Help me explain benefits of diagnosis

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Hi all,
I could really use your help. I want to get a formal diagnosis of ASD and my parents believe that I have it but they don't see the benefits of a diagnosis. I tried to explain to them that it would be a tremendous relief for me personally and that it would make it easier to explain my quirks to the people that I interact with especially when I have to build new relationships. I discussed the employment issues people on the spectrum have and their response was: You'll always have a place with us so it doesn't matter how long you need to live here/are un(der)employed. I turn 17 in 9 days and I really don't want to have to deal with the added difficulties of getting diagnosed as an adult. Thanks in advance!

Well, aside from the emotional and psychological satisfaction of FINALLY FEELING YOU HAVE A PLACE IN THE WORLD, there's the fact that when you do start working, an actual disability diagnosis makes it more difficult for an employer to fire you - and trust me on this:

If you cannot prove a literal disability, when your handicaps make you difficult or annoying to deal with, THEY WILL FIRE YOU.

I spent 30 years in a career I excelled at (and I have a wall full of awards to prove it) and was routinely fired on average every 15 months, because managers would start making changes in my routine, and piling on duties I could not handle and I could give them nothing by way of explanation except "I can't do that." Not good enough.

OTOH, I watched coworkers with diagnosed disabilities treated with kid gloves, because the bosses didn't want a discrimination suit. It makes a big difference.

I addition to the reasons you and will@rd described, I would tell your parents that a diagnosis would open doors regarding education benefits (like an assistant to take notes for you, and grants and scholarships available to autists) in high school and college. I would tell them about how many employers seek out autistic applicants for employment and career advancement (depending on your skills). I would describe how certain insurance and governmental benefits could include counseling and advice on gaining better insight in how to make friends, speak to others and function better among strangers. There are many benefits to getting diagnosed. But, a diagnosis doesn't always need to be shared with others, just those who can help you build a better life for yourself.

Finally, your parents can't outlive you unless something catastrophic happened. So, as much as they want to care for you (something you should accept and welcome), there is only so much they might be able to do for you without a diagnosis and some advice about how to use your diagnosis to help you.

Good luck!

Thank you both! I would like to add that my mother is adamant that due to my CP (Cerebral Palsy) (Brain injury in womb due to oxygen deprivation) qualifying me as disabled under the ADA and for many of the same accommodations that an ASD diagnosis is not needed because I could use my CP as the basis for everything I might need. So I guess what I'm asking is: is there any benefit to getting an invisible disability diagnosed when I have a visible one? i.e. wheelchair use.

Yes, you may need accommodations related to ASD symptoms, and a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis won't provide any proof that you need such accommodation.

Starkid or anyone would you mind providing some specific examples of that? I tried but my mom's only response was "It's a brain injury they're* (future employer) not gonna know/research all it causes" i.e. They'll just believe me/accommodate me for whatever I ask because CP can affect all sorts of things.

Sometimes a diagnosis makes you feel like you DON'T have a place in the world. People will think you have problems you don't have, or all of the problems in the DSM description, rather than just the problems you have. Or they'll think you don't have some other problem you do, because after all, you're autistic. People discriminate like that. I went thru HELL with that.

Maybe they will and maybe they won't.

Most people think of CP as a purely physical problem (especially if they see you having physical difficulties or using wheelchair/crutches/etc.), so if you ask that they don't change your work schedule because you struggle with changes in routine (which is a cognitive difficulty, not a physical one) your supervisor/HR may not view that as related to CP.

That's true of course right now my parents don't see changes in routine as an issue because everything I do is routine. School/Homework and even my weekend is pretty routine. Definitely don't want to have to up the anti anxiety meds just because of changes in routine in the workplace. Last time I tried to lower the dose, I had a meltdown over waffles

While I'm sure this practice goes on for those in the know about the benefits some autistic people have in certain fields isn't this basically a type of disability discrimination against people not on the spectrum - please tell me if talking out of my proverbial

No I don't think so. They are looking for employees with a specific skill set NT's can develop and demonstrate those skills as well. Those employers just happen to know that the skill set is often found among those on the spectrum. It's not like you you can be unqualified and get the job just because you're on the spectrum.

Personally I don't really see a benefit to having a group of people telling me what I already know.