Maybe this is it

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Hello everyone, my name is kaminchu, I am a university student from Austria and I never thought I would post to an ASD forum until, well, now.

I always felt very different, but I never considered Asperger's / ASD a possibility, even though I had a good idea of what it was.
Two months ago my best friend (who I always thought has Asperger's) told me, "I think I have Asperger's". This caused us to talk about it and me to keep thinking about the topic.
Then two weeks ago, I started googling around and stumbled upon the AQ-test by Baron-Cohen. I tried it, got a 35. Test says from 32 upwards, an ASD diagnosis is likely. Sent it to said friend, he got a 38.
Kept googling, found some papers on how women with Asperger's are more likely to suffer from problems caused by heightened levels of male hormones than neurotypical women. I got that diagnosis years ago.
Kept reading individual female Asperger's accounts and recognized myself in them.
Always got along very well with and understood people with Asperger's easily that I met, while some others thought they were unbearable freaks.

All those details are indicators that I might have Asperger's but I am not diagnosed yet and will therefore not claim to have it.
To be honest, I am hesitant to get a diagnosis because I am afraid it will make life for me even harder, since I am worried employers might not hire me, people will think of me a as a freak, etc.
So I wanted to ask you guys who have an official diagnosis: how has it affected your life? Positively, negatively, not at all?
And also, should I go to see a professional about it? Or can I go on just fine without?

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

You'll need to research the relevant disability-rights and medical privacy laws and policies in your country. They probably vary a lot from one country to another.

In what profession / occupation / job category do you plan to seek employment, and for what kind of entity (corporation, government, etc.)?


Positively, mainly in terms of self-knowledge.


Only you can answer the latter question. What, specifically, do you feel that you need help with?

An official diagnosis on a piece of paper won't make you any different a person so I'm not sure how it would make your life harder. As for potential employers. I don't know about your country, but in Australia disclosure of a disability when you apply for a job is typically voluntary. The military is an exception, but being autistic doesn't automatically exclude you. There are plenty of autistic people in the Australian army. The army recruiters know aspies can make great technical specialists.

I have an official Asperger diagnosis, but as long as I only apply for jobs I know I can do (like anyone should) I consider my autism irrelevant. I also have a policy of only telling an employer I'm on the spectrum once I have proved I can do the job, and then only if it has any impact on my job. This way I avoid employer assumptions on what I can and cannot do based on my disability. It's worked for me, but I'm probably further along on my career progression than you. Most of my previous bosses couldn't care less so long as I was a competent and reliable worker. In twenty five years of work I've only had one boss who was a jerk about it. Others may have a different experience.

Hi kaminchu, Welcome to Wrong Planet.

I found getting an official diagnosis overwhelmingly beneficial, but also confusing, and sometimes painful as I grieved for years of struggle. It helped me understand a great deal about myself and allowed me to be much more compassionate to myself and my flaws. It relieved a depression that had lasted for decades as I had struggled to hide my weirdness. I didn't know of my autism before diagnosis, so I never had the experience of self diagnosis.

Seeking an official diagnosis is up to you. What would you hope to gain? Confirmation of your suspicions? Official recognition by others?

I recently received suspicion confirming diagnosis of ASD. I feel pretty good about the diagnosis....so far. It is a big thing to find out that you are not 'normal' ie neurotypical (love that word). It explains a lot of my actions and struggles in life growing up and entering adulthood. I did the internet tests for aspergers and i think i scored 45. I tried it again and scored 46. This was where i thought i may seek a diagnosis for the first time. I'd always just thought i was a bit quirky or different. I never disliked myself particularly but i felt motivated by other stuff compared to my peers. The result of the internet aq test was a revelation to me as it suggested i was a 'severe' case. I'm not though. I can function pretty well in a neurotypically dominated world. I work and i have kids whom i am capable of looking after very well indeed. There is certainly nothing to fear from a diagnosis. Perhaps the ignorance of others? I feel this is dwarfed by the importance of knowing yourself better. Good luck.