I got diagnosed autistic at 21 after misdiagnoses of schizophrenia starting at 16, when I was forced to be evaluated before being privately tutored (my father HATED psychiatry and psychologists/psychiatrists because his younger brother was experimented on as a young child in the 60's). I was accepted by my family as developmentally delayed and always in special programs and eventually was pulled out of high school to be privately tutored due to overload in public school. I had to leave college despite being a straight A student and doing a paid internship with the Smithsonian at age 19. I am highly "intelligent" in academic terms, but unable to live independently. I went on disability at 22 and the diagnosis of ASD helped, I am sure. I can't work, never have been, and need help with finances, household stuff, cooking, etc. So no diagnosis would be very bad for me. Everyone treats me normally and the same as before after they find out my diagnosis, if not better because there is an explanation for my differences. People generally see me as a person, not a diagnosis.
19 Apr 2015, 1:58 pm
