. If you have any questions about it though feel free to message me :) 

I think it has been helpful  - yes. The gp in my practice that I like said that I could always see her instead of having to see whichever doctor is available as she understood my need as an autistic person to have continuity. Not that I hardly ever go to the gp as I avoid medical things whenever possible! It helped with my dentist though as she understood that my being autistic meant I might find some things more challenging - and she responded very sensitively to that. 

Hi. I'm glad it's helped you. I do feel it's a shame only an official diagnosis is accepted to gain support. 

I have heard about that right to choose and I seems a much faster wait time.

Hi, I have spoken to family members are there are the least surprised to hear about it. 

Thanks for your reply. It's really helpful to hear from everyone.