Getting professionally diagnosed? (Downsides?)

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Are there any downsides to this? I have been debating for awhile now. I'm pretty positive I have aspergers. Also, I'm pretty sure my mom and grandfather on her side have aspergers too because they are not very sociable either and display some traits but are not diagnosed as having it.

I'm 22 and have been debating on joining the military though, but I held off on that because I just got a part time job and might be going to the local college in the fall if financial aid goes through.
I'd also like to get a gun permit at some point and I'm wondering in the states if this is harder if you end up being diagnosed with aspergers/autism or not?

I'd also like to know if it might be harder to get certain jobs in the future if an employer is able to get access to that kind of information such as medical diagnoses.

Thanks.

I think the certainty and knowledge of being an Aspie, which in many cases is more confirmation than knowledge anyway, as most of us figure there's something different about us to begin with far outweighs the downside.
In most cases I would expect others would only know of your diagnosis if you choose to disclose it; and really it's a personal thing; you wouldn't go around introducing yourself and saying you have Asperger's at your first meeting; unless it was an Aspie social group.

Asperger's is a neurological condition, not an illness, not a deficit or a disability, though it can be seen as contributing to developmental and social interaction delay.
Even Tony Atwood the guru of Asperger's recommends Aspie's should be selective about disclosure, not because being an Aspie is a bad thing, but because there is a stigma to it; people fear and ridicule things they don't understand.
You could miss out on opportunities and options that are perfect for you if you disclose too soon, as people won't give you a chance if you show any Chinese in your armour. You can always decide to disclose later if you get a job and find it difficult.
On the flipside, if you want to study and have been diagnosed, you should tell the school as soon as possible, as Asperger's can definitely impact the environment and method of learning that suits you best.

A diagnosis will give you an explanation for why you are different, and will give you somewhere to start from in addressing any weakness or deficit you have, as well as help you identify your strengths; many NT"s go their whole lives without going through that process, so at worst it will help you make the world a more even playing field, at best it will make your life easier, as you'll get to understand what you're dealing with.

So my advice is go for the diagnosis, learn to understand yourself including your strengths and weaknesses, but be cautious about who you tell, as some will not understand, will not believe you, or will not take you seriously.
The world is not the fair place it should be, and until it is it's best to keep anything that sets you apart from the pack private except for those you feel you can trust.

BTW; I'm 41 and going for an appointment to get a diagnosis next week - if I had a chance to get diagnosed like you are at your age my life would have been a LOT easier, so do it at least for the sake of making sure you have a chance at an easier life than I have.

As a 45 years old who always assumed themselves to be neurotic rather than autistic, I want to get tested for a number of reasons - one reason being, no one will believe me if I don't. I also think getting tested will have a colossal value in helping me define who I am, decide what's best for me, and define what I want out of life (and should expect), moving forward. As I said in another post, in my area of the SE U.S. the test I want seems to cost about $1500 and has a 3-month waiting list, but I am working on getting tested soon as possible. I sure wouldn't want to assume myself Asperger's if I'm not, and if it's not Asperger's I will have to keep searching (next stop, brain injury...) Just one point against getting diagnosed so young I would mention (tho I'm not diagnosed myself):

Even in the PAST MONTH since I found out about Asperger's and decided it fit me like a glove....I've already noticed that I no longer really feel I have to live up to neurotypical standards anymore. This comes with a great sense of relief, but this is both good and bad. As someone who always passed for normal, I was never in Special Ed classrooms or expected any accommodations....in other words, I was so "mainstreamed" that even I thought I was normal.....when I was younger, there was never anyone there to shield me from things like overstimulation or explain my socially deviant behavior. This made me the best mimic ever. Trying to keep up w/my NT friends, I finished college, supported myself my whole life, and now I am a proud homeowner living in the countryside as I always wanted (tho it's just me and my fur children) - oh, and I have a lucrative career at a Fortune 500 company which I despise, just like the average NT! All of this, though it did almost kill me (ha!) made me ever tougher and really matured me over time. So, I maybe getting the diagnosis is best but be careful not to limit your potential as a result???