Autistic Women?

I got my diagnosis through the health system

Very distressing for me, wish I had just self diagnosed now

I hope you'll find all the support you need here

Welcome to the club! ^-^

Yes, for me it was a protracted process with long waits in between each appointment.  It also felt like handing my very self over to non autistic "experts" and I too, looking back, wish I'd self diagnosed.

I think there's more support and knowledge within (largely) autistic communities like this one than anywhere else - the others are outsiders and not in our club.  :)

Definitely agree

I'm getting more support and knowledge for Autism here than I ever have with any so called professionals

I don't think professionals really understand Autism

At the time proper diagnosis seemed a good idea but looking back I didn't really need it, it gave me nothing but a lot of stress and anxiety

Yes, plus also most of us have waited a good deal longer to get our diagnoses.  A broken leg might be horrendous, but is usually sorted by a trip to A & E then a cast for 6 weeks.  Whereas so far we've spent most of our lives without being identified, waited well over a year for assessments, then still got nothing.  
My son, at the time unidentified, did actually break his leg whilst severely distressed and running in a state of heightend anxiety and panic to try to evade various issues.  So I'd go so far as to say that in one case at least, earlier identification would have prevented the broken leg in the first place.  The broken leg is actually trivial, though, compared to the intensity of the distress, over a protracted period, that led to an almost complete mental breakdown.  And then there's the suicidality.  In my view, being unidentified and/or unsupported can be a killer so the help can be critical as well as long overdue.    
 

Yes, plus also most of us have waited a good deal longer to get our diagnoses.  A broken leg might be horrendous, but is usually sorted by a trip to A & E then a cast for 6 weeks.  Whereas so far we've spent most of our lives without being identified, waited well over a year for assessments, then still got nothing.  
My son, at the time unidentified, did actually break his leg whilst severely distressed and running in a state of heightend anxiety and panic to try to evade various issues.  So I'd go so far as to say that in one case at least, earlier identification would have prevented the broken leg in the first place.  The broken leg is actually trivial, though, compared to the intensity of the distress, over a protracted period, that led to an almost complete mental breakdown.  And then there's the suicidality.  In my view, being unidentified and/or unsupported can be a killer so the help can be critical as well as long overdue.