Diagnosis: Pros and Cons? What should I do?

Post Reply New Topic

I am trying to decide whether to get a diagnosis or not. I feel that it might help me to get the support I need and get some people off my back who can't understand why I am different. What do you think?

It depends. If you want to receive treatments or participate in programs that can help with some of your issues, then you will probably need an official diagnosis to receive any of this help, as it will probably be paid for either by the government or by an insurance company. Before they will pay for it, they will want to know that you have the condition for which you are seeking help.

In my case I am too old for the children's programs, I am not attending school or university, so I don't need the school programs, I am not interested in socializing, so I don't need the social programs for adults, and I am disabled due to other health issues, and unable to work any more, so I don't need the programs that help with employment. Since I don't need any of these programs, I haven't bothered with an official diagnosis. Based on my own research, I have no doubts that I have Asperger's Syndrome. I follow the rule of duck: If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. I am an Aspie duck.

In your case, you mention wanting help, so I think you would benefit from an official diagnosis.

I too am on the fence on diagnosis. I'm an adult who has adapted somewhat well to life except for in the area of dating. I don't think I really need help except for in the case of returning to school, which I plan to do in the fall. Even then, all I would want is a prescription for adderall as it worked well the last time I went back to school and I think it would do the same again.

As to getting people off your back, I think you are going to be disappointed. Remember, most people are neither logical nor compassionate. All they care about is their own self-interest and pleasure. If you do not bring that to them, well they will get their jollies off of you some other way. The best you can hope for is to learn some coping skills so that you can get better at reading social situations. It may be that these people will never accept a "new" you and that you will instead have to start from scratch (I did).

You diagnosed yourself? You sir are a Quack!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is not so much people that I have trouble with it is Systems and protocols set up by NTs that I cant operate in properly.

I want help to work

I believe sympathetic people will be sympathetic. Without a script. It's people to people. If someone "needs" a doctor's order to be sympathetic to you ... well, good luck.

If someone doesn't understand you, they still won't understand you with whatever diagnosis you get.

But, perhaps you want a diagnosis for your own acknowledgement, or for services (say, school or work related).

What would you gain out of knowing? What would you gain out of a diagnosis? Why do you suspect being on the autistic spectrum?

I have read up extensively and done all of the available online tests with unambiguous results. I even seem to have the very specific traits. There is no question that I have it, I am 99% certain.

I am thinking that if I get the diagnosis it will get the government off my back, there are lots of basic things that I have not been able to sort out, bureaucratic paperwork licences appointments and so on.. Like I said I don't have trouble with people socially so much as difficulty with supporting myself, making it to appointments, providing paperwork, meeting deadlines, paying bills on time and organizing basic day to day things that seem simple to NTs.

Although people may never understand Aspergers at least it is an explanation that will satisfy most people with a little description if required.