Question for the people without a professional diagnoses.

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Money.
Finding a professional competent in adult assessments for ASD's.
Relatives hostile to being interviewed by shrinks, and likely to lie if asked about anything anomalous.
On disability for another condition which covers my needs adequately.

The person who did my neuropsych work-up for the SSDI/SSI had no knowledge about ASDs. There are various ASD patterns in the results of that testing, but the the evaluator knew nothing about that, so it's all written up as "brain dysfunction." If someone re-interprets that test (which would save $1000+ on an assessment), I don't know what might happen to my SSDI status.

Also, FYI, some autistics (not me, luckily) have been severely abused by the psych system, and have no wish to go near it again.

In my case I don't see where I'd get anything out of being told what I already know.

I doubt I could be diagnosed because I tend to be too defensive about personal questions or talking about myself very much.

Different things have varying levels of importance to different people. For example, freedom rates near the top of my list of things held dear. Let's just say, that perhaps I were to chose to exercise my freedom to own and operate my own aircraft. Would this be legal were I to be diagnosed with a personality or neurological disorder? Or suppose, rather, that I were to chose to earn my living as an over the road truck driver. Both of these freedoms are restricted by law, as to health and mental status. Suppose I earn my living in the construction industry, and from time to time have the opportunity to work on military institutions, provided I can pass muster for a security clearance. Would autism have an effect on my being granted such clearance? This question can not even be researched, because, by necessity, the standards for such are secret. What of gun ownership? I am not intimately familiar with the gun laws of all 50 states, let alone all the countries in the world, but I would suspect that somewhere there is a law that could be interpreted as disqualifying autistics from such freedoms. These are all legal restrictions, that, by law, discriminate against those of us who's biggest problem is not being understood.

On top of the legal ramifications, there is the social cost to be considered. On a recently syndicated episode of "Boston Legal", the aspie lawyer expressed his resistance to diagnosis on the basis of "Who's going to hire the 'autistic lawyer'?" We all know these things happen. Why would one thrust that upon oneself?

Right now, on my desk, I have a one paragraph letter explaining why I was rejected for re-hire for a six figure a year job. Were I to name the organisation that this is from, you would know it. The reason given: "Inquiries were made which resulted in the indication of personality conflicts with former employees and poor attitude toward others." I had worked for this organisation twice previously, each time for about a year. On both occasions, I left on good terms. I once had a supervisor tell me that I was the most productive employee on the site. I never had any personality conflicts with other people, but my peers did with me. I continue to be befuddled as to the thought process in others that conspires to convince them that I am thinking things that I am not. This alone, (much more so when combined with the fact that I meet all the criteria for aspergers in the DSM-IV), to me, trumps any piece of paper that any expert could provide me with.

I am aware that a DX would likely provide me with grounds for a discrimination law suit under the Americans with disabilities act; but at what cost? In my personal set of priorities, it's not worth it.

At 47 years of age, I am long past the point of needing acceptance, and certainly from an Internet community. In short, I'm used to "it". In my day there was an expression: "Deal with it!" That sentiment seems profoundly lacking in this day and age.

In closing, what is your motivation for getting a diagnosis?

Nothing has stopped me from getting a diagnosis. I am currently trying to get assessed after being semi diagnosed by a therapist.

I hadn't even considered ASD and knew next to nothing about it before I took a test that my husband was given. When I took the test I was sure I wasn't autistic in any way.. I knew I was different though but never knew why. When I read on this forum and on other sites I constantly get those "aha" moments, it will explain a lot for me.

I want an official diagnosis for my own peace of mind really. I'm pretty sure I am Aspergers but until I get an official diagnosis I won't know for sure.

It concerns me a little that it would then be in my medical history etc but I would not disclose the fact to anyone other than close family or to someone that I felt was truly understanding.

There is no real benefit to me gaining a diagnosis in lots of ways as I am employed, married and relatively successful.

I'm 15, and I can't tell my parents that I suspect that I have Asperger's Syndrome. The only exposure some people have to it is from reading the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, and I'm not really like the character in the book, so by most people's standards I obviously can't have AS. Also some people still think that only boys have AS, and I read somewhere that girls have different symptoms because they mimic others, and that's probably going to affect any chances of me getting dx'ed because I've learnt to mimic and script quite well.

I don't see the point in going through an upsetting process of proving to one or more complete strangers how woefully inept I am. I wouldn't get any support or help as a result, and I do think there is an awful stigma attached to it. It would be like going to the doctor and owning up to being severely depressed instead of feigning some other illness. All sorts of awful consequences rain down on you. I don't know what effect it would have on life insurance for instance.

