Benefits of adult diagnosis

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Thanks for reading my post, I have a question about if it is important to seek diagnosis as an adult if you suspect you might have "high-functioning" autism.

Recently, my mother was diagnosed with it and I read it is sometimes passed down.

About five years ago I was diagnosed with mild OCD. I took medication for several years, then decided to go off the medication. Upon reviewing some of the signs/symptoms of HFA, I could see the possibility in me.

My question is if there is a benefit to the diagnosis when you are an adult? My treatment and counseling for OCD has helped me learn more positive skills to handle my anxiety, but I stopped seeing my psychiatrist about a year ago.

Does anyone have any experiences to share?

Thanks!

I don't know how old your mother is, or how "adjusted" she is, but for me, a diagnosis was a must, simply for my own understanding of self. I'm 46 btw.

I was diagnosed late last year, so I'm still new to the Asperger's thing. But it has given me a sense of relief, a more relaxed outlook on me not fitting in with society, not being "normal" so to speak without there being any reason. Now I have a reason, and I'm comfortable with that.

Anxiety around relationships, shopping complexes, social gathering etc., hasn't disappeared, but I don't fight it any more. I accept what I am, and I recognise its cause. When I've had enough of a social gathering, I leave. I no longer feel guilty or unsocial. I now know that I've had enough and must leave.

For me, the diagnosis has been a great relief. I no longer fight my natural needs.

You could try some of the screening tests first, to see if there is a reasonable chance that you are on the autism spectrum.

This thread here has a number of tests you could do - I'd suggest the AQ Test and the Aspie Quiz (see the first post in the thread). The AQ Test is used by some psychologists and other professionals as a screening test - it doesn't give a diagnosis, but it does give some kind of indication whether you have an Asperger-like personality. Most Aspies score 32 or more, while only about 2% of the general population score in that range (and many of those 2% may be on the spectrum, diagnosed or undiagnosed).

Whether you should get a diagnosis depends on many factors: do you need one? Will it help you understand yourself? Will it affect your health insurance badly? Do you want ongoing professional help based on that diagosis (assuming you qualify for one)?

I got a diagnosis two years ago in my fifties because I wanted to get some objective feedback, and because I wanted help with managing distress related to sensory sensitivity. I have learned to manage my emotion a bit better. It sounds to me like you have already done that via your OCD diagnosis.