Is it ok to identify with ASD label?

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So lately I'm been referring to my self as having aspergers/autism (I am officially diagnosed) more because it helps me to be able to explain why I may do certain things (i.e. meltdowns). My mother however, believes that I shouldn't be labeling myself in this way, as she doesn't believe in labels at all, and that I am wearing my diagnosis as a badge of honor. So my question is, it it ok to want to identify as having aspergers/being autistic?

i think it can be a good thing until you get used to it as just one more fact about yourself. in time you'll see how it can be self-limiting when you identify with the label, because there's inevitably a pressure (from yourself) to conform to it, "because it's the real you"

it may blind yourself to the parts of "the real you" beyond (or contrary to) what the label can describe. and it turns into defensiveness, which causes conflicts. you might find yourself being offended by things that don't actually have anything to do with you (just because they have something to do with the label) without realizing it, and you might find yourself denying other issues and using the label as a justification when it's actually not appropriate (i've been through all that myself)

it really is hard to find the balance somewhere in between the extreme of simply having some technical and impersonal knowledge about yourself and the extreme of turning it into a self-fulfilling prophecy that you waste a lot of time and energy to defend. but finding that balance is something you need to do eventually

Yes you can. It is part of your brain and most likely part of your genetic makeup so how can it not be part of you?. Lableing yourself can be overused and abused but so can anything in life. If you did this 5 or 10 years ago you would have probably gotten more outside support but nowadays while it is acceptable to label youself by your religion, ethnicity, skin color etc there is a very vocal opposition about doing it for autism. But these people have no experience bieng you and therefore should not effect how you self identify or not identify.

I don't think of it so much as a label, but rather just a description of problems that a person has.

If she thinks of it like a badge of honour, she's probably taking you the wrong way. Let your mother know that she is making you uncomfortable, and try to explain to her that it's not an "identity", it's merely an illustration of your difficulties.

Good question. Which option works for you, which makes you happier?

In the privacy of your thoughts? Yes. Absolutely. Embrace it.

In public? No. Going around drawing attention to your diagnosis wholesale to everyone for no good specific reason is kind of dumb.

In some cases, I say, "yes", it's alright to explain it to others if the situation calls for it, but it's also easy to abuse such labels by using them as excuses, which from my personal experiences, is frowned upon.

But at the end of the day, you just do whatever is most comfortable to you.

One of my old Psychiatrists actually never really used labels, he just said that "my brain was wired differently". And I couldn't help but agree with him on that.

I think it is better to have the correct lable applied than leaving up to others to make one up for you regarding behavior, if that's an issue.

Also better for you apply the correct label to yourself, instead of calling yourself names.

I don't see anything wrong with it. I see it as an opportunity to educate people.