Are those of us who avoided diagnosis in childhood lucky?

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I would have had more benefits if I was diagnosed even younger. However, I was only diagnosed with ADHD and a learning disability at the time. Autism didn't come until I was about twelve. The only help I really got was in school... and even that didn't help me all that much though either. D: My autism has actually gotten worse over the years. It's gotten to the point where I don't like going out in public unless I'm with my parents. My mom claims that I've gotten better, but I don't really believe her.

I did not intend to ignore your scenario, which must have been horrific. I hope you are right, that such scenarios are rather unusual.

My parents were ignorant, as most would have been in the 1970s. Socialising wasn't high on the agenda back then, and I spent many hours exploring the world on my own. Later, when I was a teenager, there was much more parental pressure to conform to certain social norms and expectations. My biggest goal in life at that time became to leave home at the earliest possible opportunity, and I did manage to move out, immediately after I had finished school.

I wonder how my parents would have taken to an AS diagnosis. They might well have exerted further pressure to "normalise" me, i.e. I may have presented scenario B above in overly optimistic terms.

It is great to see however that some people do benefit from diagnosis. Perhaps in some cases, especially with teenagers, only the children should be told about the result, and the parents should be kept out of the loop.

1960s-1970's Plain Old Bullying I got
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Message: You are wrong
Time involved: A few hours a week ( to and from school, recess, hallways bathrooms) + Maybe at home
Purpose: Get sadistic enjoyment by breaking me, Right of Passage
Abuse Type: Physical and verbal
Denial: ret*d, weak, loner, oddball etc"
Escape: Close the door read, pump up the music
Support: None, every reason to believe I was the only one

ABA 2014
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: You are Wrong
Time Involved: 40 to 60 hours a week + Maybe at home
Purpose: Trying to ?help? by changing who you are
Abuse Type: Physical is rare, verbal varies
Denial: First Person Language, Did I mention they are trying to change who you are
Escape: None really, Texting, Helicopter parents
Many of you get the Plain Old Bullying I got + Cyberbullying
Support: Wrong Planet, other internet/social media - With research you know who you are

The idea of the above is to say the no diagnosis, no support back then vs diagnosis and support now is a false comparison.

I'm not sure what you're getting at. I didn't say anything about "back then". I also can't tell which you're implying is worse.

The thread turned a comparison between the old days and no support vs today with "supports". I think it is a false comparison because the ABA is the primary treatment today and I don't consider it support. I also wanted to break it down into more detail. I did not write a conclusion as to what is worse because I wanted to see what factors I missed or erred on and what conclusions others come up with. A lot depends on people's priorities, who they dealt with and what school they went to, what teachers they had. Not everybody today is being treated with ABA and schools use different variations of ABA

My conclusion while both era's had advantages, both were pretty bad and today is worse if you are treated with ABA.

Could someone please explain to me what the ABA is and what its treatment entailed?

Honestly I think it puts people at a disadvantage when they fall through the cracks and don't get the help they need.

I wish I would have been diagnosed at a young age.
I would have been able the help I needed instead of struggling through life and nearly dropping out of both high school and college.

It would have also prevented my near complete meltdown at 25, which really screwed up by college years and blew a huge hole in my resume that is still causing me trouble in getting a job.

If you have a minor ASD, then it really wouldn't matter much.