What difference does a diagnosis make?

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Hi,

I guess I've always known that I was different. I've occasionally considered that I might have aspergers. Recently, for graduate school, I found myself immersed in research on empathy and moral development and started to understand that there were significant differences between how I work and how neurotypical people do. I don't want to write a long post about self diagnosis. I'm not completely sure. I do feel like I understand myself and my processes fairly well.

My question, then, is what difference would it make to go and get a professional's opinion? It occurs to me that given the amount of research that I've done that I could probably not answer their questions in a way that isn't biased by my my understanding of the symptoms. It also occurs to me that whether I am officially diagnosed or not doesn't change who I am. Still, I sort of want to know.

For those of you who are diagnosed or who are not, do you feel like the diagnosis changed anything?

Thanks

It validated me. Not my weirdness, but that I genuinely have sensory problems, and it's not just because I'm a fussy eater or moan about every little annoying scrape on a plate to be an a**hole.

I'm validated by my diagnosis.

Ditto. After half a century of being told everything was my fault and every problem I ever had was due to personal flaws and shortcomings in my personality, it was cathartic to be able to point to a diagnosable neurological condition and know that it was not my fault, after all.

It also allowed me to qualify for Disability assistance, when my 30+ year career finally petered out, which kept me from ending up homeless.

I got diagnosed a year ago.

Since my diagnosis I have taken up driving and I have learned how get on with people in my new job.

My advice is to make up your mind if you want the diagnosis or not.
Is it important for you?

For me it gives peace of mind.

It got me help in school I needed, it helps my husband understand me better because I have the label to prove it. I wonder how different things would be if I never told him. But I have something and Asperger's is my DX so I don't know how else to explain it.

Really? I would have thought that after working all those years they'd automatically rule it not significant enough to hamper employment. I currently am fighting for disability for physical issues. Just got denial. It is lawyer time I fear along with more medical stuff. Should I lump this in along with that? There is NO way I can physically work at any rate, but PROVING it is rather difficult to the satisfaction of the state...

For me, nothing except the fact I won't feel like I am faking it or that I won't be taken seriously. I already know I'm on the spectrum somewhere and I already know there is ZERO help available and the cost for diagnosis is astronomical and would force me to sell my car. I'm better off just accepting I do have a legitimate condition and avoid the triggers. It's also not worth the risk of being tagged with ludicrous labels like "high risk" or "potentially suicidal" by insurance companies especially given the explosion of news items about Autism in the local media.

It was VERY reassuring to join WP and realize that I am not alone in the universe (I had literally never met anyone like me until I came here) but a diagnosis for me will just tell me something I already know.

For me, it's now a journey of finding peace with myself and coming to terms with who I am. I am planning a solo trip to Japan to finally fulfill a dream of mine and to, indeed, find peace with myself before my move to Los Angeles.

The reason I'd like one is because WITHOUT one people will keep telling me "you can overcome this" or "just do this" or "there's nothing wrong with you" or "you need to shake this silly habit you have". WITH it less people will think it's my fault, including myself. A boss at work, for example, won't take "but I'm shy" as an excuse if you cannot do something, but is legally required to be more accommodating if you say "but I have AS".

I am not officially diagnosed but am in the process of getting an off the record unofficial one. The difference it makes for me is that I can tell people that I have real issue and that I am not just being all the negative and mean things people have told me I am. I am still me and nothing will change that but there is a lot of peace of mind just knowing that what I have is actually real and recognized.

Abnormal psychology has been one of my special interests for a long time. I diagnosed myself when I first discovered Asperger's Syndrome at age 20. I did not officially get diagnosed until a couple of years ago. My diagnosis has helped me tremendously, and I feel that it will continue to pay dividends in the future. The following is a list of the ways my diagnosis has helped me so far:

1) It answered the question of "Do I have it or not?" Now that I know I have it, I can make decisions with AS in mind.
2) I know how my AS affects me specifically. It is more than just social awkwardness. I have executive dysfunction.
3) I am learning how NT people are different than me. This helps me get along better with other people because I can understand their behavior better.
4) I am eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation. They can help me find a suitable job and help me get accommodations. If I flounder in the job market, I will have documentation that will allow me to get disability.
5) I am no longer an as*hole, a nerd, a loser, a f**k up, or just a difficult person. I am different than other people. The diagnosis has explained why I am different than other people. My self-esteem has improved as a result.
6) I am no longer beating my head against the wall trying to be normal. I realize that I cannot be normal. I can just be me. I can't tell you how much stress that has alleviated. It has probably also helped my physical health. I have had some physical problems all related to stress.
7) I gained access to the support available here at wrongplanet. Wrongplanet has helped me immensely. Listening to other people's stories gives me a more realistic picture of what I can expect living with AS. I also get a better understanding of social situations by reading the posts. Normal people don't discuss the nuts and bolts of social interaction. They don't need to. Here we dissect social situations. I think I've developed more in the last six months than I have in the last six years socially all thanks to wrongplanet.

I have been assessed and am just waiting on the yay or nay paperwork. I sought a diagnosis primarily so I could stop feeling like I was making my problems up or that they're not as bad as I make them out to be. I also want help at school, accomodations for my sensory problems and executive functioning issues that right now cause difficulties in class. I mostly just want to be able to tell myself, "Yes, this is the explanation for my problems, it's not X, Y or Z other disorder that has all these different symptoms," because having a name for my problems means I can reorganise my life in ways that work for me, ways that I was unaware would be helpful before diagnosis.

The diagnosis caused me to become obsessed with autism and brrrainzzz, which have become my fields of study and special interests for life.

OMG! It turned you into a zombie!

Disability pension if needed

probably some allowances at school (like taking tests in an empty room, a reason for home schooling if it's needed, or whatnot).

My being diagnosed with Aspergers helped me to stop thinking of my symptoms of depression as the result of a chemical imbalance.