I don't like to think what family would think either - I mentioned it to my husband and I think he told his parents and sisters, without telling me. I came in to the room and they were all talking about autism and saying how ridiculous this or that person is claiming she has Aspergers. I felt terrible and wished I never mentioned it to my husband even.

It's better just to be known as bonkers, scatty and incurably late for everything.

I [and actually all of the probables in my cluster] operate at a level where we can [and have for eary decades] passed for crazed loner weirdo. Official diagnosis would confer no benefits and just [as valoyossa said] extend our labelling, possibly affecting somke relationships that currently accept us.

Having reached the SELFdiagnosis has been very freeing, with a lot of explanatory power; putting somebody's degree behind it would not add to that.

Wow, some posts are making me think of the concept of coming out in my own experience. Especially AuntyCC's post. I used to be out bi, but people were so difficult that I just stopped - I'm probably one of the few who's ever gone back into the closet. It's just easier to feign "normalcy"(sp?) than it is to wear it on my sleeve. If I do get a diagnosis in June, everyone's posts here make me realize I should consider who I tell. I had good friends before who I told about my preferences and after I told them they got really umcomfortable around me, even though I was truly uninterested in them - maybe that has something to do with missing social cues, I don't know. Anyway, I gave up being me around many people - it makes work, etc. much easier just to keep my head down.

I'm currently waiting for an assessment.

none of those options apply to me I haven't got a diagnosis yet because I just learned about AS last march and I get little anxiety attacks when I get close to the doctors office. I was planning to talk to a doctor (I don't really have my own doctor) last summer, I managed to get over myself and go into the doctor's office only to find out that the doctor was on lunch. After that I left and now I'm back to struggling with my anxiety issues again to try and talk about getting a diagnosis

I want a diagnosis (not only for AS but ADHD and CAPD) for some piece of mind. Througout my school life I was depressed and angry with myself for things that I know now were probably out of control. I've also been having a lot of sensory issues at my full time job and was hoping to maybe get my desk moved to a different location to help me out a bit.

Reasons AGAINST diagnosis
1. I'd have to go out in the daytime
2. It costs an arm and a leg and takes years of interviews with strangers
3. I trust the medical/pharmaceutical profession not at all (they're both the same thing these days arent they?)
4. It would put the rate up on my life insurance
5. I'm self employed so dont need any assistance getting jobs or for work related stuff
6. I have a partner and dont really care that i have no friends so dont need help with social stuffs
7. I'd have to go to a hospital (large public building phobia)
8. I fail to see how some strange person (doctor/psych) can have a clearer view of my head in an hour or 2 than i do after 41 years, thus making them more qualified to label me than i am to label myself??
9. I dont give a chit what other people think of me so have no need of an "official excuse" for my behaviour
10. They're all farkin humies out there!! !

Reasons FOR diagnosis
1. To prove that i'm right in my assessment of myself (ego)
2. To assure a private cell should i ever go mad and shoot someone

Dang - once again common sense outvotes ego

I'm being assessed now.

Money and I only recently learned about it a couple months ago at all.

I haven't been diagnosed for a couple of reasons, but I picked "I can't afford to pay for a consultation." I don't have any health insurance & I have zero income because I've never been able to work due to the fact that I can barely leave the house, let alone communicate & deal with people in a work environment. I started seeing a psychiatrist about two & a half years ago & was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder., but that only addressed a very small amount of my problems & none of the developmental delays I had as a child. (I didn't tell the psychiatrist about any of those while he was making his assessment-- I didn't think it was necessary.) I then saw a PBS documentary about a guy who has Asperger's Syndrome & I saw a lot of myself in him. When a therapist asked me if I had ever been diagnosed with Asperger's, I realized I must not be the only person to see the similarities. Later, I started reading up & finding more info about it. It definitely fits. Far more than anything else. But I've been too afraid to bring it up to my psychiatrist, my therapist, or my vocational specialist (she helps me look for work), because I'm afraid they won't believe me. I'm afraid my psychiatrist will think I'm a hypochondriac lol. But if the day ever comes that I do have health insurance, I will bring it up to him. Right now, all of my mental health costs are paid by my mental health provider, through the government, but they would never cover a test for Asperger's, HFA, or any other PDD, so telling them now would sort-of be futile since there would be no way of getting diagnosed, anyway.

I picked "I don't think I need one." However, that's not really strong enough.

I think that there are circumstances where it's an advantage to be able to say, "I've never been diagnosed with mental condition." For example, I wouldn't be surprised if an Asperger's diagnosis had to be revealed on, say, an application for a security clearance.

There are also social situations where it can be an advantage.