How important is an official diagnosis?

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I am 26 years old and I've recently self-diagnosed myself with Asperger's (as a psychology/biology student, I've done plenty of research), and I'm totally itching to see a professional for an official diagnosis, but I'm not sure if that's just my desire for validation or if it may actually be useful.

Of course I had kind of a rough time growing up, especially socially, and it caused me a significant amount of emotional turmoil. I've been in therapy consistently since I was 13 (side note: I've been diagnosed with depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder- I never felt like any of those conditions described my symptoms very well, though). As a result of my obsessively intense observation and introspection (and of particularly cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy), I've learned a lot of coping mechanisms for my symptoms, and these days people consider me "quirky" or "a little odd", but not to the point where it really affects my life anymore. That being said, I definitely see room for improvement, and there are a few areas of my life where I am still learning the skills I feel I need to function normally (such as my romantic relationship- but my boyfriend is understanding and willing to help with or without any formal diagnosis).

What do you all think? Is an official diagnosis useful? Do you feel there is any value to it? Also, how would I even go about getting diagnosed as an adult (especially one who has already gone through the work of developing coping mechanisms)? I still see my therapist every month, but he tends to gawk at diagnoses in general, so I'm sure he'll tell me there's no reason to worry about diagnosis. I just feel like it would be so validating. It explains everything I've been through, and I'd love to have someone acknowledge that experience. Then again, I do have a tendency to want to categorize myself (and everything), and Asperger's gives me an opportunity to accurately do that. Is that a valid reason for wanting a diagnosis? haha

Hi! I am 12 and was recently diagnosed with Aspergers too. I had self-diagnosed my self with it about 6 months earlier and finally asked my parents if I had it. They said my old therapist said I had it, but they had brushed it off. We went to a psychologist and he diagnosed me with Aspergers Syndrome. Knew it. Now, with all of the troubles I have in school (Socially, not educationally, because I am AP +GT and currently taking MIT courses) they are filing a "504" instead of an IEP or whatever. But apperently Aspergers doesnt qualify for all of the medical programs or something, so people dont think it is considered a legally recognized disorder. But it still qualifies for some of them, and that makes it recognized. I believe Aspies get government money for disability, kids get 504's and IEP's, and I heard there was even free insurance for Aspies. So yes. For me though, it was just self relief to get it diagnosed by a qualified by a proffesional.

I'm still working on getting a diagnosis as well. I finally got an appointment to get tested for aspergers next month. The reason I think an official diagnosis is better than a self-diagnosis is because a self-diagnosis doesn't really mean anything when it comes down to it. Even though psychologists aren't perfect, they still are trained to look for the warning signs of not only aspergers but all the other psychological disorders as well.

Legally, a diagnosis can be a life-saver. In some jurisdictions, it means you're entitled to certain financial and medical benefits in case of unemployment or mental illness, and a solid diagnosis also means people are more likely to understand your point of view should you get into a tricky legal situation, such as resisting while being arrested. Without a diagnosis, they have no reason to assume you're anything but another troublemaker trying to talk their way out of it by playing the 'insane card'.

Life might also prove harder if you're after a high-profile career, though. I have yet to reach the point where I'm seriously applying for a well-paying job, as I'm still in school/university, but I suppose I'll keep quiet about my diagnosis, which is my legal right, and see how long it takes for them to figure out I'm 'different'.

If you feel the need for validation, and you're worried about the therapist's judgment, get a second opinion from someone you've never met. Familiarity is often a reason for people to assume a certain situation isn't that worrying or important, even if it's very obvious to the person involved, and everyone around them, that it is.

It depends on where you live, what you want it for, etc. It's good for getting accomodations in college if you need them.

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

I'm glad so many of you agree with me. It's just so hard to convince the neurotypicals in my life- especially because my current behavior really isn't that odd. They're like, "why would you even bother? You're fine!"

Honestly, I don't feel like I need anything other than validation. And yeah, sometimes I'd like to have a "reason" for asking people to do weird things like explain their emotions or intentions to me. Or when I do something awkward or take something literally or tell someone something a little too honestly- I can say something other than, "oh, yeah.. Sorry." I want to be able to explain how I see the world with an actual reason behind it. That would feel so good.

brannonc: I, too am impressed by your writing skills. I haven't seen a kid write that well since I was 12..

Longshanks, not every clinician agrees it is a form of autism. in the DSM IV it is a separate diagnosis still. personally i agree it is an autism spectrum disorder, but that's not a universal opinion. a more common blanket term is Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

A diagnosis can be helpful, but it's completely up to you.

Makayla, I just about died laughing when I read your signature. Every one of the relatively few friends I've acquired over the years ask me whenever they have a particularly troubling or strange question about animals. (I've been obsessed with animals since I was a toddler, and my knowledge is strangely diverse, even for a biologist- which is what I'll be when I finally graduate.. haha) Nobody ever asks me for advice on anything else, though.. Go figure