Diagnosis dilemma

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Well, after hearing about Asperger's about 6 months ago, I've done quite a bit of reading and am very confident that I have it. My parents think the same thing and they've done a lot more reading than i have.

The question I have is whether or not it is useful to get a diagnosis. I'm already certain that I have Asperger's. At 17 years old i don't think there's much use in getting an official diagnosis.

Can anyone relate?

I guess it depends on how severely affected you are. A diagnosis could be helpful in college.

Health insurance could be affected, diagnosis may allow you to use cannabis or reduced tuition fees

A diagnosis is useful if there are services that are available to people who are diagnosed, such as therapy or educational assistance. It is useful if you feel that your Asperger's may affect employment, because the Americans with Disabilities Act only applies to people with a formal assessment. There may be value in having a diagnosis for social welfare if you foresee a situation of being unemployed etc, and a longer history of diagnosis may help.

Even if you never plan on using the diagnosis, it is better to have it before a problem rather than seeking a diagnosis to deal with a problem, e.g. if you are ever arrested and officers think your speech or actions are suspicious.

Someone said you can not serve in the US military with a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome, and the people variously claim that health insurance is and is not affected (it isn't where I live, by law), so you need to check these for your own situation and location.

A diagnosis is useful if there are services that are available to people who are diagnosed, such as therapy or educational assistance. It is useful if you feel that your Asperger's may affect employment, because the Americans with Disabilities Act only applies to people with a formal assessment. There may be value in having a diagnosis for social welfare if you foresee a situation of being unemployed etc, and a longer history of diagnosis may help.
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No, protection under the ADA does not require an official diagnosis. The ADA applies without regard to official diagnosis, only that you have a disability that substantially impacts a major life activity including thinking and communicating. You only need to get an official diagnosis of disability when you ask for special services like voc rehab or potentially if you prosecute a lawsuit.

You are 'too old' at age 17? That makes me chuckle.

If you plan on going to college, having an official diagnosis may be useful as (at least in America) colleges all have some sort of Office of Disabilities. They offer an array of options for the learning challenges of various disabilities, including special arrangements for testing, scheduling and lots of other special needs. For example, if you are very easily distracted, arrangements can be made for taking a test in a quiet room all by yourself. A formal diagnosis may even get you into a better school since it may be taken into consideration if for example your SAT or other entrance exam scores are less than what you hoped.

The tricky part is finding a professional that will work with you instead of work you over. Some mental health professionals leave you feeling like a piece of meat - you are just another data point in their clinical practice. Don't be afraid to tell a practitioner that you are not comfortable with their style and methods and you will be seeking other help. It is YOUR future.

My doctor (HMO family practicioner, not an expert) agreed with me that it looks like I have AS. He said that all the stuff I was diagnosed with in the 70s "means the same thing" and that it probably wouldn't be to anyone's benefit for me to get rediagnosed today, since I'm 42, already went to college and already have a career.

I'm not sure if he means that since I'm not a child, nobody cares anymore, or if he means that the HMO he works for isn't interested in spending any money on me.

Anyway, I still have all the same problems. I've just learned to blend in with earthlings better.

I'd say that getting a diagnosis can be very helpful if you plan to go on to university. Even if you aren't needing accommodations now, you never know what you might run into at university, and it's much better to have everything in place in advance, just in case you need it, than to scramble around trying to get a diagnosis and communicate with a whole brand-new set of rules, when you're already overwhelmed (which is presumably why you'd be trying to change things in the first place).
Best to have it and keep it in your back pocket just in case you'll need it, I'd think.

If you're not going to university, then I'm not sure what a diagnosis would do to help. A lot of people here know more about employment and disability than I...